"Mother's Day" by Kathryn Collins Sky Ranch Event Marketing Coordinator

“...now that I am a mother, I understand what Mother's Day is about: it's about looking through our lives and recognizing the act of mothering everywhere we see it, and more than that, recognizing that when any of us mother-- when we listen, nurture, nourish, protect--we're doing sacred work.”

-Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet

This quote seems like a moot point coming from a 24-year-old, single girl with no children now or coming anytime soon in my future. But this nugget of truth from one of my favorite authors, Shauna Niequist, still deeply grabbed a hold of my soul. I’m not a mother, but I do have a mother (a pretty incredible one, at that), and I have witnessed some of the most authentic women in my life nurture their own children.

What does it mean to recognize the act of mothering? To me, it means witnessing an exchange of advice and wisdom. It means experiencing the comfort of one heart to another. It’s feeling that warmth of being provided for. Or that joy of nourishing another in the little moments of daily life. Mothering is all around us… and it truly is a heartbeat in this world.

You are worth more than you know to your children. You are the ones that have the ability to show them a glimpse of Christ in their everyday lives. You get them out of bed, just as Christ gives us a new chance every morning. You feed them, just as Christ nourishes our hearts and our minds. You listen to them, just as Christ allows us to pour our desires and heartaches unto Him. You protect them, just as Christ guards us in all circumstances. You show them grace and forgiveness, just as Christ so freely forgave us on that cross and continues to be gracious to us in all circumstances.

Although I have not experienced the gift of being a mother just yet, I hope that you are still encouraged by these words. And always remember, you are doing sacred work.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Kathryn

Kathryn Collins
Event Marketing Coordinator
Sky Ranch

P.S. You should definitely look into reading Shauna Niequist’s books, if you haven’t already! I recommend all three of her books: Cold Tangerines, Bittersweet, and Bread and Wine. They are all so full of truth and spunk, providing freshness and meaning for the ups and downs of life.