31 Mothering Models from the Bible,: A 31-Day Devotional Study for Mothers

By Tori Ann Goode

Mothers are incredible! Both the past and the present bear witness to this.

This devotional study book, 31 Mothering Models from the Bible, is for mothers who are curious to see how some women in the bible mothered their children and how they overcame challenging situations that arose during their

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dube Publishers
• Release date: May 9, 2024
• ISBN: 9781068630309

Tori Ann Goode

Tori Ann is a wife and mother to her family of five. She holds an honors Degree in Social Work and a Diploma in Biblical Studies. She is a church leader and children's church teacher for over 20 years. Having become a Christian in her early teens, she is passionate about bringing up children in the knowledge of God from an early age and delights in seeing children zealous for God and ministering in their local church. She is eager in partnering in prayer with mothers who share the same burden of raising up a godly offspring for such a time as this.

Book preview

Tori Ann Goode

31 Mothering Models from the Bible

A 31-Day Devotional Study for Mothers

First published by Dube Publishers 2024

Copyright © 2024 by Tori Ann Goode

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

Tori Ann Goode asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

Scriptures are taken from the King James Version Bible available on the Public Domain.

First edition

ISBN: 978-1-0686303-1-6

Editing by N Dube

This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

Find out more at reedsy.com

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This book is dedicated to women I can identify with, who have the honor of carrying out God’s plan for raising children in a way that honors Christian principles and beliefs. I pray that this book will be a blessing to you and your children, even as we humbly hope to influence the next generation for the glory of God.

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

Psalm 145:4 (KJV)

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgement

1. EVE: THE FIRST MOTHER

2. HAGAR: THE MAID AND EGYPTIAN MOTHER

3. SARAH: MOTHER OF NATIONS

4. REBEKAH: THE MOTHER WHO INQUIRED

5. LEAH: THE UNLOVED MOTHER

6. RACHEL: JOSEPH AND BENJAMIN’S MOTHER

7. JOCHEBED: A MOTHER IN TURBULENT TIMES

8. PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER: THE ADOPTIVE MOTHER

9. DEBORAH: MOTHER, JUDGE, WIFE AND PROPHET

10. SAMSON’S MOTHER: THE DISCERNING MOTHER

11. MICAH’S MOTHER: THE DISHONEST MOTHER

12. NAOMI: THE MOTHER-IN-LAW

13. RUTH: THE LOVING DAUGHTER-IN-LAW

14. HANNAH: THE PRAYERFUL MOTHER

15. BATHSHEBA: A MOTHER’S WISDOM

16. WIDOW AT ZAREPHATH: THE POOR MOTHER

17. THE WIDOW AND HER TWO SONS: A DESPERATE MOTHER

18. THE SHUNAMMITE WOMAN: A MINISTERING MOTHER

19. JEDIDAH: KING JOSIAH’S MOTHER

20. ATHALIAH: MOTHER OF AHAZIAH

21. MOTHER OF KING LEMUEL: A WISE MOTHER

22. VIRTUOUS WOMAN: THE BLESSED MOTHER

23. THE CANAANITE WOMAN: A MOTHER OF OUTSTANDING FAITH

24. SALOME: THE MOTHER OF JAMES AND JOHN

25. MARY: THE MOTHER OF JAMES AND JOSES

26. ELISABETH: THE MOTHER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

27. MARY MOTHER OF JESUS: THE VIRGIN MOTHER

28. SIMON PETER’S MOTHER-IN-LAW: THE SERVING MOTHER-IN-LAW

29. WIDOW OF NAIN: THE WEEPING MOTHER

30. LOIS: THE BELIEVING GRANDMOTHER

31. EUNICE: THE SECOND-GENERATION MOTHER

Conclusion

Afterword

Preface

It is only when I became a mother did I suddenly realize, how sweet it was to be called ‘mom’ and how precious my mother became to me. I recall the late evening in the labor ward when I gave birth to my daughter. I could not sleep, I spent the whole night awake looking at her and wondering… How did I do it? What happened for her to be here? How am I going to care for her? Will I be good enough? So many thoughts flooded my mind. I was excited to finally have a beautiful baby of my own, to hold, kiss, or even just admire without feeling like I had crossed into the boundaries of staring! It was plain to see I was in love again—not with my husband (again), but this time with our baby girl.

Days passed as we were getting to know each other, but I remember vividly having a ‘revelation’ of some sort… which was along the lines of… she really was not mine; she really did not belong to us but to God, and I was just ‘tasked to look after her’ by God. I don’t know; have you ever had those thoughts, too? Where you suddenly know that there is someone bigger than you (God!) and He has given you a human life to be wholly responsible for, an ‘assignment’ to complete, and within you rises resolutions that you want to do well at it. To be the best that you can be!

MOTHERS ARE INVALUABLE TO SOCIETY

So, what is the definition of a mother?

Oxford English Dictionary defines a mother as a female parent of a human being; a woman in relation to a child or children to whom she has given birth; (also, in extended use) a woman who undertakes the responsibilities of a parent towards a child.

Colloquial equivalents of the word mother are, for example, mama, mom, mum, mummy, etc. These are picked and chosen differently in our families according to differences in traditions, cultures, and, dare I say, situations, i.e. depending on our children’s moods. I think it would be safe to say that everyone, at one point or the other has spoken about either having or not having a mother. Really without mothers, human beings, people, and life could cease to exist.

Therefore, God needed a woman, women to be in this precious role of ‘mothering’ in different forms or life situations. Most mothers come into motherhood with fantasies or expectations of what the role will entail; some hope to imitate their mothers in the role, others hope to mother differently from their own experiences and others have that number one goal, to be the best mother they can be for their children!

It is only when you are in the mothering role that you start to walk your own similar but unique journey alongside other mothers and even have certain emotional needs that might need to be met, such as being needed, loved, respected, listened to, etc. that the journey gets personal.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A MOTHER?

There are a lot of books and teachings on this very question, but I will summarize the role in just a few short words: To love, care, teach, nurture, provide basic needs, build up for the future, provide safety, security to children whilst also managing the family’s household and not neglecting your sense of self. Frankly, the list is long, and some theorists and psychologists have explored this in such wonderful detail, which is very helpful for us to understand why some mothers do well in the role while others do not do so well and may need extra help or even may have to relinquish the role altogether.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A GODLY MOTHER?

The Bible says;

Lo, children are the heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.

Psalms 127:3 -5

Children are God’s gift to the world. God wrapped up a present and handed it over to a mother and their family (the father and the extended family). They are innocent at birth, helpless, and totally reliant on others, especially their mothers. Interestingly, no one can compare to the role that mothers take. I do not mean to put any fathers down who do such a wonderful job playing their role, as single parents or alongside the mothers.

However, I would like to think being a mother is unique, just as being a father is unique, but we all do what we can and have to do in the situations we find ourselves in. The place of a mother in a child’s life is immensely great, and God, in His wisdom, has given that to the woman. It is not just about the natural features of the womb alone that make a mother it is also in the role played by a woman. Every baby girl is a potential future mother because such nature is divinely from God.

As a godly mother, you become one of the most important godly role models for those whom you will parent. The love of God makes more sense, when a child, from an early age, has been consistently cared for and loved by those around them, mostly their primary caregivers. This is known as ‘attachment’.

Being a godly mother or becoming a godly mother means you will desire a relationship with God the Father such that you will seek His ways in your mothering role. You will accept to become 100% employed by God to be one of your child’s most valuable examples of godly love. The role extends to not only meeting the physical needs of a child but the spiritual needs too, aligning them to their God-given purpose through prayer, reading scripture, and engaging in spiritual battles through intercession. We will find ourselves praying about almost every aspect of their lives. It will take us to seeing the bigger picture of why we are their mothers and how we are to work hard, to be intentional in our parenting, and build a daily reliance on the Holy Spirit to fulfill a godly mother’s role.

WHO IS THIS DEVOTIONAL JOURNAL FOR?

This devotional journal is for