Probably one of my greatest joys in life is to be a spiritual momma in the family of God. I love this calling God places on me as his daughter to be a mother in the Church. Parenthood is at the center of the reality of the Trinity— the relationship between Father and Son. Our culture teaches us to separate our identity as men and women from our identity as fathers and mothers, but in the household of God, every man is a father and every woman is a mother. In understanding our identity as children of God, made in the image of God the Father, who are called into full maturity as men and women, we must understand our identity as fathers and mothers.
I have no biological or adopted children; my household family consists simply of me, but my eyes have opened to what it means to be part of the household of God. I have an abundance of spiritual family members — full of daughters, sons, mothers, and fathers. God used his Church to reveal this lesson to me and gently invite me into faithfully following his command to love him with all my heart, soul, and mind and to teach this command to my children (Deuteronomy 6). Just as none of the Israelites were exempt from the commands God directed Moses to give, whether they were young, old, single, or married, I too must impress the command to love God on my children. So, the question on my heart was no longer, “why am I not a mother yet” but rather, “who are my children, Lord,” which I discovered is a question the Lord delights to answer. As I asked that, he revealed to me certain children that he was calling me to disciple; some of those were actually in their childhood years on earth, and all of them were God’s children in need of shepherding. I began praying for these specific people and meeting with them to read the Bible and pray together. I discipled these children as a mother — a mother that so fiercely loves her children and will sacrifice much for her flock. Through being on mission with these spiritual children, the Lord’s calling of me to be a mother came to fruition. Calling and identity are most tangibly experienced when we’re on mission – mission is where we look more like Jesus.
Family is a gift, and spiritual family has come to mean so very much to me as I live more fully into my spiritual motherhood call. During a recent trip west, I enjoyed time with some dear spiritual family members, and I very cautiously let a little 4 year old snap some photos on my camera. She is a pro in training, no doubt about that, and she even captured some photos I immediately fell in love with and that really portray all the goodness I feel about the gift of being a spiritual momma.
