And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 ESV

What have I provided for my children, I ponder in reflection. I have nurtured, loved, wiped tears, held hands, educated, and driven all over the place, and I think about if it is enough. Can I provide them with any more? Is this all there is to my life, to their lives, to my mission?

I was thinking aloud on these things one day with my friend. We talked about how sometimes we question our goals, our value as mothers or wives, and our career choices. I spoke about how I wondered if the Lord had more for me, how I have prayed for direction and lift my hands in question saying, “is this it?”

Nodding in a agreeance, she related a story to me from her church not so long ago.

There was a video presentation during the service that showed someone interviewing different members of a church. The voice asked them all the same question: “What have you done for the kingdom?”

Each person had a great answer: I am an accountant, I am a lawyer, I am a teacher, I am a pastor, I am police officer, and so on. The last person answered in a quiet tone, “I am just a mom.”

Just a mom.

My heart breaks with you, Sister. I am just a mom, too. I wanted to reach out to whoever this woman was and hug her. She was corrected by the voice of the interviewer.

“Just a mom? You have children that you minister to every day and teach them to be an active member of the family and of society. You teach them responsibility and how a wife loves her husband. Biblical principles are lived out in your home, and hope is grown there. Joy seeps out of their laughter and love pours upon you when they look at you from across the room. You may think your reach is small, but what if each of your children reach four people, and those people each reach another four. Or take it further, they each reach one-hundred people using the tools that you have given them. Your reach now is not just four, it is four hundred and four. You are raising fishermen, and you matter. The Lord’s mission for each of us may seem small in our minds, but His plans reach the heavens. All missions are equally important. You are not just a mom, you are a child of God, royalty.”

I have known this friend for quite some time, but I think I shed a tear that I tried to whisk away before she saw. This was a fantastic reminder to the both of us. We are not at home in vain. A mission field has been provided for us, and we must move full speed ahead.

When all else is said and done, I know that I have provided my very best for my children.

Called to a mission that I didn’t dream up as a youth, the Lord has given me a grand opportunity to minister to the future generation and to prepare them with tools of excellency, love, and knowledge in the heart and in the head.