MOTHERHOOD

Motherhood means seeing each of my children as individuals, loving them as equals, respecting them as little people. It means not seeing their imperfections as permanent flaws, but as opportunities to learn more about themselves. It means showing them my own imperfections, while trusting that they can also learn from me and become better than I ever hoped to be.
Motherhood means giving life to a life unlived, it means dreaming of things yet undreamed, and sustaining hope in a hopeless world. It means untiring prayer in exhausting circumstances; it means choosing to love them when my children are unlovable, and leading them through a wilderness of sin when all they can see is a godless generation before them. It means showing them God in that godless world, and remaining faithful when my own and their faith is failing.

-Kimberly Hartfield