A Mother's Love-A Child's Joy

A mother’s love is something so powerful that you cannot describe it in words. When you add Jesus into a mother’s, it makes her love even more effective. A mother who is in Jesus can express His love to a child, not just her own. Jesus’ love is compassionate, caring, prayerful, and firm because He died to save us. Not everyone operates in this love, but you can; all you have to do is accept it. For some this love is so natural, they don’t even realize they are operating in it. For others, it takes a lot of Jesus to get it done.

A perfect example of operating in this love is my sister-in-law. About two years ago, she found out she was pregnant with a cleft lip baby. Sometimes, once people find out that they are going to have a cleft lip and possibly a cleft pallet baby, they will terminate the pregnancy. That wasn’t even an option in this case.

They didn’t know until their daughter was born, that along with the cleft lip, she also had cleft pallet, both which were a severe case. Thanks to all of the prayer, she didn’t have any of the syndromes that usually accompany the cleft lip/pallet child. 

A cleft lip is when there is either one side or both sides of the lip that are bunched up by the nose. It is like a little pile of skin. The mouth never closes all the way and there is always a hole. The cleft pallet is where there is no roof of the mouth. The mouth is open to the nose and the only way that they can breathe is through the mouth. The pallet makes it very hard for them to eat. A special bottle is needed that has an extended nipple to go back to the throat and they have to eat a special way until they get everything closed up.

I am not going to write about the emotions and the struggles they went through. Instead, what I am going to tell you is what I’ve witnessed. My niece is one of the most joyful kids I know. There is a big difference between happiness and being joyful. Happiness is a choice; joy comes from the heart. She has been through more surgeries than many people go through in an entire lifetime and is looking at more and yet she is still the most delightful child to be around. You would never know the pain she has been through. Most people would say it is just her personality, but I think it has a lot to do with the love her mother shows her. My sister-in-law takes joy in her children; she loves being around them and taking care of them. She is a stay-at-home mom and I’ve heard her say that this is her job and it is what she has chosen to do.

I have watched her after every surgery and she was so calm and patient, as she would sit and rock my niece and try to make her comfortable. She never got frustrated when she couldn’t get her to settle down; she just kept loving on her. I know that it took many nights of no sleep, a lot of prayer, and patience to get through it. But they did get through it and were blessed along the way. One of the blessings was an awesome doctor. He would always pray with them before the surgeries and that prayer would put them at ease and they were able to relax during those surgeries. Another blessing was a very supportive family. There were always a few of us there with them during surgery, and those that could not be there in person were there through prayer.

My sister-in-law is caring, yet firm with her kids. I’m not saying it is always easy because it isn’t. Raising children can be hard at times, but it is a very important job. She demonstrates the love that everyone should have for their children and it shows. They are joyful, content, secure, and very well behaved. They are definitely their mother’s crown and they will rise up and call her blessed. (Proverbs 31:28)

Her love doesn’t extend to her children only, but she started making bracelets in my niece’s honor to help fix other cleft children. On every bracelet is a laugh charm because her favorite thing about her daughter is her laugh. She is extending her heart for these children, and her love, the love of Jesus, to others by making these bracelets.

Every mother that is in Christ can have this love. All you have to do is operate in it – it is yours for the taking. I’m not saying that once you receive and operate in this love that your children will be perfect and you will not have any problems, because they are kids in training. But don’t give up and go back to the old way because the product of the new is so much better. The product of this new love is very joyful, happy, content, and secure children.
 

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