Photo taken in Kansas.

Author: Elton Streyle, Contributor: Noah, Photography and Editing: Ali

Heavenly Father, I come before You today to thank You for the love and selfless compassion that my mother has given to me. Thank you for the embodiment of love that she has been in my life. Direct me to honor my mother on this special day and let her know how much she has meant to me. If she has passed on, I give You thanks and praise for the pleasant memories of her.

Thank you for the many mothers who exemplify 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as a beautiful descriptor of a mother’s love. “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

I pray for and ask You to remind all mothers-to-be, especially those that are considering abortion, to understand that the child within them is known and created by You, and You have a plan for their child’s life. This is expressed in Jeremiah 1:5. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

There is no greater blessing and honor for a mother than to raise up a child in the way of the Lord and to teach them to serve and honor You. Thank you for the critical role a mother plays in this process.

Teach me to encourage and help mothers wherever possible. Direct ​me to serve mothers and help with their often overwhelming task of raising up God-fearing children. Thank you for the blessings of a mother’s love, but even more for Your love, which is far greater and has provided me with salvation.

Even if my mother was not a positive influence in my life, I am thankful that the true source of love and acceptance comes from You, not from this world. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

In Jesus’ Name, thank you for the blessing of my mother. Amen.