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As my baby girl, Alexandra turned one yesterday, and as we both are home sick on this beautiful Wednesday, I thought I would reflect on what God has taught me through motherhood. There is something so beautiful about being a mother and watching your babies grow, especially the first go around. One of these beautiful realizations is that children are created in God’s image and are a huge part of God’s kingdom.

Psalm 139 13-16 NIV says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

I read this and think how innocent and precious our babies are. They play such a role in our lives yet have no voice. As the author David writes this Psalm he is shares Gods love for the babies in the womb and their parents. Every life is so important to God no matter if our culture today sees them as anything less. I have always been against abortion, but since becoming a Mother, I feel so much more for our babies who cannot defend or take care of themselves. Since becoming a mom I have noticed there are some generational differences and let me say, I am so thankful my generation and the ones close to it, seem to be more understanding of the importance of emotional safety, especially when it comes to babies.

There is nothing that grinds my gears more than hearing someone say, “Just let her cry it out.” Crying is the voice of a baby. It is the only way they know how to say they need something. If the Bible tells us that children play such a significant role in God’s kingdom, why wouldn’t we care for them with the same attentiveness we would give to a friend or close family member?

I can’t emphasize this enough: children are not burdens — they are gifts.

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” (Psalm 127:3–5 NIV)

I genuinely struggle to understand how anyone could view children as a strain. A heritage from the Lord means a reward, and personally, Alex is my greatest reward. I hardly remember what life felt like before her. She brings life into me, purpose, and so much joy. I have never wanted to work harder in my life than I do now — to make sure she grows up with everything she needs and more.

If we could shift our perspective especially for those who see children as liabilities rather than blessings and begin viewing them as opportunities to shape the future, we could only imagine the places they will go and the impact they will have on our world.

As parents, we have an incredible opportunity to raise our children well. We are called to raise them up in the way they should go and to point them to Christ. Imagine if all of us truly understood the weight and privilege of that responsibility — how different our world could look if children were raised with both discipline and love.

It breaks my heart when I see neglect in children today. At their core, kids just want to be seen and heard. Whether people agree or not, the way children are loved and treated in their early years significantly shapes who they become later in life. When children feel neglected, they are far more likely to seek validation in unhealthy places.

Since becoming a mom, I feel called to see children differently and to never treat them as inconveniences. God values them deeply, and we should too.

As parents, we carry an important responsibility: to discipline our children and point them toward the Lord. Paul makes it clear that parents are to raise their children in the knowledge of God and His kingdom. Teaching our children obedience to God is one of the most important things we can do and one of the strongest ways to do that is by modeling it ourselves.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14 NIV)

As we obey Christ, our children are more likely to follow. This is especially powerful when children are blessed with a father who places God above everything else. Encouragement is another way we honor God in parenting. We can choose to build up rather than tear down.

The Bible is full of wisdom on leading children in love and truth. Proverbs was one of the first books I read when I truly began seeking God. Next to Proverbs 23:13–14, I once wrote, “Clearly, discipline is crucial. This is the fourth time it has been mentioned in just a few pages.”

Here are a few Proverbs on discipline:

Proverbs 23:13–14
“Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. Punish them with the rod and save them from death.”

Proverbs 22:15
“Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.”

Proverbs 22:6
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Proverbs 13:24
“Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.”

Proverbs 29:17
“Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.”

Proverbs 19:18
“Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.”

In the Life Application Study Bible (Zondervan), it says, “When parents teach a child how to make appropriate decisions, they have the joy of watching the child grow in judgment and discernment. Parents then can worry less about having to watch every step the child takes. They know their children will remain on the right path because the children have made the choices themselves and learned from them.”

That is perfectly said.

As parents, we honor and obey God by teaching our children from a young age how to choose the right path. When we model our faith consistently, our children are far more likely to embrace it themselves.

Research supports this too. Christian Smith, in his studies on “Sticky Faith,” found that the strongest predictor of a child’s spiritual outcome is the lived faith of their parents. Even more striking, studies show that when a father leads his family to Christ, the likelihood of the children following increases dramatically. One study shared by Missio Alliance states: “When dad comes to Christ first, 93% of families follow. When mom comes to Christ first, 17% follow. When kids come to Christ first, 3.5% follow.” (Zapor Cruz, 2025)

Seeing fathers lead their families in church gives me so much hope.

Motherhood is not easy. There are days I am exhausted. There are days it feels heavy. But Scripture reminds us that parenting is not a part-time role — it is sacred and continuous.

I think Deuteronomy does a great job at reminding us that parenting isn’t just a “I am going to pick and choose when I show up kind of job” It is a 24/7 sacred and humbling job, more so opportunity where we are the steady presence of our kids’ lives. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

I think there are a lot of parents who hope that praying every night and sharing a Gospel story once or twice will do the trick and that somehow it will just stick. But in reality, it’s so much more than that. Parenting is a lifelong endeavor, day in and day out, and so is raising your children to know God. Both are lifelong callings for those who are blessed to bear children.

In church, we often talk about how we can do more for Christ than just show up on Sundays. How do we live for God the rest of the week? The same question applies to parenting. Raising children to know and love Jesus is not a once-a-week commitment — it’s woven into everyday life.

“Parenting your kids to know and love Jesus is something you never stop doing.” (createchurch.co)

It’s a whole-life process.

Watching Alex bless my family has been one of the greatest experiences to witness firsthand. The love she brings into our lives is truly amazing. Cheers to the fastest, yet most fulfilling year. I love you, baby girl.