In a week we will celebrate Mother’s Day. It is my pleasure to talk to you about a special mom. She barely had a high school education, but she raised her two sons with great joy. After a few years of marriage, her husband became abusive. Sometimes he would come home drunk. For her safety and the safety of her two sons, she had to leave home in the middle of the night to seek shelter. But God was with her and touched the heart of a dear friend who always opened her doors to them, no matter what time it was.
Her husband eventually left her when her sons were ages ten and eight. She discovered not long afterward that he had died as a result of a mishap in Detroit, Michigan. With no hope of his return or of reconciliation, she still had to raise her sons. This meant working as a domestic worker to make ends meet. She had barely enough to provide for them, but God was with her! Even with this challenge, she was committed to take them to church. With her limited funds, her sons were never the best dressed children at church, but their clothes were always clean!
For most children, every new school year meant new clothes and books, complete with new notebooks, pens, and pencils. For this mother’s sons, used books were the norm, and they learned to appreciate having only one new pen and pencil. But God was with her!
One of her employers owned a clothing store. When he discovered that she was a single mom with two boys, each year he invited her sons to his store and provided them with new clothes, including winter coats to start the year. God was with her!
Church attendance every Sunday was a non-negotiable. She sung in the choir, but made sure her sons sat in the pews under the watchful eyes of the nearest adult who sat next to them. This adult was commissioned to make certain they behaved and was authorized to discipline them if they did not.
The mother and her sons stayed in a little, 2-bedroom apartment that shared a yard with another two-floor apartment building. It was not unusual for the people from the other apartments to have guests during the weekends. Often intoxicating beverages were served. The rules for this mother’s household were pretty simple: When the guests were in the yard and beer or liquor was being served, her boys were confined inside the house.
Her rules were often stringent, and she was described by her sons as a female drill sergeant. But God was with her. I know that we sometimes hear of single mothers who have had difficult times trying to raise their children. However, this mother’s sons never had to be bailed out of jail. They never were expelled from school due to disciplinary action. She always made sure to participate in PTA meetings so all of their teachers understood her educational goals. And despite all the odds, they both earned their high school diplomas. Through scholarships, she managed to get them in college. One graduated with a degree in business administration. He then went on to earn a Masters in Religious Studies and a Doctorate. He became a preacher. The other son graduated with a degree in psychology. He became a deacon!
Years have gone by, and this mother has gone on to be with the Lord; but God’s movement in her life still overflows into the lives of her sons, because He was with her! This wonderful, little lady was my mother. This month we dedicate this Newsletter to her and all mothers who have experienced great challenges in raising their children. May God bless you on this special day!
Article by Dr. L.W. Edwards
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