Dora and all the Moms

She went a little farther each time. First, it was simply tunneling out of the enclosure around her rabbit hutch and quickly returning. Then it was a wider and longer exploration of the farm. Then it was regular visits to the neighbors a quarter mile away. Finally, a sighting at the neighbors a mile down the road. Each excursion seemed to embolden her and validate her name (Dora), as well as the reason our beloved Hope had chosen her name—Dora likes to explore!

As we celebrated Mother’s Day on Sunday, the rabbit Dora’s ever-widening adventures were an appropriate illustration. There were many moms to honor in our world, and as our family took time to remember each one, I couldn’t help but think about the common theme—each of these moms was constantly helping those in her charge navigate new terrain.

The mom of the newborn was sustaining life in nearly every way.

The mom of the toddler was safeguarding life at every moment.

The mom of schoolchildren was stewarding the rapid expansion of knowledge.

The mom of teenagers was balancing ever-increasing capacity and exposure to threats.

The mom of adult children was counseling and supporting as her children encountered new challenges in new ways.

The spiritual mom was helping spiritual children draw closer to the living God in the form of a heavenly Father.

The biological mom was sacrificing for her child, and the adoptive mom was making the mirrored and partnered sacrifice.

The act of mothering is one of the most multi-faceted things imaginable. It looks like a million different things on any given day. It requires constantly recalibrating as those within your charge venture a little farther each time into the world around them. There is never an arrival, but instead a constant task of determining the best way to explore the next layer.

It is tasking. It is demanding. At its very core, it is a commitment to sacrifice rooted in great love.

It is also why a mother’s children—be they biological, adoptive, or spiritual—“arise and call her blessed” (Pr. 31:28).

So this week, if you are mother, we honor you. We acknowledge that your work is constantly evolving, and so often goes unseen and unacknowledged. Yet it is essential. It is foundational for our ability to expand our horizons.

For each of us, take a moment to think of “all the moms” in your life. Certainly your biological mom who loved you enough to give her very being to you for nine months! But also those who mother you in other ways, guiding you both physically and spiritually as you navigate just a little farther than you’ve been before.

Motherhood is not for the faint of heart. It is, however, a thing of breathtaking beauty.

Who are all the moms in your world? Who is helping you explore just a little farther? Reach out and acknowledge her today!

The following article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.