Happy Mother’s Day! Today we honor all of the mothers in our lives. Whether you come with hope or pain, in joy or in sadness, we see you. God sees you.

1. The Biological Mothers

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.” 1 Samuel 1:27

We honor biological mothers because this is how God designed that each of us enters the world. We appreciate your sacrifices, acknowledge your pain, and thank you for instilling faith in us.

2. The Adoptive Mothers

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:5

The process and intentionality of adoption is an honor of its own. You have chosen to adopt children and have a special calling to care for other children as if they were your own. We honor the sacrifices that you have made and recognize how we, too, have been accepted into the family of faith through Jesus Christ. 

3. The Single Mothers

“[Hagar] gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” Genesis 16:13

Today we honor your faithfulness. Like Hagar who was forced into single parenthood; your circumstance may not be one you chose. As the church, we rally around you, we support you, and we recognize all that you do.

4. The Stepmothers

“But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16

Today we honor your faithfulness to God in loving children that you did not bear. Like Ruth, you have chosen not only to love and unite with a spouse, but to also love and unite with your husband’s children as your own. We celebrate your choices as a reminder of the choice all believers have made to commit to Christ and to Christ-followers.

5. The Foster Mothers

“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30

We honor your willingness to fill in the gaps, likely between a biological mother and an adopted one. You choose to show up for children however you can. We thank you.

6. The Expectant Mothers

“So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I asked the Lord for him.’” 1 Samuel 1:20

This time of pregnancy is often filled with anxiety, especially for the first time mothers who don’t know what to expect, and it can be especially challenging for those who have experienced miscarriage or

7. The Grieving Mothers

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

For those who’ve lost children or your own mother, today we see you. God sees you. We make room for your grief and the healing power of God’s love at every stage of life and loss.

8. The Grandmothers

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Timothy 1: 5

For the first time in many decades, our church is seeing mothers, grandmothers, and great- grandmothers all at the same time. Today, we celebrate the prayers and faith of grandmothers and great-grandmothers that allowed each of us to be where we are today.

9. Those Longing for Motherhood

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

We acknowledge your longing for children and honor your desires to the Lord. We pray for you and support you on your journey. God, show compassion to these mothers.

10. Our Church mothers

“After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases…These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” Luke 8:1-3

To those who are mothers of all in our church, we thank you. You shepherd, guide, and care for us, and are models in the church. God recognizes the sacrifices you’ve made, and we do too.