Soon after my husband and I got married, it seemed everyone started asking us when we were going to have kids and how many we wanted. About a year and a half into married bliss, and a surprise pregnancy, his answer was that he couldn’t wait and he wanted a quiver full.
Pulled from Psalm 127, his reference of children being an arrow in the hand of a warrior became our parenthood mantra.
The more he mentioned the passage, the more I grew appreciative of the picture painted. Over the years, we’ve celebrated the girls as our arrows. Yet, somehow I failed to see my part in this passage. As much as David declares the power of our children, an arrow is useless if never brought to battle. An arrow is powerless outside of the hand of the warrior.
You, Mom, are that warrior. You are the one on full display, daily, to your family. Your choices, your attitude, your prayer life, your service – they all dictate the power of your weapon. With every word of encouragement and every boundary of protection you are shaping the point of your arrow. With every grace-filled correction and pursuit of their heart you are straightening the dowel, ensuring it soars to it’s desired target. You see, the arrow posses the power to pierce, but only if drawn from a bow held by a warrior that is full of strength and courage.
Everyday we go to battle for our children, weather we realize it or not, and everyday the enemy has a chance to gain ground if we’re not careful. As a mom, one of my greatest purposes in life is protecting theirs. I find myself looking into their little blue eyes and asking God for wisdom in how to train them, praying for grace when the days are long and the struggle is real.
Today, as your to-do list grows, as your responsibilities pile up, as your teenager fights you at every turn, I pray that you realize your role is not just as the one who holds the quiver, but that you are intricate in deciding the direction the arrow will fly. Your stance of power and poise hold it with strength on display to soar. So, warrior on, mom! Raise your bow and pull it back, when you are tired, when you are worn, when you question if you are doing any of this right. Know your strength comes from Him, and that so much of your purpose is aiming them in the direction of their destiny.