She Believes God Can....

I've been doing this thing where I try to figure out which woman of the bible I can relate to the most..you know..which of them I can most see myself in.

But there is no story of the single mother. Virgin mother. Olddddddd mother. Widowed mother. Yes. Single mother. Not so much.

I imagine though that we single moms would be the kind of women that Jesus would be drawn to.

Lonely. Overwhelmed. Overextended. Heartbroken. Robbing Peter, the school clothes guy to pay Paul, the cleaning supplies /sandwich guy.

See I'm no virgin birth engaged to be married Mary.

I'm no let my mother in law pimp me out Ruth. Even though, in her defense, Boaz was loaded and had the whole family tree of Jesus thing going on.

And contrary to popular belief..I am no false prophet sexually immoral eat that idol food Jezebel. Or no man luring secret stealing sell out nagging Delilah.

Now there are a few that I can sorta kinda relate to...

The woman at the well with quite a few husbands.....

The woman that crashed the Pharisee's dinner party with her alabaster box....

Mary Magdalene with her seven cast out demons, her evil spirits, and all her sicknesses...

Each of these women had a bucket load of sins...just like me...but no children.

Then there was Hagar. Ishmeal's single servant mom, whom I can identify with on so many levels. She nicknamed the Lord: “The God who sees me,” after God took time out of His busy schedule to talk to her. And then she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

But then I can't really relate to the whole take my man have his baby now I hate you thing she had going on with Sarah.

And of course we all strive to be a virtuous Proverbs 31 woman..but she was married with children. Which is great for her.

But after a few readings...the Proverbs 31 woman tends to make you feel slightly inadequate. And awkwardly..loud and not so proud..children out of wedlock single.

After much back and forthing with God..I realized I am NOT like any woman in the bible. But I then I realized I am EVERY woman in the Bible.

I may not be mentioned by name in any book but He knows me and has called me for my own starring role in the book of Netta according to His divine plan and purpose for me.

So. I'm just me. Just Netta. Blessed and highly favored to be Mother of five awesomely amazing, infuriatingly aggravating kids. Sister to all of you.

And...Daughter of the King.

Now it hasn't always been this way. I have had my moments. I still do. But I believe God can...because God did. Because God does...for me every single day.

God SEES me. He actually came LOOKING for me. That's hard to wrap my mind around. But He does and He did. And I see Him when I look in the faces of my children.

Married or single. Motherhood is a gift. An honor. A privilege. It's who I am. It would probably be easier..not to mention in the will of God..if I had gone with the nursery rhyme..First love, then marriage, THEN the baby carriage.

But I didn't.

And I'm pretty positive being a mom wouldn't be any more rewarding or satisfying if I had. So if you did it out of order like me..it isn't too late to turn things around. And young sisters..if you haven't yet..don't.

God can and will use you. If you let him. I never thought that He could use me. But now this she right here believes that God can.

Married mother or single mom..we are all walking testimonies just waiting to be shared..

Dear God, please bless all mothers. Especially the young and single mothers. Bless them when they feel joy and when they feel the growing pains of their own and those of their children. Please help each mother to know that she is seen and loved by you especially when she feels like no one else sees her or loves her. Let her know that she is never alone – you are always with her. As she celebrates on the mountain and as she cries in the valley. Please give her the strength to trust you to look after her and her children. In Jesus' name...Amen!