This is a repost from the site My Own Sense and Sensibility. Many thanks to Mindy for allowing me to share this on my site!

This morning, as I was seeking the Lord in my quiet time, He placed before me a quote that so touched the heart of my current struggle.

Her gentle mothering reveals to the world God’s compassionate and nurturing heart. In her gentle mothering she wields a mighty force against the enemy as she trains children to love and serve God. Don’t despise gentleness, dear mother. Embrace it. Seek to walk in a gentle spirit in your marriage relationship and as you …mother your children. It is not weakness. It is your anointing of greatness.
Love from Nancy

Nancy being Nancy Campbell of Above Rubies Ministry. Her ministry is so precious to me. Through their ministry I have, on many occasions, been blessed and yes, convicted in the real purpose of my calling as mother and wife.

Oh, the truth that resounds from this quote. It is something I needed the Lord to speak deep into my spirit. For I struggle daily with the sternness I feel I must have to govern the shortcomings of my children. Instead, the Lord has been reminding me through my Thyroid disease, as it swells when I am stressed, that the more gentle I am in voice and in spirit I do not cause the “swelling” of frustration and rebellion in my children’s spirit. I help to create in them a peace and comfort to be the best they can be for the Lord and for their family.

Sadly, I forget, in my own struggles to keep everything flowing naturally in our lives and our home, to stop and pray. Pray for my children, myself, my husband. Simply pray for gentleness. It is no mistake that He would, in answer to my prayer for gentleness, to see a card with my Given name and the meaning of that name, which is “Gentle”. This is what all mothers are called to be.

Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.-1 Peter 3:4

It is no mistake that God gave man the strength, wisdom and will to labor spirit, soul and body in his work, for his family, and as the Spiritual heads of our homes. It is also no mistake that He gave woman the strength, wisdom and emotions to understand that strength in our man and have the gentleness to raise our children to be warriors and princesses fighting the greatest battle man has ever endured. The enemy of our souls would delight in nothing more than to destroy our families with anger, strife, and hate. Our gentleness of mothering is a mighty weapon of force against that enemy.

This never negates the times I will be given to the necessity to be stern with my children when they are in the throes of rebellion. But as I instruct them daily, through a gentle spirit I can show them how to stay calm and controlled to handle all that may come at us. If I do not freak out at the slightest little inconvenience, then they will not learn to do the same.