Wondering why you need a mom’s group? Three thoughts to ponder
1. Christian women have a biblical history of female companionship
“…and behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible…. In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the child leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” Luke 1:36, 1:39-41
There is such beauty in the relationship of Mary and Elizabeth and I fall in love with God more deeply every time I read the story. God blessed Mary with female companionship. Can you imagine the intense excitement of their greeting? Elizabeth’s baby leaped in her womb and Mary proclaimed her joyful Magnificat! God knows the beauty of two moms sharing the joys of life in their womb and uses it to proclaim His glory! One cannot help but smile. How often do we turn to our girlfriends to share joys we know they will not only understand but celebrate with us?
“I think I met the one!”
“I got the job!”
“I’m getting married!”
“I’m pregnant!”
We share our news, and how do our friends respond? With squeals, applause, and shrieks of joy, just as women have done for centuries before us.
2. Christian women need to pull together and be counter-cultural
“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” ~ Philippians 4:8
The world is deceiving. The world tells a host of lies about women. The world says that women are the same as men. We are objects of lust. Women are good for gossip, judgment, and cattiness. Sadly, I think some women buy into these lies, but these descriptions are false.
Women are kind, genuine, authentic, selfless, and loving. We all fail and fall short of the glory of God, yet He perseveres in spite of our mistakes. We are unique individuals that are used to point other moms in our community to their creator. Every woman you meet is precious, cherished by her King, and therefore worthy of our love and admiration.
We need daring women to step forward and be counter-cultural! We need women who exemplify Christian virtue, who support each other and make an impact on the world together as they live out God’s will for their lives. We need women who lead others to see that because we are strong, we are gentle and serve; because we are educated, we choose to rely on the wisdom of the Church and practice humility; because we love God, we are free to love and celebrate each other without competition.
We are raising our children to live in the world without being of the world and we need women around us who are striving for the same goal. Our sons and daughters are blessed through our friendships with women striving to grow in their Catholic faith. Our children need adults whose guidance and examples reinforce our teaching at home. Children need friends who are being taught how to be strong Christian leaders alongside them. And we need their moms.
3. Christian women need genuine and authentic friendships
We are all so thankful for our Heavenly Father. He is first and foremost the center of our lives and our reason for living. Additionally, we are blessed by our spouses. I thank God everyday for the man God made for me and the children entrusted to my care.
Not far behind my prayers for God and family, I thank Him for my girlfriends. Even the most sensitive and kind husbands do not possess the “feminine genius” given to women by their creator. Female companionship is essential to living out our vocations as mothers.
Mary and Elizabeth supported one another during pregnancy – it was a time of joy! At the crucifixion, Mary stands with Mary Magdalene and Mary the wife of Clopas. Why? Not only in times of joy, but also in times of deep sadness, we need the feminine hearts of other women to cry with us, enter into our grief, hold us in our despair, and give us comfort.
In my personal life, I suffered last year. My father passed away and I lost two children through miscarriage. I flew home from my father’s funeral to find my mailbox full of cards from my mom’s group friends, and by the end of the week my freezer was full of meals. I wept when I lost each baby, but my sisters in Christ were there to listen and to love. It is also not lost on me that two mothers in my group who were pregnant at the times of each of my miscarriages both asked me to be their child’s godmother, giving me babies to love on until the day I see my own in heaven.
God created the feminine heart. Women make human relations authentic and bring a sensitivity that people need in relationships. When these feminine hearts come together, you are no longer just a mom’s group, you become a mega conglomerate of feminine genius rocking your community for God’s purpose! The power of the Holy Spirit grows exponentially as you love, serve, and support one another and those around you! I encourage you to reach out to the mother’s in your community and reap the benefits of female Christian companionship.
Sarah Gutekunst
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