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“God chose you to be your baby’s mother. God has given you a tiny soul — a heart and a mind — to steward, to teach, to disciple, to nurture, to discipline, and to learn from. He’s given this job to you, and rest assured He will equip you for it.”
–REAGAN ESCUDÉ SCOTT
Dear Mama,
For the last few months, you’ve felt inside you a growing, breathing, kicking, squirming image-bearer. You’ve so closely experienced the miracle of life, and you are moments away from finally seeing him (or her) face to face.
For weeks, you’ve counted down the days and watched your body stretch and adapt. You’ve endured sleepless nights, frequent potty breaks, and constant hunger. You’ve poked and rubbed your belly to communicate with your baby, you’ve listened to his tiny heartbeat, and you’ve spent hours staring at ultrasound printouts to see which of your features he has. You’ve washed all of the laundry, made sure the books on the bookshelf sat just right, and you’ve fitted the perfect set of sheets over the mattress on which your baby will soon sleep.
Soon, you will hold him to your chest, feeling emotions you never knew you could feel before.
As the day of your baby’s arrival draws near, you’ve probably given some thought to the state of the world. With every news cycle, more and more depravity seems to dominate the headlines. You may have wondered, “How will I raise and protect my child when this world is so cruel?” You may feel ill-equipped, unprepared, and uncertain of what’s to come. You may have found yourself wondering, “What if I can’t love him like I’m supposed to?” or “What if I’m a terrible parent?”
I have news for you, mama. God chose you to be your baby’s mother.
God has given you a tiny soul — a heart and a mind — to steward, to teach, to disciple, to nurture, to discipline, and to learn from. He’s given this job to you, and rest assured He will equip you for it.
If getting married, having babies, and raising them up in the Lord makes you radical, so be it. If protecting your children from the claws of a demonic government makes you a threat, so be it. If shielding your children from the evils of government indoctrination, medical tyranny, and godless sexual idolatry means you’re a part of political opposition, so be it.
You are the only thing standing between your child and that which seeks to devour him, so stand.
Stand in front of your child when your friends and family attempt to persuade you from homeschooling out of fear that he will lack “socialization.” Stand in front of your child when your doctor pressures you to make medical decisions for him that you aren’t comfortable with. Stand in front of your child when the culture makes you feel guilty for giving up your career to raise him, for parenting a certain way, or for simply raising him with biblical values.
This will prepare you for the years to come when you must stand in front of your child when the powers that be threaten you and everything you stand for. When the government labels you a “domestic terrorist” or when society says you’re a radical extremist, you will be well-equipped with the courage and steadfastness required to stand up for your child as you began to long ago. And through your commitment to your child and your full dependence on Christ, your child will be well-equipped to combat the lies of gender ideology, Critical Race Theory, and cultural Christianity.
Your child was given to you by God to raise according to His Word, and nothing else. Not according to government policy, wicked cultural agendas, or what the world says to be right. Your authority is Christ, and your duty is motherhood.
So do not surrender your children to the ways of the world but cover them with truth.
Remember the words of God in Isaiah 46:9-10,
“…for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me… ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose…’”
Despite what you read online or watch on the news, God is still on His throne, reigning on high over all. He is orchestrating all things for good to accomplish His perfect and sovereign will in these times of strife, turmoil, and darkness. He is never out of control. He is never sitting back observing. He is actively governing and sustaining all things by His providential hand in your life — and your child’s life — today, tomorrow, and forever.
As R.C. Sproul said in his book The Invisible Hand,
“If we understand the providence of God and love the God of providence, we are able to worship Him with the sacrifice of praise He inherently deserves when things occur that bring pain, sorrow, and affliction into our lives. This understanding of providence is vital to all who would worship God. It is a worship of faith that is rooted in trust.”
Mama, keep your sights set on Him, regardless of what is going on around you. Regardless of finances, struggles in your marriage, or problems with your local school board, Christ is King. He is seated on His throne. He has created your baby for such a time as this, and by no mistake has He sovereignly placed your baby in your womb to be under you and your husband’s authority.
Glory be to Christ when you suffer affliction. Glory be to Christ when you feel the unbearable weight of sin. Glory be to Christ when the future looks grim.
Your children need you. They need you to prepare them to walk through this world without you because, one day, you won’t be here to speak the truth to them.
So preach the Gospel to yourself and to your child every day, let His Word be a lamp unto your feet, and boldly go forth in raising up faithful men and women of God. Let that be your focus as you prepare for your baby’s entrance into this dark and sinful world.
The whims of the world are fleeting, but the truth of God’s Word is sure.
Worship Him in all things, bring glory to Him in all things, and do the work that He has placed before you with gladness. Pray for wisdom. Pray for encouragement. And pray that the Lord will boldly equip you to walk into this new and exciting chapter of life.
And guard your babies, mama, because no one else will do it for you.
Follow Reagan on Twitter! @thereaganscott
Ready to dive deeper into the intersection of faith and policy? Head over to our Theology of Politics series page where we’ve published several long-form pieces that will help Christians navigate where their faith should direct them on political issues.
