I live in a house full of knights and princesses.
All of them resonate with the idea of a hero.
As we study kingdoms in history and in our own Princess Parable books, I am struck with God’s plan for warriors and heroes. Soldiers have uniforms. But real warriors have weapons and tools for the job they have been called to do. There is a very distinct difference between a warrior and a soldier.
Who are warriors in daily life or even in imaginary life? I think of super heroes. Each one of them has their day-to-day routine and outfit. There’s Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker. Even Wonder Woman was Diana Prince.
And Jesus, whom they expected to wear armor and come to fight in this world. Yet, he came as the most helpless into this world – a baby. But he was a warrior, not a soldier. He came to change the world and never picked up a sword, except God’s word.
Did you know you are called to be a warrior?
I love that we introduced our knights in the Easter book. They are knights synonymous with honor, boldness, trust and faith. Our princesses have the same character qualities because being a warrior is all a matter of the heart.
I want to take this idea of a warrior over the next couple days and reflect on motherhood. What does it look like to be a warrior mom vs. a soldier mom? What does it look like to take the calling we have as warriors and place it in our day-to-day life – changing diapers and training up children?
A Warrior Mom knows she is Called.
The difference between a soldier and a warrior is the soldier is drafted and the warrior is called*. Not all moms feel a calling. You can be a biological mom. You can birth a child, suffer thorough baby stage and toddlers to just make it to school age. Muddle through those teen years and send them off at 18 without ever feeling the call of being a mom – without ever seeing your position as one of honor and protection. We have to accept the call from the Lord to raise them intentionally. It is work! But the truth is once you have a baby, God CALLS you to be a warrior mom. The easiest thing is to be the soldier mom. Just doing the bare minimum, exasperated with your kids and waiting for them to be gone.
I felt that way in the beginning. I know I wanted kids but then the harsh reality of sleepless nights and postpartum depression kicked in for me. I also didn’t have that instant heart connection. I found I felt distant, but responsible. I saw the weight of having a little eternal person, but I could see how easily it was encroaching on my plans, my time, my selfish life.
When I met Sally Clarkson 7 years ago, I didn’t own the calling of motherhood. I felt a duty, but there is a drastic difference between calling and duty. That is why I have continued to put myself around people who call me to a higher place of motherhood. I read books that convict me to live intentionally as a mom.
Motherhood is not a hobby.
It is a ministry and a conviction.
A warrior mom is sold out.
She is not just waiting until her term is over.
She is in it for life.
Motherhood is her life calling.
Do you feel called or drafted as a mom?
*Ideas taken from the book “Girls with Swords: How to Carry your Cross like a Hero” by Lisa Bevere
~Jeanna Young
When Jeanna is not writing, speaking, event planning, or homeschooling, she can be found scrapbooking her life, redecorating her home, loving on her husband, planning fun events for her kids or eating healthy to stay cancer-free!
