I went down on one knee. “Look at me, honey.” I turned my four-year-old Joe’s face toward me. “What’s in your mouth?”

“Nothin’.”

As the youngest of three, he never knew a mom with sight. A retinal disease robbed my sight when he was much younger. And my adjustment and theirs was inevitable.

I took him by the hand. “Is that chocolate I smell? It’s before dinner. C’mon young man, let’s spit it out.”

Outwardly I seemed in control. But I still questioned my ability as a blind mom. I stressed about their possible lack of confidence or even shame because of my blindness.

I carried all that with in me. And often the obstacles before me seemed like facing a huge giant. I questioned my strength, my wisdom and abilities. Did I do too much? Not enough? Was I too strict, too lenient?

Stress followed me during the day and it lay beside me on the pillow at night.

But along came David…

…to save the day. Remember him as a boy? He was scrawny, a bit of a shy kid, the youngest of his brothers. And probably voted the least likely to succeed in the senior class of the local Shepherd high school.

And when Goliath showed up, David seemed inadequate, unprepared, and way too weak to defeat the giant. But God knew different because He chose him. Skinny David held not a trace of insecurity, doubt, or worry. He put on the backpack of courage and gathered five stones. But those stones weren’t what would defeat the big guy. Rather, David’s secret weapon called bold faith became the weapon to bring him victory.

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty…” (1 Samuel 17:44 NIV).

Today, the giant moms face has grown bigger and more vicious. In addition to dealing with our own personal stress and insecurities, we face evil that barges into our schools with not only violence but with immoral and horrifying doctrines.

Your Five Weapons

But rather than shrink back, like David, we lift our head high and come against all this in the name of the Lord. We put on our bold faith and gather our five stones. Even in these turbulent times, we take out these five weapons to triumph over the struggle and stress of motherhood.

1. The stone of courage to stand firm and secure enough to know we have Christ’s power at work in us to dismantle stress.
2. The stone of reassurance God is with us every moment of every day to defeat fear, worry and anxiety.
3. The stone of wisdom, God-given wisdom to choose our words, direct our steps and guide our path.
4. The stone of trust to know God has His eyes on our kids. He will keep them safe, guard their lives and trace their steps.
5. The stone of joy to erase gloom, sadness or disappointment.

This Mother’s Day, let’s celebrate not so much the perfect moms, but those who are perfectly devoted to Christ. Not the moms who have all the answers, but those who never back down or retreat at the face of evil, who instead, believe, truly believe, God has them. Not the moms who have it all together, but the moms who admit their weakness so God can make them strong. Not the moms who are raising stars, but those who rise above a culture that’s in turmoil. Not moms who cover her kids with the latest fashion, but those who cover them with prayer.

God chose David. And He chose you too. He hand-picked you to be the mom to those kiddoes. He didn’t leave David to bring down the giant on his own. He’s not leaving you alone either, As He hands you the stones, He’s already given you the victory—in His power, In His might and in His name.

Let’s pray: Father, may Your Word remind me You are watching over my kids, guiding them when I fail, teaching them when I don’t know how, and protecting them when I’m not near them. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Which stones will you gather this Mother’s Day?

Janet P. Eckles