There I was in the midst of my worst fear: single motherhood. I had begun the process of shame and ridicule, inflicting the wounds before anyone else could. As my belly grew and I walked alone, my head and my spirit hung low together. When my son was born, labor was nothing to the fear and the pain that consumed my heart. The father and son lunches, haircuts, and potty training were thoughts I began to fear than look forward to. Time has passed and my struggles remain, but I have found comfort in two things: constant prayer and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Mary was not the first mother in the Bible, but she is most noble in the sacrifice of bearing a child, not knowing the outcome of her own future. What if Joseph had followed his own feelings and ignored the Holy Messenger sent to him? Mary was at risk for facing criticism and the possible shun from her community for having a child out-of-wedlock. Many would have doubted that the Holy Spirit had given her a son to give to the world. Her act of bravery taught me that she believed in her favor: something far greater than her fears. She saved her worries with one decision she made in her heart: “I am the Lord’s humble servant. As you have said, let it be done to me.”
Single mothers this is your lineage. Your story and your battle are different, but with God your survival will be the same. The gift He sent, He will always care for. Gloomy situations have the tendency to fade the pure light of favor, to the point that you believe the stigma of what society says you have become. After today, you no longer have to fight that stigma because you know who you are: an enduring woman of favor. Remember you are chosen as God saw your strength was fit for motherhood; there is no weakness in bearing and raising a child alone.
Do not pay attention to the misconceptions about you, but pay attention to how God thinks of you. Psalm 37:5 tells us that he has a reason for allowing things to happen. We may never understand his wisdom, but we simply have to trust his will. You cannot continue to wrap your head around the “Why Me?” concept. There is no growth or progress found in thinking that way. Simply declare: “This is Me! I am strong enough to be sole provider. I am strong enough to bring life into this world and I trust that with God we will never go hungry or unsheltered. My home will be filled with love and not the troubling objection from the outside.”
Always remember you are brave and have yet to fail. Things are lonely and scary, but remember that God is your support system, and a Father to the Fatherless. When your spirit is low, remember your lineage.
