Yesterday, social media was covered with pictures of mothers with their children. Pictures that exude happiness, but that can pinch at the heart of some single women, unless…

Motherhood is a strong desire inside women. It’s not just a social issue. Just because women around us are having children, that doesn’t mean we want some as well. Motherhood is innate for most women, it’s a second nature.

Many single women see marriage as the means to become mothers. And yes, God’s plan is for women to have children within the sacred commitment of marriage. However if we believe that motherhood can happen only when we give birth to a child : we are wrong! There is no need to have children to enjoy motherhood!

Often in large families, the oldest sister becomes a “second” mother to her siblings. As the years go by, the younger siblings often admit that their big sister held this role. She didn’t need to have given birth to them to take care of them. The same goes for couples that adopt a child.

You do not need a child at home to be a mother. Motherhood is to give, to serve without asking anything in return. It’s to care, educate, comfort. This is day-night-weekend unlimited contract! If you are single, offer to help other moms who need a break. You will find many of them in your church! Serve at the daycare in your church: the need is always great there as well.

The great commission Jesus gave us is to make disciples of all nations. Making disciples is also another way to practice our maternity. For example: Being available 24 hours a day to pray and encourage a new believer in their faith, spending money to buy them books and music, signing them up to conventions, inviting them to dinner and teaching them the basics of the Christian life. Then correcting them when they are in a bad way while worrying and interceding with sobs when they move away from God… it’s exactly the same motherly actions. Paul often used the term “children” when he spoke to the disciples that he brought to Christ. He even said in Galatians 4.19 (NCV): “My little children, again I feel the pain of childbirth for you until you truly become like Christ.” Training Christ’s disciples is another way to enjoy motherhood.

I have trained many disciples for Christ, and I can tell you, I don’t call them “my girls” for nothing. I spent sleepless nights praying for them, cried all the tears in my soul when one of them had “run away” from the Lord. I have suffered with those who suffered, I danced with those who got good news. Some are worse than teenagers and I had to pick them up at a police station one time. I visited more than a few in the hospital or just went to pick up their children from daycare. I spent all my money on them, I even had to work two jobs to pay the debts I accumulated by serving them. (A mistake I should not have done: I was too generous, God has corrected me since then.) I gave everything I had to take care of these “spiritual children” and I do not regret this investment. Quite the contrary, out of the dozens of these young women, there are seven who took a special place in my heart. They are now mature in Christ, firm in their faith, totally independent spiritually and… they’re my best friends. Just as a grown up girl becomes a good friend to her mother.

Now I have two babies of my own, but I can say that I learned a lot about how to be a mother by forming disciples for Christ. If you sow spiritual motherhood, you will reap. Perhaps even physically, as is the case for me, or perhaps in another way. God only knows. Getting married and giving birth is not the only way to experience motherhood. Motherhood is in you, it is part of you, and God can use it right now to grow His kingdom if you place it in His hands. Practice your motherhood on the “Children of God”, it can only make you a better parent when you will have your own.