As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, I’d like to take a week away from studying the fundamental truths all Christian women need to know and celebrate Moms. Especially those who are working hard to raise their children for Jesus. Because although I have never had the opportunity to be a Mom, I was very blessed to have an incredible one.
As I look back on our lives, all of the memories, and the incredible ways she influenced my brother and me, there are many things to be thankful for. Here are some that I appreciate the most:
1. My Mom taught me to love God’s Word.
My Mom loved the Bible! Hardly a day went by when I was growing up that I didn’t see my Mom reading and studying her Bible. Even before the internet made it so much easier, Mom would haul out her big books…her Bible dictionaries, commentaries, and theology books, and study the Bible daily.
She loved God’s Word!
Mom didn’t just study the Bible. She lived it.
If the Bible said we shouldn’t do something, we didn’t do it.
If the Bible said we should do something, you’d better believe it was happening at our house.
She taught Jamie and me to love God’s Word, read, study, and obey it.
I could not be more grateful to have a life built on this foundation.
2. My Mom taught me to spend time with Jesus.
So often, I hear women say that because they have kids, they can’t spend time praying or being alone with God. My Mom didn’t use this excuse. Instead, she made the time and place to spend time with God in prayer every day.
I still remember hearing her in her room praying, singing, or speaking in tongues.
She prayed for everyone she knew…especially Jamie and I.
She also taught us to pray. From a very young age, she taught us to have our own devotional time, she taught us how, and she held us accountable to do it. Til the day she went to Heaven, she’d ask me, “‘Des, did you pray today?”
Sometimes I still hear those words in my head, and I’m thankful for a Mom who taught me to prioritize time with Jesus.
3. My Mom taught me to avoid compromising with sin and live by Biblical principles.
There’s no doubt about it—Kathy Holden was strict.
We lived by Biblical principles in our house.
If the Bible said something was wrong, we didn’t do it. It didn’t matter if it made us unpopular, we weren’t invited to the party, or we were made fun of for not being like everyone else. Mom taught us that these results were normal—it was persecution—and all Christians can expect to experience difficulties for doing what was right.
The thing about Mom was she didn’t just say, “Because I said so.” She taught us what the Bible said about topics. I was never just obeying Mom’s rules, she taught me the Bible, and we obeyed it.
Did I always like it growing up? No!!
Am I grateful now? You cannot believe how grateful I am.
As an adult, I know how much pain and heartache we were saved because Mom taught us the Bible, avoided compromise, and said, “In this house, we will serve the Lord.”
Because even though Jamie and I weren’t perfect (we rebelled a little) because Mom was so strict when we pushed the limits, we were still so far away from compromise. We didn’t suffer near the consequences, pain, or heartache our friends dealt with because their parents pushed the line of sin as far as they could.
The funny thing is that today Jamie and I are just like her.
I hear her voice when I’m listening to Jamie preach against compromise or when I’m writing about obeying God’s Word.
Yep, we are Kathy’s kids.
I am so grateful.
So this Mother’s Day, even though I am not a Mom, I’d like to encourage all the Moms out there to follow in my Mom’s footsteps. Don’t bend, don’t compromise. Keep raising your kids to know and love Jesus and to follow in His footsteps.
If you haven’t been doing these things, it’s never too late to start.
Even though it might not happen today, as it says in Proverbs, your children will rise and call you blessed someday.
They will be grateful for the godly heritage you’ve given them, and they will pass it on to their kids.
Thanks Mom and Happy Mother’s Day,
Adessa Holden is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God specializing in Women's Ministry. Together with her brother, Jamie, they manage 4One Ministries and travel the East Coast speaking, holding conferences, and producing Men's and Women's resources that provide practical Biblical teaching for everyday life.
When asked about herself, she'll tell you "I'm a women's minister, a sister, and a daughter. I love to laugh and spend time with people. My favorite things are chocolate, the ocean, sandals and white capris, anything purple, summertime and riding in the car listening to music. It is my absolute honor and privilege to serve Jesus and women through this ministry."
