Motherhood...Our Greatest Ministry
Hi! My name is Marlee Muhlbauer.
I am a mom of four who loves Jesus and is passionate about teaching the Bible to teens, young adults, and other mothers, providing encouragement and building up their faith. As mothers, our journey of motherhood is our greatest ministry.
Psalm 127:3 tells us that every child is a gift from the Lord. Motherhood is not just raising children for today; it is shaping eternal souls for God’s kingdom. The daily tasks of nurturing, teaching, and guiding our children are holy works that echoes into eternity. Long before pastors or teachers, children first learn about love, forgiveness, prayer, and God’s truth from their mothers. A mother’s influence lays the spiritual foundation for her children’s lives.
Sometimes ministry doesn’t look like preaching to crowds; it looks like sitting by a child’s bed, praying over scraped knees, or speaking God’s truth into moments of fear. In those everyday moments, mothers reflect Christ’s love most clearly. A mother’s sacrificial love, pouring herself out daily for her children, is a living picture of Christ’s love for the church. In this way, motherhood itself becomes a testimony of the gospel.
Two mothers are named specifically in the Bible because of the impact of their sincere faith on the next generations, Lois and Eunice. These women were Timothy’s grandmother and mother.
Read 2 Timothy 1:1-5
In this passage, Paul is awaiting death and decides to write Timothy a letter. Timothy traveled with Paul, assisting him in various tasks. During that time, Paul intentionally trained and equipped Timothy for ministry, teaching him about the Word of God and how to lead others to Christ. During Timothy's apprenticeship, he learned many things from Paul, but his journey of faith didn't start with Paul.
In verse 5, Paul lets us know that Timothy's faith was a reflection of the sincere faith he witnessed from his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice.
“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”
Sincere faith is a genuine faith that is unpolluted by sin, without hypocrisy, and authentic belief in the power and the working of God. Paul states that this type of faith first dwelt with Timothy's grandmother and mother. In the Bible, "dwelt" primarily means to live in or reside permanently. It can refer to a physical dwelling place, but also to a deeper spiritual concept of abiding or remaining in God's presence. The word can also signify a continuous state of being, or a focus of attention. So, we can understand from Paul's letter that Timothy's grandmother and mother were continually abiding in God's presence and focusing their attention on the will of God for their lives. Their lives were a pure example of "walking by faith" for Timothy during childhood.
Read Acts 16:1
“Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish women who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.”
Eunice, Timothy's mother, who was Jewish by ethnicity and also a Christian believer. While her Jewish background is clear, the phrase "believer" indicates she had accepted Jesus as the Messiah and embraced Christianity. Her faith, along with that of her mother Lois, played a significant role in Timothy's upbringing and his later acceptance of Christianity. This is confirmed later in Paul’s letter to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:14-15.
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
This verse suggests a strong foundation in faith and knowledge of God's word and highlights that Timothy's understanding of the scriptures wasn't something acquired later in life, but rather something he'd known since his earliest years. Paul references Timothy's teachers, confirming that his mother and grandmother played a significant role in his upbringing and introduction to the scriptures. The foundation of Biblical wisdom and faith in Jesus Christ, established early in Timothy's life, eventually matured into sincere faith, and hundreds of lives were won over for the Kingdom of God.
Encouragement for Mothers to Keep Their Sincere Faith
Your Faith Plants Seeds That Last Beyond You
Just like Eunice (Timothy’s mom) and Lois (his grandmother), your sincere faith is planting seeds in your children that will continue to grow long after today. Even when it feels like they aren’t listening, God’s Word never returns void (Isaiah 55:11).Consistency Matters More Than Perfection
Timothy’s faith didn’t come from a perfect home—it came from seeing real, consistent faith lived out daily. Your children don’t need you to be flawless; they need to see you leaning on Jesus in every season.God Works Through Your Quiet Influence
Eunice didn’t stand on a big stage or write epistles—she quietly lived her faith at home, and that shaped Timothy into a great leader in the church. Your faithful prayers, Bible reading, and example are powerful tools in God’s hands.You Are Part of God’s Generational Plan
Deuteronomy 6:6–7 reminds parents to impress God’s Word on their children daily. When you keep your sincere faith, you’re joining in God’s design for passing truth from generation to generation.Your Faith Can Be Their Anchor
In a world full of shifting values, your steadfast faith is a stabilizing force. Even if your children stray, the example of your faith can be the very thing that draws them back to Jesus (Proverbs 22:6).
I pray that this Bible Study on the importance of our influence as mothers was encouraging to you on your own Motherhood journey. Motherhood is our greatest Ministry, and teaching our children the Word of God from a young age plants seeds of faith in their hearts, allowing God to grow and mature spiritually over time.
God has placed a vision on my heart to help other mothers teach their children the Word of God from an early age. I invite you to join the "Be Planted" Ministry for practical tips, valuable resources, Biblical wisdom, and encouragement as you teach God's Word to your children.
-Sincerely,
Marlee
