The Power of Mama’s Bible

There’s been a connection between my mother and her Bible for as long as I can remember. Years passed before I realized the power of that bond.

Introducing the Bible to Us as Toddlers

My earliest memories of Mama with a Bible go back as far as the age of four years old. Every night, my sister and I sat on the edge of her bed to hear Mama read a story from the Bible. The first Bible I remember was a children’s Bible storybook. It was an old one with a dark green cover. Perhaps it was one from my mother’s childhood. The illustrations were black and white sketches. Numerous times I asked my mother to read to me the caption under one specific illustration. It was of Jesus ascending into heaven and the caption contained Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always.” That verse etched a permanent spot in my young heart and remained with me throughout my life.

After reading the Bible to us, Mama would ask us to get on our knees beside my sister’s bed and she taught us a bedtime prayer. I have always thought my mother’s hands are beautiful, gentle, and loving. I liked watching her fold her hands as she prayed, and I tried to copy that as we memorized the prayer.

The Elementary Years

The second Bible I remember my mother reading was a thick children’s story Bible filled with colorful illustrations. She would read one or two stories each night. Many times, my sister and I each were given the opportunity to select a story. I often chose the one about King Solomon determining which woman was a baby’s mother by offering to cut the baby in half. I picked it because I loved babies, and the whole story fascinated me.

My mother’s voice was gentle and soothing. Her voice was one I trusted. The stories she read to us taught us about God’s character, His love, and grace.

When I was nine, I realized that I could no longer try to copy my mother’s faith. She had planted seeds of God’s truth by reading the Bible to me, but she could not save me from my sins.

God used the seeds she and others had planted through His Word, and He called me to enter into my own personal relationship with Him. I responded to His call and was saved by His grace alone.

The Power of Mama’s Bible During the High School Years

As I grew, Mama encouraged me to read my own Bible. While I was, without a doubt, saved, I still had much maturing to do and hammering out my faith. During high school, my bible reading became sporadic. I didn’t have a study Bible and so often times I did not fully understand what I was reading. Or, I picked the Bible up and read a few verses out of context, and formed my own opinion. Even though I tried to live a fairly wholesome life, I was more focused on seeking a social life than on seeking biblical instruction and clarification from mature Christians.

I was a Christian but did not yet understand the precious value of the Bible. To me, it simply contained good words. My heart did not fully understand those words were powerfully alive.

Occasionally, Mama would ask me, “Are you reading your Bible?” I’d mumble, “Sometimes.” Then, her gentle response would always be, “You need to read it.”

Even though I loved my mother, I went through a rebellious stage of disagreement. Most of the time, I kept it simmering inside. But, sometimes, it came out of my mouth. Too many times. My mother’s love for me never wavered. Neither did her prayers or Bible reading.

In fact, one thing I noticed during my prideful teen and young adult years was my mother’s open Bible. Either it was sitting beside her morning cup of coffee on the kitchen table or on her nightstand with a thought-filled notebook and pen nearby.

At the time, I didn’t think much about it. Mama’s Bible was a part of my everyday environment. But, just like the seeds of scripture, the Holy Spirit would later bring this to my mind.

Remembering Mama’s Bible When I Became a Mother

By the time I became a mother, I had grown in my walk with the Lord. Praise God for His mercy and for the prayers of my mother!

The testimony of my mother and her devotion to God’s Word carried forward. I began introducing my testimony to my children. Reading God’s perfect plan book for life became essential to me. It wasn’t a chore to check off my list. It was, and continues to be a life-giving, stabilizing anchor of truth for me.

When I began earnestly praying for God to open my eyes and help me to understand His Word, to reveal Himself to me, and to help me to accurately handle His Word—the floodgates opened! Once I saw how amazing the gift of God’s Word truly is and the power it contained—I had to share it with my children.

The legacy of my mama’s Bible is not a tradition of reading it to children. The legacy is her relationship with Christ and how that is reflected in her everyday life—public and private. Her living testimony is of an imperfect woman drawing from the love and wisdom of the perfect and holy God.

My Prayer

I pray for all the moms, grandmoms, and stand-in moms not to grow weary of doing what is right and good according to God’s Word. May the Lord give us wisdom as we keep studying our Bibles. Help us to diligently and courageously teach our children the ways of the Lord. Guide us as we recognize human imperfections with understanding, address sins with grace, and convey the need for Christ. Help us model our love for Christ and His Word so authentically that our children will remember.