2025 MOTHER’S DAY SERMONS

¹¹And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” – I Samuel 1:11 (ESV)

Our home joys are the most delightful earth affords, and the joy of parents in their children is the most holy joy of humanity. - Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi

An Evangelical Reorientation: The Contribution of Beachy Amish-Mennonite Mothers

Research Points

· When an ethnic sectarian group experiences theological shifts, such as the Beachy Amish-Mennonite gravitation toward evangelical Christianity, gender roles and women’s responsibilities are reorganized in consequential ways.

· Both the Old Amish and Beachy Amish-Mennonite wife/mother role is responsible for organizing the domestic environment and addressing family members’ physical and emotional needs.

· While domestic success reflects religious devotion, rapid religious/social changes in Beachy churches have strained the relationship between home and church. The church is more likely seen as competing with the family for time and energy rather than integrating with it, as is more common among Old Amish.

· Given rapid church changes, Beachy mothers may be socializing children toward an uncertain future rather than mere reproduction of the present church’s practice and organization, as more likely with Old Amish. This severs childrearing from church integration, disrupting intergenerational continuity.

· Compared to the patriarchal organization of Old Amish, Beachys’ evangelicalism has expanded women’s formal religious responsibilities (e.g. teaching Sunday School) but also introduced more individualism, fragmenting community identity and heightening women’s isolation from role- based support networks.

· Some women seek to slow the pace of change and maintain community-based stability, while others accept greater individual autonomy.

[PHOTO SOURCE: https://coryanderson.org/an-evangelical-reorientation-the-contribution-of-beachy-amish-mennonite-mothers/

BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/10/amish-baby-boom-part-1-proverbs-about.html

BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/12/israels-baby-boom-2024-children-are-joy.html

For this year’s 2025 Mother’s Day, I will post two sermons by Gary Martin who is one of the ministers of the Salem Mennonite Church in New Paris, Indiana. He is one of the ministers of the Gospel whom I recommend, I find him like Cornelis Kleyn, where their preaching had encouraged me.

I will post an article on an Amish woman’s role in the family. If I were to substitute the word, ‘Amish’ for Mennonite and Hutterite, I feel it is similar, as they all follow the four core values.

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” -Proverbs 31:28-29 (ESV)

[PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10158533641272010&id=96541497009&set=a.10150728557192010]

Proverbs 31 – The Virtuous Woman

Gary Martin / March 23, 2025 / Sunday Morning

VIDEO SOURCE: https://salemmennonite.church/sermon/proverbs-31-the-virtuous-woman/

Full-service Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st2sOgOtA_s

https://www.youtube.com/live/st2sOgOtA_s?si=K80vHYRskBZz2nIz

VIDEO SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuwHdq31csk&t=5s

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

– Psalm 128 vs 3 (KJV)

[PHOTO SOURCE: https://au.pinterest.com/pin/1121677850911528930/]

Mothering with the Fruit of the Spirit

Gary Martin / May 11, 2025 / Sunday Morning

VIDEO SOURCE: https://salemmennonite.church/sermon/mothering-with-the-fruit-of-the-spirit/

Full-service Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX8J2D8RtXs&t=7157s

VIDEO SOURCE: https://youtu.be/JGP6HtDZJG8?si=jXD5PuuyHcXU8dR7

“Mothers write on the hearts of their children, what the world’s rough hand cannot erase.” – Amish Proverb

A mother is a gardener of God, tending to the hearts of her children ~ Amish Proverb

An Amish woman's role in the family

[PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.ohiosamishcountry.com/articles/an-amish-womans-role-in-the-family]

BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/10/amish-baby-boom-part-1-proverbs-about.html

BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/12/israels-baby-boom-2024-children-are-joy.html

An Amish woman's role in the family

When an Amish woman gets married she will refer to her husband as the “head” of the family, with that said, she will take part in most of the family financial decisions. Matters of the home, the garden, and the children are her main responsibility. Most will have control of the family checkbook and their name will be listed on property deeds with their husband. Some Amish women own and operate their own small business, such as raising poultry or vegetables, baking, or sewing quilts and other handcrafted items. Some run bakeries, fabric shops, restaurants and more.

While Amish families follow the traditional customs of allowing men alone to act as officials in the church such as bishops, deacons, and elders, a woman has an equal vote in the functions of the church. Although the father serves as the spiritual head of the home, mothers are very active in nurturing the spiritual life of children. Amish women may live a more plain life than their English neighbors, but they are far from being oppressed, and are equal members of their families and the Amish community.

It is clear that women are valued in Amish culture, and on some levels are even afforded types of equality and freedoms that women outside of Amish society might not be. In Amish weddings, for example, the woman is not “given away” by her father to her future husband, as is often done in non-Amish weddings. Instead, the couple walks through the door together.

MAKE MEN MASCULINE AGAIN

MAKE WOMEN FEMILINE AGAIN

MAKE CHILDREN INNOCENT AGAIN

The family that works together, eats together, and prays together, stays together. – Amish Proverb

[PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122242731656224894&set=a.122158739276224894]

In Amish society, the home is at the center of communal ties, and Amish women play an important role in managing it. They are responsible for the daily tasks of running a household and raising children. Mothers contribute to the community by teaching their children about traditional Amish life, preserving cultural practices and values.

Additional Source: AmishAmercia.com

INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.ohiosamishcountry.com/articles/an-amish-womans-role-in-the-family

What does 1 Samuel 2:21 mean?

"And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD." - 1 Samuel 2:21

1 Samuel 2:21 - "And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD."

The verse 1 Samuel 2:21 in the King James Version of the Bible states, "And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord." This verse comes from a larger passage that tells the story of Hannah, a woman who was barren and greatly distressed because she was unable to conceive a child. She prayed fervently to the Lord, and her prayers were answered when she gave birth to a son, Samuel.

The context of this verse is set in the time of the Judges, a tumultuous period in Israel's history. Hannah's story takes place in the town of Ramathaim-Zophim, where she is one of two wives of a man named Elkanah. The other wife, Peninnah, had children, which caused Hannah great anguish. However, despite her pain and longing for a child, she continued to pray to the Lord and express her faithfulness.

In this verse, we see the fulfillment of the Lord's promise to Hannah. After years of anguish and prayer, the Lord "visited" her, which can be understood as God showing favor and granting her the desires of her heart. This visitation resulted in Hannah conceiving and bearing five children, three sons, and two daughters. This demonstrates the abundant blessings that the Lord can bestow upon those who are faithful and seek Him with all their hearts.

The verse also highlights the growth of Samuel, who would go on to become a significant figure in Israel's history. It is noteworthy that the child Samuel is described as growing "before the Lord." This suggests that he was being raised in a manner that was pleasing to God, and that he was being prepared for a special purpose in the service of the Lord.

The themes present in 1 Samuel 2:21 include the faithfulness of God, the power of prayer, and the fulfillment of promises. Hannah's story is a testament to the fact that God hears the cries of His people and is able to intervene in their lives in miraculous ways. It also emphasizes the importance of remaining faithful and steadfast, even in the face of great hardship and despair.

Symbolically, Hannah's story can be seen as a representation of the hope and restoration that God can bring into the lives of those who trust in Him. The fact that Hannah's barrenness was reversed and that she was blessed with five children serves as a powerful symbol of God's ability to bring new life and abundance where there was once emptiness and lack.

Furthermore, the birth of Samuel holds great significance as he becomes a powerful prophet, priest, and judge in Israel, playing a crucial role in the transition from the period of the Judges to the establishment of the monarchy under King Saul and King David. As such, Samuel's growth "before the Lord" can be seen as a symbol of his dedication and commitment to serving God, as well as the divine guidance and protection that he would receive throughout his life.

In conclusion, 1 Samuel 2:21 is a verse that holds deep meaning and significance within the larger narrative of the Bible. It serves as a powerful testament to the faithfulness of God, the transformative power of prayer, and the fulfillment of His promises. The story of Hannah and Samuel continues to inspire and encourage believers to trust in God's timing and to remain steadfast in their faith, knowing that He is able to bring new life and blessings beyond measure.

[PHOTO SOURCE: https://bible.art/meaning/1-samuel-2%3A21]

Our devotions no need to be fantastic. We just need to be faithful. - Marty Machowski

[PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.humilityanddoxology.com/wonderfull-marty-machowski/ ….. https://images.app.goo.gl/cDEqT67cUbvyoVyP9’]

"There’s no secret to parenting success. Parents are sinners in every era, and we all face trials designed to draw us to God, who’s the true help in parenting." - Marty Machowski

[PHOTO SOURCE: https://images.app.goo.gl/2yVgvVedfotGmPFh6

https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2023/05/ordination-by-lot.html

https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/06/mission-possible-kelyns-korner.html

The Hebrew phrase for "children are a joy" is "ילדים הם שמחה" (yeldim hem simcha). "ילדים" (yeldim) means "children", and "שמחה" (simcha) means "joy" or "gladness". Israel is the only OECD countries that have the highest fertility rate of 2.91 per woman.

From September 2023 to September 2024, about 183,000 babies were born in Israel, meaning that more than 400 babies were born per day. There was a similar case in 2022, in its annual Amish population study, the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College estimates that 1,450 Amish babies were born in Lancaster County last year. Only 145 Amish of all ages died. That population increase of 1,305 brought the total number of Amish living here to 44,315. There were more Amish births than deaths in that state.

https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/12/israels-baby-boom-2024-children-are-joy.html

https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/10/amish-baby-boom-part-1-proverbs-about.html