Happy Mother's Day!

Ann Marie, Rie Rie, Madea, Maaaaaah, Mom. Many names, one incredible women. I must be authentic here as I post, I prefer life that way. My mom and I have had periods of intense strain and discontentment in our relationship, is that not true though of most mother-daughter relationships where both parties are strong willed and opinionated? We have laughed, we have fought, we have cried, but we are still here. Here, both fighting for our relationship. Fighting for things to work even when one of us fails or it is hard. And I count that as a blessing. Praise God that blood runs deep and neither of us has given up on the other. I have prayed for years for God to restore my fragmented relationship with my mama. He has heard, and in his own timing he has answered. We both had a lot of individual healing and growing to do, God knew that and he worked individually with each of us and has now brought us together to work on our relationship. God is often thought of as just a Father because of the male persona portrayed through his son Jesus Christ and through Jesus' referral to him in the Bible as Abba (Father). Thank goodness that God is so much more dynamic than we are and so much bigger than the English language. He cannot be put in a box. The more I study the Bible I am blessed by seeing the "motherly" characteristics of God. God is perfectly nurturing, loving, compassionate, gentle, slow to anger, forgiving, wise, and much more. My mom is a great mother. Mom, you are so smart, passionate, wise, silly, confident, bold, honest, hard-working, and compassionate. You have a heart for service and justice: both such blessings from God and which make me extremely proud of you. I love seeing when you flourish in those ways, it bring glory to God and brings him joy to see his daughter in her fullness of being. I love you so much, and I am so thankful that our relationship has grown so much over the past year. We have so much work left to do, but I look forward to the journey with you:) HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY AND EARLY BIRTHDAY!!!

SELFIE: Mama smoochin Kels #throwback