This Mother’s Day, we’ve asked Malaysian Christian mothers to share their journey with us! May you be encouraged and inspired to celebrate the amazing mothers in your life today.
Happy Mother’s Day! We are celebrating mothers today, and have asked several moms to share their journey of motherhood with us. Each story is unique, whether it’s being a first-time mom, single mother, having a preemie, navigating teenagers or becoming a grandmother. In every one, however, God is present.
Read on to be inspired and encouraged. And if you’re a mother, read till the end because we have a prayer of blessing for you!
“My greatest hope is that he will come to know and love God fully” – Natalie Ng
What motherhood is to you: Although clichéd, motherhood is both my biggest joy and sacrifice, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
How your faith has helped you in this journey: As a mother I want the best for my child and I want to do my best for him. However, I’m not certain if I will always be able to provide the best for him nor am I confident that all my decisions would end up well for him.
But knowing that Levi has a Father who loves him more than I ever could assures me that there will always always be Someone watching over him and directing his steps even when I fail to do so.
Natalie ng
How you hope your child(ren) will make a difference: I don’t really have big dreams for Levi at the moment. But my greatest hope is that he will come to know and love God fully. And in his own small ways, I hope that he will be kind, loving and a joy to all whom he crosses paths with.
Your favourite Scripture: No favourite verse, but for this year Jeremiah 17:5-8 will be in my heart and mind a bit more.
Natalie has a one-year-old son.
“My daughter is the greatest proof that we serve a miracle-working God – Stella David
What motherhood is to you: As a first time NICU mother, motherhood to me is a roller-coaster ride which involves many emotional highs and lows, with some good times alternating with really difficult times.
How your faith has helped you in your journey: My daughter Syrena Jaanvi is a true miracle I witness every day. She was born with extreme prematurity at 28 weeks weighing 815 grams due to preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, a placental disorder still not fully understood. Our NICU journey was so challenging. Syrena spent the first 86 days of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit, fighting to survive. She was given surfactant therapy to help her immature lungs inflate between each breath and went on to fight and win one medical battle after another – anaemia, brain bleeding, pneumonia, and RDS (respiratory distress syndrome).
Every day, it was three steps forward, two backwards. It was the scariest time of our lives, both for my husband and me. We spent many frightening days watching our tiny baby fight for her life. As a new mother, there have been times when circumstances consumed me. I was so broken, I didn’t have the strength to hold onto anything, and God knew that.
Day in and day out, I read God’s promises over and over till I had them in my mind and tucked away in my heart. I sang hymns, I prayed, and I cried every time I visited my tiny fighter in NICU. And all the while, God held onto me when I had no strength. God sustained me. I felt powerless but I knew that wasn’t true about God. I’m so glad God is immutable. That means God doesn’t change. I counted on this truth no matter how dire my circumstances. And whenever I feel I can’t hold on any longer, I remember that God is holding onto me, and His hands are strong and mighty.
STELLA DAVID
It was faith that kept me going, and I found my hope in God when times seem their darkest. A hope that doesn’t ever end, even when the sky is falling. Every time I have needed God, He has been there. His grace is sufficient for me, for I know, His power is made perfect in my weakness.
How you hope your child(ren) will make a difference: Today, Syrena is a healthy 20-month-old toddler with the energy of a firecracker, and showing no signs of cerebral palsy, vision or hearing problems, or other disabilities common in premature babies. Perhaps one reason Syrena came into the world early is to let people know that even the tiniest babies can make a difference. She is the greatest proof that miracles do exist, and we serve a miracle-working God! As a NICU mother, I look at my little girl and I want her to know how tough women can be—right from the very start.
Your favourite Scripture: But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:31
Stella has one daughter aged 20 months.
“My son is God’s child, and I’m fortunate enough to take on the mantle to be his mother” – Cindi Loo
What motherhood is to you: Motherhood is an unexpected journey where I found the joy in being responsible for another human life under my care.
How your faith has helped you in your journey: My son is His child, and I’m fortunate enough to take on the mantle to be his mother and teach him to always look to God in any stage of his life. I hope I’m also showing a good example as a newly baptised mother on how to practise the faith.
Only God knows how many times I’ve prayed that He watches over and protects my son from any harm coming this way.
CINDI LOO
How you hope your child(ren) will make a difference: I named him Leonard after Saint Leonard of Noblac, and Leonard means “lion heart”. As he was born into a single parent household, I hope he will not think he was in a broken family, and that he develops empathy for the marginalised and downtrodden and be ever ready to give his helping hand to help with no expectations of payback.
Your favourite Scripture: My favourite Mother’s Day Scripture is 1 Samuel 1:26-28, when Hannah finally gives birth to Samuel and she exclaims “And she said, “Oh, my Lord! As you live, my Lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me my petition which I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And they worshipped the Lord there.
Cindi has one son aged 11 months.
“My role is to show [my children] how much I too need Jesus” – Samantha Yeoh
What motherhood is to you: Motherhood is both a gift and a calling- to be able to experience the intensity through the highs and lows, yet carry the responsibility of contributing to the next generation in the way you raise your children.
How your faith has helped you in your journey: I am thankful that I am a steward of these little lives- responsible but not in total control, because only my Father is. In fact, my role is to show them how much I too need Jesus. Understanding this has lifted an unnecessary burden to show up as a perfect parent. And there’s peace in knowing that I am not and cannot be God in these precious lives.
How you hope your child(ren) will make a difference: I hope that my children will learn to understand their privilege and embrace the lives that they are born into and use it to help others and support whichever community they will find themselves in. But for now, I hope that they remember to always show kindness and that we have been raising them to be secure enough to always share and lend what they have.
Your favourite Scripture: Romans 8:28-30 (TPT)
Samantha has three children, ages 4, 5 and 7.
“It’s about God working generationally and how as parents we need to discern and see our role in what God is building“– Sandra Buatin
What motherhood is to you: Having a great and beautiful relationship with my children and being purposeful to create this despite their age.
How your faith has helped you in your journey: We are called to generational transfer. It’s not just about passing on our wealth to our kids. It’s about God working generationally and how as parents we need to discern and see our role in what God is building; how our lives are linked up to generations after us. Learning and teaching God’s bigger perpective of multi-generational vision.
How you hope your child(ren) will make a difference: My greatest hope is that they will shine and bring blessings to their next generation and those around them and continue with the teaching of generation transfer.
Your favourite Scripture: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
Sandra has two sons and one daughter, ages 31, 27 and 20.
“Motherhood is an investment into the lives of the children God gives to us” – Sharon Chun
What motherhood is to you: Nurturing our children with eternity in perspective
How your faith has helped you in your journey: Throughout the years of raising our two daughters, Michelle and Danielle, God was my strength, grace and wisdom in each period of their growth. I had to constantly reach out to God for help.
As babies, whenever they were in distress, I would be crying to God. I didn’t know what was wrong, and that was scary and frustrating. My only source of hope and strength was Jesus. He never fails to deliver. As toddlers, they demanded every ounce of energy and strength. Michelle wanted to touch everything she saw. Keeping up with her was quite something! She was also mentally very curious, wanting to know everything. Her endless questioning would drain me.
Yet in all of my challenges, there was always joy, seeing them grow up into responsible teenagers. Motherhood is an investment into the lives of the children God gives us. To me, it’s a journey packed with contrasting emotions. I cried buckets but also laughed a lot.
Having left my corporate job to be a stay-at-home mother, I was able to be part of their daily growth. We spent time daily, reading the Word of God and praying for them. I remember asking my girls to recite their memory verses in order to get breakfast, ha ha. It was fulfilling to see them learn to read, talk and grow with God’s Word as the foundation. Being at home also meant we were able to spend lots of time together, so today we are very close and transparent with each other.
Looking back, I’m very thankful that Jesus was part of this journey. There were so many challenging times. Without Him, I don’t think I could have raised my two girls to be who they are today. I must say that the joy of seeing my daughters grow from helpless babies to responsible, godly women today outweighs the challenges I faced. Now that I am a grandma, I can enjoy the best bits of childhood all over again, this time without the stress. It’s a nice change.
How you hope your child(ren) will make a difference: I would like to see Michelle and Danielle be kingdom-minded women who purpose in their hearts to raise godly children with a spirit of excellence.
Your favourite Scripture: But the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits – Daniel 11:32; Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men. – Proverbs 22:29
Sharon has two daughters, ages 31 and 28.
In every mother’s journey, God is present
Every mother’s experience is different, it is theirs to have and to keep. The common thread, however, is that God has been with each mother on her journey of sacred, significant work. If you’re a mother, we’d like to pray a blessing over you today!
Heavenly Father, when you created us, you knew exactly what we would need to thrive. Thank you for making mothers who they are: strong, loving women with big hearts and nurturing hands. We ask you, Lord, to strengthen this dear mother today in the work entrusted to her, that she will raise godly children who fear the Lord, love His Word and be salt and light for You.
If she is discouraged, Lord, lift her up. When she’s weary from endless days and sleepless nights, refresh her with Your presence. If she is battling self-doubt, help her to remember that the work of a mother is sacred and significant in Your eyes. Let her find joy every morning and rest every night. May she know just how loved she is not, not as a mother but as a child of God. Give her rest in Your promises that You will sustain her, never leave her and guide her to be a godly, loving and wise mother to her children. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
