Mother’s Day may seem like just another gift-giving holiday, but it’s so much more. It’s an opportunity for you to consider all of the gifts that your mother has given you–gifts like life, love, opportunity, and encouragement that never runs out. Even if you surprise your mom with a present, or spend time with her on Mother’s Day, it’s the heartfelt words that you express that day that can speak volumes about your affection and gratitude all year long. Maybe it’s the message in a greeting card, letter, email, or a social media post that shows your mother how much you love her and how much she means to you. The right words can help you fulfill God’s commandment to honor your mother–and moms always appreciate hearing words from their children that make them feel that all of the hard work of raising a child has been more than worth it.
To help you express how you feel about your mom on Mother’s Day, here you will find ready-to-add quotes from well-known Christians, Bible verses, and messages of love and thankfulness. Whether you are seeking to bless your mom, stepmom, wife (on behalf of your children), mentor, or other mother figure, these words can inspire you to express how you feel.
Quotes from Well-Known Christians About Mothers/Motherhood
Below are 10 quotes from well-known ancient and modern Christians who share their heartfelt feelings about their mothers and motherhood.
“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” -Abraham Lincoln
"Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children." -Billy Graham
“Mothers, you have a calling that can become the long-remembered ground of faith, not just for your children — mark this — but for the untold numbers who will be affected by your children. And that’s in addition to all the other thousands of ripple effects of faith in your life.” -John Piper
"A mother is a missionary every day in her home." -Elisabeth Elliott
"I learned more about Christianity from my mother than from all the theologians in England." -John Wesley
"The greatest work any mother will ever do will be within the walls of her own home." -Ann Voskamp
"As a mother, my job is to take care of the possible and trust God with the impossible." -Ruth Bell Graham
“Never could it be possible for any man to estimate what he owes to a Godly mother.” -Charles H. Spurgeon
“Your greatest contribution to the kingdom of God might not be something you do but someone you raise.” -Andy Stanley
“Moms give of themselves in ways that the rest of us will never truly understand or appreciate.” -Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth
Bible Verses About Loving Your Mother
The following are a number of verses that address different topics you can incorporate into your message to honor your mother:
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.” -Proverbs 1:8-9
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” -Exodus 20:12
"May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace." -Numbers 6:24-26
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." -1 Corinthians 13:13
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." -1 John 4:12
“Children, if you want to be wise, listen to your parents and do what they tell you, and the Lord will help you. For the commandment, 'Honor your father and your mother,' was the first of the Ten Commandments with a promise attached: 'You will prosper and live a long, full life if you honor your parents.'” -Ephesians 6:1-3
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you…” -Philippians 1:3-4
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” -Ephesians 1:17-18
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” -Proverbs 31:28-29
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” -1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Special Messages to Honor Your Mother
Here are 10 more faith-based ideas to help inspire your Mother’s Day message:
"Mom, I can never fully express how your love has made me the person that I am today. I thank God, and thank you, for always being my greatest example of selfless love.”
"I can’t imagine how the world would be without you, Mom. You make everything more beautiful, more hopeful and more loving, and I can’t thank you enough.”
"For all the times I forgot to say thank you—for life, for making sure I grew more and more in my love for the Lord —thank you. You have always challenged me to be my best, and I’m more grateful than you know."
"My life began with and has been built on your love. You’ve given me such encouragement and support that has made life so beautiful. I thank God for you every day.”
"Thank you for being a living example of God’s love, grace, and mercy. Your faith has been a life-changing inspiration to me."
”One of God’s greatest gifts to me has been your love throughout my life. You are such an incredible example of His never-ending mercy.”
”I thank God every day that He allowed me to be born to you. Thank you for showing me that life is all about faith in Him and giving my all to honor Him.”
”Thank you, Mom, for always being faithful to God, and faithful to helping me grow into a man (woman) after God’s own heart. Your witness is what I love most about you.”
”I know there is incredible power in a praying mom. Thank you for always bringing my needs before the Lord and for teaching me to always be grateful for the many blessings He gives me every day.”
”On this special day, I thank God that you always give your whole heart to make a difference in my life. You are one of the greatest blessings I’ve ever known.”
From the moment God began to grow us in our mother’s womb, He began to also grow the bond between us and our moms. Mother’s Day messages–whether in a card or other manner of communication– are a great way to let her know how special she is to you. And chances are, she will read these words over and over again to remind her of your love and appreciation for her.
Happy Mother's Day!
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/evgenyatamanenko
Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).
