Editor’s note: Biblical motherhood is one of God’s greatest callings, but it can also be one of life’s greatest challenges. If you’ve ever wondered, “What does the Bible say about motherhood?” or searched for encouragement about Christian motherhood, you’re not alone. Throughout Scripture, God provides wisdom, hope, and practical guidance for raising children with faith, love, and perseverance. In this article for Katy Christian Magazine, our newest columnist explores what the Bible says about motherhood, examines inspiring examples of godly mothers, and discovers timeless biblical lessons every Christian mom can apply in everyday life.

Submission by Kristi Burcaw

Have you ever wondered if you could do the whole motherhood thing? Maybe you are in that season of life now, but you’re getting burned out and don’t know how to keep going. Don’t worry; I am right there with you! I want to look at biblical motherhood and see how we should apply it in our lives today.

But first, I should introduce myself. Hello! My name is Kristi Burcaw. I am married to my wonderful husband, Hunter, who is a local pastor, and we have four beautiful children together, ages 5, 4, 2 and 1. Our family lives in Katy, Texas. I am a 29-year-old stay-at-home mom and definitely do not have all the answers, but I know where to look! Aside from the countless role models in my life, the first place we should go when trying to figure out how to be biblical mothers is the Bible.

Today, let’s look at what the Bible says about biblical motherhood. What examples are given? How was motherhood modeled to me? And how can I model it for my children?

God paints a beautiful picture of motherhood in the Bible, not just through direct commands but through examples of faithful women and God’s design for families. In Proverbs 31, we see the character of a godly woman displayed. We are called to be strong, wise, diligent and compassionate and to fear the Lord. In Deuteronomy 6:4-9, we are called to be diligent in teaching the Word of God to our children: “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

We also see in Proverbs 22:6 that when we are wise and diligent in teaching our children, they will not depart from it. It is something they will always carry with them. Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:5 that his sincere faith was also lived out by his grandmother and mother before him. Then, in chapter 3, he encourages Timothy to continue in what he has learned, since he had known God’s Word from childhood, “which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

That is what it’s all about, isn’t it? Teaching and loving our children as Christ calls us to so that they are able to make that important decision one day to follow Christ and have a personal relationship with Him!

Okay, while I feel like we could say a prayer right now and break for coffee—or a Diet Coke in my case—let’s keep going and look at some other specific examples of mothers in Scripture!

I think it is important to say that the Bible never presents motherhood as demanding perfection. Instead, it points us to dependence on God. Just look at Hannah, Jochebed and Mary, to name a few important examples.

In 1 Samuel 1-2, Hannah demonstrated persistent prayer and complete trust in the Lord and His ability to heal her infertility. Even after her prayers were answered and she gave birth to Samuel, she turned around and thanked God by dedicating Samuel back to Him. This is a reminder that, yes, sometimes God answers our prayers the way we wanted, but what should our response be to Him regardless of the answer? Thanksgiving and praise.

Even when it may seem impossible or when we may not want to give up control, we are called to have courage and trust in God, just like Jochebed in Exodus 2:1-10. Jochebed was the mother of Moses. We see in Scripture that she chose to fear God rather than man. She chose to trust that God would protect Moses and use him to do great things for His people. Like Hannah, Jochebed surrendered her child to God’s will.

Finally, let’s look at the example of Mary in Luke 1 and 2. We see that she was chosen by God and responded with humility. She then modeled obedience and faith throughout her pregnancy and Jesus’ birth, even when things seemed uncertain. In these two chapters, we also see on two occasions that she took time to reflect on God’s work and treasure these things in her heart.

These examples, and the many more we could look at, are different in their own ways, but they all come down to the same thing. They point us to the simple truth that biblical motherhood begins with a heart devoted to the Lord.

How awesome is it that we have those lessons available at our fingertips through the Word of God? Where else can we look for biblical examples of motherhood?

I can think of many women in my life who have modeled biblical motherhood for me. Honestly, I have been so blessed that, if I went through them all, we would be here for a while. For now, I want to share how both my mother and my mother-in-law have been beautiful examples to me, even before I had children.

My mother has been a constant example of sacrificial love, patience and faithfulness. Her willingness to serve others before herself and constantly encourage them was something I noticed early on. She perseveres through difficult or uncertain times, but not in her own strength. She does so by constantly seeking God and His will.

I have known my mother-in-law for a little over eight years, and in that short time, I have learned so much. She is the mother of four boys, but she has also experienced two late-term miscarriages. Hearing her speak about how God worked through her during those difficult times is beautiful. It is also something I never thought I could relate to until we experienced our own miscarriage in 2021.

In those first few days of grief, when I struggled to trust God’s plan, I thought of my mother-in-law and her trust in God. My mother-in-law has also modeled unending love for her four boys through addiction, depression and total rejection of God.

Both my mother and my mother-in-law have shown me that motherhood is often found in the quiet, everyday moments and that my greatest influence comes from walking faithfully with Christ.

As we end today, let’s answer that final question: How can I model biblical motherhood for my children?

Keeping Christ at the center of our homes is a great place to start. We should teach our children God’s Word, pray with them regularly and show them what it looks like to love others with patience and kindness. We should model genuine faith through our own dependence on God, especially when life is difficult. We should ask for forgiveness and admit when we fail, showing them how to extend grace and encourage others.

Finally, pray. Pray that through our example, they will come to know Him personally and continue to carry that faith on to the next generation.

Pray with me:

God, thank You for the beautiful gift and responsibility of motherhood. Help us love our children as You love us. Give us wisdom, direction, patience and grace. May our lives reflect Your faithfulness. May our children come to know and love You, following You closely as it has been modeled in our homes. We know, Father, that we will never be perfect, but we know that we can faithfully depend on our perfect Savior. It’s in Your name we pray. Amen.