I have heard others speak about the challenges and rewards of traditional motherhood. And I'll have to admit there was a time when I would listen to such talk and feel it was just mothering rhetoric with little relevance to my life.

As I learned to go to God and listen to his voice, my goals for my family and for myself grew bigger and grander. This is especially true now that my children are adults. They are some of my closest companions.

Together we have learned to look at the world and say, "Lord, in the power of your Holy Spirit, what work do you have for our family this year? How can we expand your kingdom? How can we glorify you together?"

Life as a mother, in other words, is more exciting to me now than ever before — especially as I now see the fruits of my earlier labors. The foundations that were laid in my children's lives, little by little, have given them the ability now to reach for the sky and reach new heights over the years, and I continue to be amazed. (Read more about this in The Mission of Motherhood.)

Stay tuned for more encouragement and inspiration to guide you into the new year in the coming days. Love to you all.