Why are we so excited about producing Unbreakable Church? Because it is bursting with wonderful stories of people who fell in love with Jesus and transformed the world around them. Some of the greatest unsung heroes are mothers. Let me tell you the inspirational stories of a few of them:
Perpetua and Felicity – You may recognize the names of these two women, that of a wealthy Roman noblewoman and her slave, who were brutally beaten and ripped apart by wild animals for refusing to deny Christ. What you may not know, is that both had nursing children at the time, with Perpetua having given birth just days before her martyrdom.
Monica – She is famed as the mother to arguably the most influential theologian in the history of Christendom, Augustine of Hippo. Yet, how can one put into words the prayers, longings, and constant weeping of a mother for a prodigal son who has lost his way? Some twenty years she spent this way, knelt in agony, praying for her son to find the truth which he so despised. One could argue that the height of his greatness, once saved, should be directly attributed to the depth of her sorrow and constant prayers on his behalf.
Susanna Wesley – Having 19 children was the least of her problems. Having a husband that was rarely able to be home and a constant financial crunch just to feel the hungry mouths were perhaps an even greater challenge. And yet, she taught and loved each one as if there were only one of them, spreading out what little time she had to teach and pray with each of them in turn. One became one of Christianity’s great evangelists, John Wesley, the other becoming one of the most beloved hymn writers of all time, Charles Wesley.
Christian George, a Church History professor, put it well: “Some of Christian history’s greatest preachers, theologians and missionaries owe the first fruits of their ministries not to their exegetical insights, homiletic abilities or spiritual zeal, but instead to the faithful prayers of their godly mothers.”
To our dear mothers, thank you for not giving up on us. You truly are irreplaceable!
Bringing stories like these to life is what #UnbreakableChurch is all about! Help us make the dream a reality. #SoliDeoGloria
