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Around the office I am known as the Advancement Director (aka Fundraiser). However, I hold another role that is even more important. At home I have two tiny humans that call me “Mommy,” and this role is my greatest accomplishment.
I started this journey eight years ago, and it has been the most challenging, yet joyful blessing I have ever experienced. Everything I do affects the lives of the two children God entrusted to me. As a mom, I strive to sacrifice all I am and all I have because I love them. This can make days long and hard, and oftentimes I don’t get a thank you, a hug, or even a fist bump.
But then there are those golden moments. The ones when I hear, “I love you, Mommy!” or “You’re the best!” The ones when my daughter cleans her room without being asked or my son shows respect to the adults in his life. The ones when I see them loving others and serving others because they want to, not because they have to. Those are the moments when I think, “Yep. This is worth it.”
A Mother’s Sacrifice
With Christmas just around the corner, I can’t help but think about Mary, the mother of Jesus. I think about her journey of motherhood and all that she sacrificed from the very beginning. She was just a teenager when God called her to become a mother to the Savior of the world. No pressure there, right? Only rearing the Son of God; no big deal. And I thought Pinterest moms were intimidating!
Mary’s entire life was changed when she made the decision to be obedient to God’s call on her life. The Bible gives us only a few glimpses of the “growing up years” of Jesus, so just imagine the books that could be filled with the daily sacrifices Mary made as she mothered Jesus and the rest of her children!
Imagine the fear and pain of laboring in a dirty stable, without even a midwife to talk her through each gasp of breath. Imagine the feelings of rejection when friends and family averted their gazes, whispering to one another about that shameful Mary girl and her gullible husband.
Imagine her delight when Jesus first said, “I love you,” the way only a toddler can. Imagine how her heart dropped when Jesus took a tumble and scraped his knees. Imagine the inner struggle of explaining to her other children that Jesus was different, in a way even she didn’t fully understand.
Imagine the despair she felt while watching her firstborn, beaten beyond human recognition, hanging on a cross for the sin of the world. Imagine the questions that must have run through her mind. Was I wrong all this time? Was it all worth it? Is there any hope?
And then imagine the thrill of hope and indescribable joy she felt when she realized Jesus’ tomb was empty. When her hopes and fears over all these years were truly met once her son defeated death and restored her, and all those who would believe, back to God.
Yes, I can almost hear her saying, “Every knee I bandaged, every sleepless night, every tearful goodbye—it was all worth it.”
Every sacrifice, every investment, was worth it.
Mary’s story is truly a captivating one, especially when we consider that Jesus is our model and example of true sacrifice, service, and humility (Philippians 2). The young boy who looked to his mother as a model of sacrifice grew into the man who became the ultimate sacrifice for the world.
A Joyful Sacrifice
Everywhere I look here at the Care Center, I see sacrifice. I see our volunteers loving on clients. I see women choosing to carry and parent their children in spite of obstacles. I see staff members who come early and stay late. I see donors who give faithfully and generously.
And these are not just sacrifices, but joyful sacrifices. I see people giving of their gifts, time, and resources every day, putting into action the scripture that tells us to give, “Not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
I’ve been told many times as a mother that the days are long, but the years are short. In the midst of the everyday mundane, it’s so easy to wonder whether or not it’s all worth it. What keeps me going is the knowledge that I’m making daily investments and sacrifices that will yield much fruit later in life. The sacrifice is hard now—sometimes it even feels like dying—but the end reward is so, so worth it.
As we approach Christmas Day, I hope you’ll take time to dwell on the life changing sacrifices that took place so many years ago. Mary’s love for God and her Son compelled her to give everything she had, knowing that the end goal would be worth it.
And of course, no sacrifice can compare to that of Jesus. He lived a perfect life and died for our sin so that we could have a relationship with God. He held nothing back, because he knew the end goal was worth it.
A Challenge to Sacrifice
When we believe in Jesus’ sacrifice, and trust that it can apply to our lives, this enables us to give sacrificially ourselves. If Jesus didn’t hold anything back from us, then why would we try to hold something back from God? We can give with joy and confidence, because we know and believe that the end result is worth it.
So what can you sacrificially give? GPCC needs to raise $200,000 to sustain the ministry and keep up with the growth we have experienced within the last year. Our desire is to keep serving women experiencing unplanned pregnancy and to ultimately share with them the love of Jesus Christ. I know firsthand that it can hurt to give, but the end goal is worth it.
To love is to sacrifice, and I would boldly say it is impossible to have one without the other.
To learn more about the mission of GPCC and the vision behind our goal of $200,000, check out thepregnancynetwork.org/endofyear. Thanks so much for your partnership!
Priscilla Martin is the Advancement Director for GPCC. When she’s not at the Care Center, she’s hanging out with her two kids and husband, serving at her local church, Lawndale Baptist, or lying awake at night thinking about furthering the mission of GPCC.
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