The world’s toughest, yet most rewarding job: Moms are heroes
(FOX NEWS) — A few years back, I watched a powerful video.
A company interviewed potential employees for a “Director of Operations” position. The job responsibilities included constant work on their feet (even overnight) and excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills.
The company was seeking someone with degrees in medicine, finance and the culinary arts. The shocked interviewees soon lost interest in the role when they were told there would be no compensation for the job, no breaks and no vacation days. The work was 24/7, 365 days a year. In fact, on holidays the employee’s workload would increase and it was required to be done in a cheerful disposition.
It turned out that the job posting was fake. The job description was that of being a Mom.
The interviewees quickly agreed that being a mom is the most challenging yet rewarding job in the world. This message is needed now more than ever in a world that so often takes mothers for granted.
People may think “moms don’t have a real job” or assume that their work requires no special talent or skills. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Mothers across the world and for all time have worked tirelessly to ensure that her child feels loved and taken care of, and that her child will live a life better than she did.
This Mother’s Day, I want to highlight the strength of three mothers who have inspired me during my time in the pro-life movement.
Rose was diagnosed with endometriosis and told she could never have kids. As she was grieving this news with her husband, a young woman nearby named Elizabeth was grieving for a different reason. Elizabeth just found out she was pregnant, but she was unmarried and terrified to raise a child on her own.
By the grace of God, the two women met and formed a deep, trust-filled relationship. Soon, Elizabeth would entrust Rose and her husband with adopting her baby. Their daughter, Maria Elizabeth grew up in a loving household, even having a strong relationship with her birth mom.
Later, Rose and her husband adopted another little one named Joe. Maria is now a 24-year-old, ninth-grade algebra teacher in Georgia, and 19-year-old Joe is working as a plumbing apprentice and personal trainer.
Rose and Elizabeth chose motherhood in different but equally beautiful ways, and their lives show how the choice for adoption rather than abortion can produce more joy and love than anyone ever imagined.
When Beverly was 18 weeks pregnant with her and her husband’s ninth child, she got a call that turned their lives upside down. Their child was diagnosed with “Trisomy 18,” a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis.
She was told by her doctor that her baby would be a “drain on [her] family” if she lived at all. Still, she decided to love her baby girl, no matter what conditions she may have. Her beautiful daughter, Verity, is now 7 years old and her family’s “most precious blessing.”
Beverly recently said, “True love puts others first. It requires self-sacrifice, not self-interest. True love invites us to serve others, especially the most marginalized and helpless in society. This is our calling, and yes, it sometimes involves hardship.”
In Beverly, I see the unfathomable love and sacrifice characteristic of mothers across the world… no matter their child’s ability.
Francesca’s path to jail began at a young age. She was addicted to drugs and had been abused in her marriage. After losing custody of her four children, she despaired and spent the next 17 months of her life stealing cars and drugs for a living.
One day after being robbed at gunpoint, she decided to quit this hopeless lifestyle. She turned herself into the local jail where she served 10 months.
Soon after being released from jail, Francesca sat awaiting her psychiatric drug prescription. She was shocked when the doctor instead sent her home with prenatal vitamins. The child’s father was her former drug dealer.
Francesca turned in desperation to a local maternity home where she found love, support and hope. She stayed at that maternity home for two years and during that time turned her life around. She is now a thriving mom to her son, Brandon and found her calling as a manager at a mechanic shop.
It’s incredible what can happen when we invest in women and love them, no matter their circumstances. Francesca’s story makes it clear that motherhood empowers women to overcome deep brokenness and suffering and realize their dreams.
As these stories highlight, motherhood can look different for every woman, but one thing stands out among all moms: Women are incredible, and when we encourage and empower them in their motherhood, even in the most difficult situations, they become the world’s greatest heroes.
This Mother’s Day let’s all celebrate moms for all they do. A mother’s job never stops, and far too often their work goes unnoticed. No matter the circumstances of her motherhood, she is needed and loved by her child in a unique and beautiful way.
Moms deserve to be honored and celebrated today and every day for the heroes they are.
