Mary’s Story: Faith, Obedience, and the Courage to Trust God's Plan
As stay-at-home moms, we often find ourselves caught between the everyday demands of raising children and the bigger questions of life: what is God calling us to do? How can we be faithful in our responsibilities while also fulfilling the larger purposes He has for our lives? The story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, offers a powerful example of what it looks like to trust God’s plan, obey His calling, and have the courage to step into the unknown with faith.
In the blog, Elizabeth’s Story: Trusting in God’s Timing and Embracing His Blessings, I touched on my journey of going from prideful and selfish because of my gifts to letting go of those idols and using God's gifts to encourage other women. When we are young, sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the hype the world shovels us. If we went to public school (I did), we learn that the world is ours for the taking and that we should strive for success. In itself, success is not a sin, but when we make it our idol, it is sinful. I am so thankful that God showed me that I was going down the wrong path and that He had a purpose for my life that looked nothing like the plan I had for my life.
Mary's story is one of obedience, humility, and trust in God’s faithfulness. Her willingness to surrender to God's plan—despite the fear, uncertainty, and challenges she faced—teaches us valuable lessons about how we can navigate the complexities of motherhood, faith, and purpose in our own lives.
Mary’s Story
Mary's story is primarily told in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, with the most detailed account found in Luke 1:26-56. Mary was a young Jewish woman from the town of Nazareth. She was engaged to a man named Joseph, but her life would soon be interrupted by a divine encounter that would change the course of history.
One day, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she had been chosen to bear the Son of God. He explained that she would conceive through the Holy Spirit and give birth to a son who would be called Jesus. The angel’s announcement was startling and overwhelming. Mary, a young woman who had never known a man, questioned how this could be possible. But the angel assured her that nothing was impossible with God and that the Holy Spirit would come upon her.
Despite the uncertainty, fear, and potential shame she would face as an unmarried woman pregnant with a child, Mary responded with faith and obedience, saying, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38). Her acceptance of God’s will, without fully understanding the implications, became one of the most profound acts of faith in history.
Mary's story didn’t end with the miraculous conception of Jesus. She carried the weight of being the mother of the Messiah, faced the challenges of raising Him, and stood by His side through His ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. Her life was marked by humble obedience, deep faith, and unshakeable trust in God's plan.
Lessons from Mary’s Story for Homeschooling and Stay-at-Home Moms
1. Obedience to God’s Calling Requires Courage
Mary’s acceptance of God’s plan was not an easy decision. She faced the potential for ridicule, rejection, and misunderstanding from her community. Being an unmarried woman pregnant with a child would have been scandalous in her time, yet she chose to trust God and obey His calling.
Application: As stay-at-home and homeschooling moms, there are times when following God’s plan for our lives may require courage. Whether it’s stepping into a new phase of motherhood, choosing to homeschool, or navigating the challenges of balancing faith and family life, obeying God’s call can be difficult.
In my life, I was moving up the corporate ladder when God put on my heart to start to work toward becoming a stay-at-home mom. It started with a pull to homeschool. My children were in a Christian school, but Braxton was having trouble socially due to ADHD and the inability to "fit in" with the other children. I knew it was God's will for me to quit my job and pull my son out of school, but I was worried about the future. How would we pay our bills? What about all the time I had put into my education? After all, I have a Master's Degree. How in the world do I justify quitting after all of that hard work and money spent?
Like Mary, we may not always know how things will unfold, but we are called to have the courage to obey God, trusting that His plan is always better than our own.
2. Faith in God’s Plan, Even When We Don’t Understand
When the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary, she did not fully understand how she could conceive a child without knowing a man, nor could she foresee the challenges she would face as the mother of the Messiah. Yet, she responded in faith, saying, “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Mary’s story shows us that trusting in God’s plan often requires us to step into the unknown, even when we don’t have all the answers.
Application: As stay-at-home moms, we can face moments when we don’t understand what God is doing in our lives. It may seem like there are more questions than answers, or like things are not going according to plan.
As I stated earlier, when I felt God leading me to stay at home and homeschool my children, I was skeptical. When my husband and I started working toward that goal, we did not just jump, instead, we put our toes in first to test the waters. God began to work on my pride, and I quit my corporate job and took a job as a bedside nurse, working Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. We worked on paying off bills and supplemented our son's schoolwork with homeschooling during the summer. I knew that God wanted me to trust Him, but I didn't. I continued to try to do things my way because I was scared of the unknown.
Mary’s story reminds us that faith often means trusting God when we can’t see the full picture. When we trust that God’s plan is good, even amid uncertainty, we can have peace, knowing that He is guiding us in the right direction.
3. Humility in God’s Service
Mary was a young, humble woman from a small town. Despite being chosen for one of the most significant roles in history—bearing the Son of God—she did not allow pride or arrogance to take hold. Instead, she responded with humility and a heart willing to serve God’s purpose.
Application: As moms, it can be easy to get caught up in the pressures and demands of daily life. The tasks of homeschooling, managing a household, and nurturing our children often seem endless.
Continuing my story, God kept placing things in my life that pointed toward homeschooling and staying at home with my children. What did I do? I kept wanting to quit, but I feared change to the point that I didn't listen for a couple of years. At this point, I could not stand my job, but I also did not trust God to take care of us. I began to feel hopeless because I placed my faith in my abilities instead of God's abilities. Thank goodness God kept working on me and my pride.
Mary’s humility teaches us to approach our work with a servant’s heart. Even when we feel overwhelmed or unnoticed, we are called to serve our families and God with humility, knowing that He values our efforts and sees the work we do, no matter how small or mundane it may seem.
4. Embracing God’s Will, Even in Difficult Circumstances
Mary’s acceptance of God’s plan wasn’t just about carrying a child—she would face challenges, pain, and even the heartache of watching her son suffer and die. Yet she never wavered in her commitment to God’s will. She embraced her role as the mother of Jesus, despite the heartache it would bring.
Application: Life as a homeschooling and stay-at-home mom can sometimes feel like an emotional rollercoaster. We face joys, but we also face struggles—whether it’s dealing with challenging behaviors, managing personal hardships, or navigating difficult seasons in our children’s lives.
Because I knew that God wanted me to make a change, but I kept ignoring Him, He made it so that I could not say no anymore. A set of tragedies led me to take the plunge. My dad was very sick for a whole year, and I asked off for Christmas so that I could be with my family. I was denied my request, even though another weekend worker was approved after my request. My dad died on December 26th. I was supposed to see him on the 27th. I was so frustrated that working for those same folks became a source of anger. I became sinful in how I felt about the people that I worked for. In January, my sister had a stroke, and then my brother had a stroke within two months. During this time, two of our three vehicles died. Both my vehicle and my mom's had issues that we could not fix (my mother lives with us). We had to make a decision: do we continue to pay for private school and buy a new vehicle, live week-to-week, or do we get a cheaper vehicle, quit my job, and take the kiddos out of school? We finally listened to God and made the leap of faith. I quit my job and took the kiddos out of school. Braxton was a little over halfway through kindergarten. God made it pretty obvious that He was not willing to let me continue on the track that I was on. God is good, and the decision to follow His will has been one of the best decisions that I have ever made.
Mary’s unwavering trust in God’s plan, even when it led her to difficult circumstances, is a powerful reminder that embracing God’s will might not always be easy, but it is always worth it. He will strengthen us and give us the grace we need to walk through each season of life with faith.
5. Choosing to Praise God Amidst Uncertainty
After receiving the angel’s message, Mary went to visit her relative Elizabeth, and upon meeting, both women were filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary responded with a powerful song of praise, the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), glorifying God for His faithfulness and mercy. Even though she didn’t know exactly what the future held, Mary chose to praise God for His goodness.
Application: In our daily lives, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by the challenges we face. Fear can rule your life if you let it, just like it ruled mine. Once God made it clear as day for me, since I am one stubborn lady, I stepped out on faith. I learned to place my trust in God and goodness. Our children are thriving at home, and so am I. When I start to try to take control again, I have to remind myself that God sees the bigger picture; I only see what I can from the view that I have in the present.
Mary’s example teaches us to choose praise and gratitude, even when we don’t fully understand what’s happening in our lives. When we focus on God’s faithfulness and goodness, it shifts our perspective and helps us to face each day with hope and joy. Whether it’s the small victories in our homeschooling journey or the big moments of personal growth, we are called to praise God for His blessings, knowing that He is with us every step of the way.
6. Trusting God with Our Children’s Futures
Mary’s story also teaches us about entrusting our children to God’s plan. As she raised Jesus, she knew that He had a divine purpose, but that didn’t make the pain of watching Him suffer any easier. Yet she trusted that God was in control and that His plan for Jesus’ life would bring redemption to the world.
Application: As mothers, we have deep desires for our children’s futures. We want them to grow up strong in faith, succeed in their endeavors, and be happy and fulfilled. We have to remember that God is in control and we are going to have failures, but we have to trust that God will meet their needs, even when we can't.
Mary’s example shows us that ultimately, we are called to trust God with our children’s lives. Even when the path ahead is unclear, we can have peace knowing that God has a purpose for each of our children, and we can trust Him to guide them. Our role is to teach, nurture, and love, but God is the one who holds their future in His hands.
Final Thoughts
Mary’s story is one of profound faith, obedience, and trust in God’s perfect plan. Her willingness to say “yes” to God, even in the face of uncertainty and potential hardship, serves as a powerful example for us as homeschooling and stay-at-home moms. In a world that often values self-reliance and control, Mary’s life calls us to trust God’s timing, embrace His will, and remain faithful to the calling He has placed on our lives.
As for my story, I still struggle with fear of change, but it I listen a little better and even if I delay God's will at times, the delay time is shorter and shorter because I have seen first hand how following His will leads to a much better outcome than when I place my faith in myself.
As we walk through the challenges of motherhood, homeschooling, and daily life, we can take comfort in knowing that God is working in our lives just as He worked in Mary’s. He calls us to obey, to trust, and to serve, knowing that His plans for us and our families are always for our good and His glory.
Like Mary, we can find peace in uncertainty, courage in the face of fear, and joy in the promise of God’s faithfulness. And just as Mary’s obedience brought the Savior into the world, our obedience can play a part in the greater story God is writing through our lives. Let us follow her example and trust that God will guide us in every step of our journey.
Reflection Questions for Mary’s Story: Faith, Obedience, and the Courage to Trust God’s Plan
1. Trust in God’s Plan: Mary responded to God’s calling with faith and obedience, even though she didn’t fully understand His plan. Are there areas of your life where you are struggling to trust God’s plan, especially in motherhood or homeschooling? How can you surrender those concerns to God today?
2. Courage to Obey: Mary faced potential shame and rejection, yet she chose to follow God’s will. What are some fears or challenges you are currently facing that make obedience to God’s calling difficult? How can you step forward with courage, trusting that God will equip you?
3. Humility in Serving: Mary accepted her role as the mother of the Messiah with a humble heart. In what ways can you approach your work as a mother or homeschooler with more humility and a servant’s heart, even in the daily grind?
4. Praising God in Uncertainty: Mary praised God in the midst of uncertainty and the unknown. How can you cultivate a habit of praise in your life, especially when things aren’t going as planned or when you feel uncertain about the future?
5. Trusting God with Your Children’s Futures: Mary trusted God with Jesus’ purpose and future. How can you trust God more with the futures of your own children, knowing He has a perfect plan for their lives?
