For All the Mothers

For all the mothers and mother figures
The grandmothers, aunts, and extended family members who mother
The soon-to-be mothers, the wish-they-were mothers, the never-wanted-to-be mothers, the “it’s complicated” mothers
The birth mothers, foster mothers, adoptive mothers, stepmothers
The “used to be Dad” mothers and “more than one Mom” mothers
The single mothers, separated mothers, stay-at-home mothers, unhoused mothers
The grieving mothers, those who grieve their mothers, and those whose grief is complex
For all the communities that mother
And for all who depend on the Great Mother
You are held — and beloved.

A parent, holding food on a spoon, in front of a toddler reaching.

Every Mother Has a Different Story

By Cheryl Strayed

From WorshipWeb

Every mother has a different story, though we tend to group them together. We like to think that partnered moms have it good and single moms have it rough, but the truth is that we're a diverse bunch....

Every Mother Has a Different Story