You’re a builder mama. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, a working mom, a single mom, a traveling mom, an empty nest mom or a brand-new first time mom, you’re a builder. Moment by moment, day by day, year by year, you’re building.

I can hear you thinking, “I’m not building anything. I’m doing laundry, changing diapers, packing to leave once again, working overtime, nursing a baby.” I hear you and I’m telling you, you’re a builder.

Every day you’re building lives. Moment by moment instilling character, igniting passions. Painting a picture of God and forming futures. Building belief and truth. Some days the building is easy, and other days it will tax every bit of patience you own. In fact, you might grow weary as the building drones on and on, but I promise, progress is being made.

Each day another brick is laid. Another building block is nailed into place. Another stitch in the tapestry, another brushstroke of a masterpiece, another note in a grand symphony. You can’t see the building or the painting. You can’t hear the music over the buzz of a busy household, but it’s there. As the melody forms, the crescendo rises day by day. The painting takes shape. The skyscraper rises from the dust.

You’re a carpenter mama, and your hands are doing a worthy work. Your tools are your words and actions, your beliefs and relationships. Each day is full of promise as you raise and shape, teach and train your child how he fits into God’s glorious building.

It takes time to build a life. Doing the same things over and over, teaching the same lessons, correcting the same behavior, praying the same prayers. The tiny increments of hours and days turn to months and years. It takes years of nails and boards and hammer strokes to build children into the men and women of God He’s called them to be, the ones who will change the world. The ones willing to be His hands and feet to the lost and weary, the desperate and depressed, the weary and worn, no matter where He leads them.

He’s building you too mama. Every test, every sorrow and tear, every lonely moment, every loss, He sees and He knows. And He cares deeply. In fact, He has collected all your tears and lovingly put each one in a bottle. He sees you and He hears each prayer, He knows every sacrifice.

God is the Master Builder, and you are the project manager. Your babies are the living stones being fashioned to fit His purpose. Build with faith and the knowledge God is guiding you and what you are building is something good and solid. Something beautiful and functional. Because the life you are building is real.

Build with diligence mama because your words and actions, choices and values will shape your children into men and women of God, eternally valued and of great worth. You will never forget laying the bricks and hammering the boards. The tears and tests, trials and triumphs. And a day will come when you stand back and look up and see a fine building, fit for the Master’s use.

Day by day, year by year as you build, He will show you His purpose for them. And you will continue to build . . .

. . . and what you build will last.

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
Psalm 127:1