…with every infant born into the family comes the injunction from God, “Take this child and bring it up for Me.” It is one of God’s own children by creation, sent to be trained up in the way he should go, that is, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. …But can anyone, will anyone, teach, or teach effectually, that religion which she does not feel and practice herself? Therefore, I say, a mother’s heart must be deeply imbued with piety if she would teach it to her children.
—Female Piety (“To Young Mothers”), John Angell James
Female Piety is one of my favorite books. The language is a bit of an acquired taste, but once you dig in, you won’t be disappointed. The advice is eloquent and rich, sobering and challenging.
Christian mothers, John Angell James calls our homes, “seminaries for eternity.” I love the picture of our preparing our children for their eternal home, where they will glorify God and enjoy him forever. What a great God we serve who equips us with the grace to fulfill those requirements he makes of us!