Mother's Day 2025
Mothers Day 2025
The power of a praying mother: Lessons from Hannah
“‘The impression that a praying mother leaves upon her children is life-long.” - D.L. Moody
“I remember my mother’s prayers, and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” - Abraham Lincoln
1 Samuel 1:10-20
10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 12 As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. 19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the LORD.”
1. Pray Sincerely (v.10–11a)
2. Pray Specifically (v.11a)
3. Pray Sacrificially (v.11c)
4. Be Persistent (v.12–16)
5. Keep the Faith (v.18–20)
“Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.” - Mother Teresa
James 1:5–7
“5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;”
Pray Sincerely
Pray Specifically
Pray Sacrificially
Be Persistent
Keep the Faith
Day 1: Sincere Prayers — God Can Handle Your Honesty
Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:10–11 - "In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, 'Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me…'"
Devotional Thought: Hannah’s prayer wasn’t polished—it was painful. Her tears were her theology. She didn’t filter her words for God’s comfort. She was honest, even desperate. In an age of curated social media and self-protection, God invites us into something raw: a real relationship. He doesn’t require us to be composed—He just wants us to come close.
Reflection Question: What’s one emotion or struggle you’ve been keeping from God that you need to bring honestly to Him?
Prayer Prompt: Lord, I don’t want to hide my heart from You. I bring You my real fears, frustrations, and hopes. You are safe with my soul.
Day 2: Specific & Sacrificial — Aligning Our Desires with His
Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:11 - "…then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life…"
Devotional Thought: Hannah didn’t just ask for a child—she promised to give him back to God. That’s bold. How often do we ask God for something without thinking through what it would mean to truly surrender it back to Him? Specific prayers are powerful, but surrendered prayers are transformative. They shape not only what we receive—but who we become.
Reflection Question: Is there something you’re asking God for that you also need to surrender back to Him?
Prayer Prompt: God, give me the courage to pray specifically and the faith to offer back whatever You entrust to me. I want to hold my blessings with open hands.
Day 3: Persistent Faith — Trusting God in the “Process of Time”
Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:20 - "So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son."
Devotional Thought: The answer didn’t come overnight. It came “in the course of time.” Those words are easy to read but hard to live. Waiting seasons challenge our faith, but they also deepen our trust. God’s silence doesn’t mean absence. Every faithful prayer sown in tears has the potential to grow into something greater than we imagined—at the right time.
Reflection Question: Where do you need to trust God's timing instead of forcing your own?
Prayer Prompt: Lord, help me to wait well. Even when nothing seems to be moving, I choose to believe You are at work “in the course of time.”
Small Group Questions:
1. What does it look like to "pray sincerely" in your life right now? How do you handle raw emotions—do you take them to God like Hannah, or elsewhere?
2. When have you prayed specifically for something, and how did that impact your relationship with God—regardless of the outcome? What might be holding you back from praying with that kind of clarity today?
3. What does it mean to pray sacrificially, and can you think of a time when someone else's sacrifice shaped your spiritual journey? How might God be calling you to release control over something or someone you care deeply about?
4. Hannah’s persistence in prayer was key to her breakthrough. What area of your life needs more persistent prayer rather than a one-time request? What can you do to develop endurance in your prayer life?
5. “In the process of time…” (v.20) speaks to faith over a season, not just a moment. How do you keep the faith when God’s timing feels slow? What encourages you to stay hopeful when answers haven’t come yet?