A few weeks ago, I watched the
broadcast announcing the new First Presidency for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I listened to President Russell M. Nelson speak, and he said
something that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. He used the phrase “righteous,
intentional parenting." When he said this, I felt a direct prompting that the word intentional matters beyond understanding—specifically
for mothers. I knew I needed to study and ponder what it meant.
According to Merriam-Webster’s
Dictionary, the definition of intentional is, “done on purpose; deliberate.” With
this definition in mind, I’ve asked myself some soul-searching questions. Am I deliberate in the choices I make each
day as a mom? Are my actions as a mother done with purpose? Am I a righteous, intentional mother?
If I’m being honest, my answer to all
of these questions is sometimes I am, but sometimes I am not. There are times
when I am passive or distracted rather than intentional. There are times when I
lose sight of my main purpose in motherhood. I’m guessing many fellow mommas
feel the same way! There are days that feel numb and never-ending, we seem to
get trapped in time-wasting activities, and our motto is to merely survive each
day. Sadly, this is exactly what Satan wants for us.
Boyd. K Packer warns,
Boyd. K Packer warns,