If you read Woman of Royalty, you may have noticed that my mother wrote the forward. Naturally, I was nervous when I asked her to read things she didn't know about me, but I believed she had the right to know.
It took courage for me to ask my mother to write the forward.
It took courage for her to write it and not ask questions.
We did it together as women who happened to be mother and child.
I want to give you an opportunity to read my mother's words for yourself. Warning: You might need some tissues.
"Who do you believe you are? What thoughts have crept into your heart? Did you know you are highly thought of? Are you aware that you are a precious jewel? Did you know that you are beautiful? Did you know that you are one of God’s greatest creations?
Have you allowed life to define who you are? Have you allowed society’s oppression to define you? Have you allowed the voids in your life to shape you? Have those voids caused you to run away from who you truly are? Was it abuse? Has it been those secrets that you hide in shame? What has caused you to run from reality?
As I ponder these questions, I can’t help but remember the times when I saw the anguish on your face because you felt you didn’t measure up. I could not help but gasp for air because my heart was broken when someone broke yours. I remember when I wanted to hold you and take away your pain only to realize that I could not. I would sit in silence and pray that the Lord would reveal to you who you truly are. My prayer has been that you would come into the knowledge of how important you are. Not to me, but to this world. Did you know that creation moans and groans for the manifestation of the sons of God (Romans 8:9)?
As your parent, watching you go through life with its twists and turns, I often wonder what I could have done differently. Perhaps, I should have explained things differently. Maybe you would have made different choices. Not different, but better. Maybe I should have changed locations. What if I only worked one job and poured into you, would it have kept you from making the same mistakes over and over? So many times I wonder how I could have done things differently. I have asked myself if I could have done more to protect you. I can’t explain how precious you are to me.
Even with all those questions, I have come to realize that there was nothing more that I could have done because you had an appointment with destiny. It was time for your steps to be ordered by God. In essence, I had to decrease in your life so that you would find the abundance of life. I had to stand by, watching, and interceding while you fully submitted yourself to the Lord. There were moments when I wanted to swoop in like supermom and save the day. Unfortunately, this would have only delayed your process and caused more pain and anguish.
As I look at the woman whom you have become, I cannot help but say, “This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in my eyes” (Psalm 118:23). Daughter, when God created you, He said, 'IT IS GOOD!'”
Latice Woodard
Be sure to join my mother and I on YouTube this Saturday for an honest and open discussion. I hope to see you there!
This was absolutely beautiful and well said. As a mom to now young adults, you can torment yourself with what if's. The hardest part is seeing your children go through and our role then becomes to give them the space to walk this thing out and develop whatever God has for them. Thank you for your transparency! Kudos to you mom for raising such amazing children.