A Faith That Is Passed Down Through a Mother’s Faith

Paul reminded Timothy of something powerful, and he didn’t just reference it—he said it plainly:

“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (2 Timothy 1:5, KJV)

That word unfeigned means sincere. It’s real, not forced, not something put on for others to see. It was a faith Timothy had seen before it ever became his own. It lived in his grandmother, then in his mother, and eventually in him.

That kind of faith doesn’t come from one moment or one message. It comes from being around it, watching it, and experiencing it lived out day by day. Paul was intentional to point that out because Timothy’s walk didn’t start with him; it was shaped by what was lived in front of him.

He didn’t just inherit words. He inherited a walk. He saw what sincere faith looked like when life was normal, when it was hard, and when no one else was around.

That’s what “unfeigned faith” looks like in real life. Not perfect, but consistent. Not loud all the time, but present. A faith that shows up again and again, even in the small moments.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 reminds us,

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children…”

Notice it begins in the heart before it is ever taught. What lives in us is what is passed down—and often, it’s passed down quietly.

The Seeds We Don’t Always See

That truth has played out in my own life in ways I didn’t fully recognize at the time.

I remember sitting in my car, pregnant with my first, listening to music. I turned it up, and I could feel her moving. It may sound simple, but I remember thinking she was going to love music—and I wasn’t wrong.

I led worship while pregnant with both of my kids, and now they both love to sing.

To this day, our kids walk around singing constantly. You’ll even find my daughter standing on the stage with the praise team, worshipping with everything she has.

And I can’t help but see the hand of God in that.

But even before that, there were seeds being planted in me.

I can remember waking up as a child in the middle of the night and hearing my mom or my dad praying in the living room. They didn’t realize I was listening, but I was, and something inside of me was being shaped in those quiet moments.

Looking back now, I realize something… those moments didn’t look important at the time. They didn’t feel like anything life-changing was happening. But they were laying a foundation I didn’t even recognize yet.

And that’s what makes this next part so important, because the moments that feel the smallest are often the ones doing the deepest work.

When It Doesn’t Look Like It’s Working

I remember sitting on the pew as a child, scribbling on paper while church went on around me. To anyone watching, it probably looked like I wasn’t paying attention at all.

But something was stirring. Something was taking root.

Now I’ve watched my own kids do the same thing. They sit with us in service, they watch, they follow, and they mimic our posture of worship. They see more than we realize, and that’s the part we have to hold on to.

Because if we’re honest, there are moments we wonder if any of it is sticking. Moments where it feels like we’re repeating ourselves, correcting the same things, or trying to hold their attention while everything else pulls at them.

It’s easy to walk away from those moments thinking, “Did any of that matter?”

But just because it doesn’t look like it’s working doesn’t mean God isn’t working.

Isaiah 55:11 reminds us that His Word will not return void. Even when we don’t see immediate results, God is still moving beneath the surface.

And I want to speak to that season when your children are little and you’re trying to nurture them in church. There are services where it feels like you didn’t hear a single word the preacher said because you were tending to a child at your feet.

But listen to me clearly… that is one of the most vital times to teach your children about church.

You didn’t just sit on the pew waiting for them to grow up—you brought them with you. You took them up front and showed them how to worship. You showed them what it looks like to pray in the altar. You let them see it, feel it, and be a part of it.

It may have felt chaotic in the moment, but you were teaching something deeper than words ever could. You were showing them how—and that stays with them.

If you’ve ever struggled with staying focused in the middle of life’s noise, you may also be encouraged by my post, Guarding Your Heart in a Noisy World.

When You Feel Like You’re Failing

And if we’re honest, this is where it can get the hardest.

I know the feeling of wondering if you’re doing enough, if your children will make it, and if you’re getting this right.

Was I too harsh just now? Did I handle that the right way? Am I leading them well spiritually, or just trying to get through the day?

Those quiet questions can weigh on you more than anyone else ever sees.

But then there are moments that remind you otherwise.

Moments where you see conviction in your child’s heart, moments where you watch them worship freely, and moments where you realize something deeper has taken hold.

And in those moments, the Lord gently reminds you that He is faithful to what has been planted—even when you feel like you’re falling short.

Galatians 6:9 encourages us,

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

What you are doing matters, even when it feels unseen.

This part of the conversation continues here:

When They Have to Choose for Themselves

There is something else we need to talk about, because this is real life.

Sometimes, even when you have prayed, taught, shown them, and lived it in front of them… your children may still walk away.

And that can feel like the deepest kind of heartbreak.

It can make you question everything. Did I do enough? Did I miss something? Did I fail somewhere along the way?

But listen to me clearly… their choice is not a reflection of your failure.

There comes a point where faith becomes personal. Where what they have seen must become what they choose. Your responsibility was never to control the outcome. It was to be faithful in the teaching, the showing, and the loving.

Because even if they walk away for a season… it’s still there.

What was planted doesn’t disappear. The prayers, the Word, the example—it all remains.

Proverbs 22:6 reminds us,

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

That doesn’t mean there won’t be seasons of wandering, but it does mean what was planted has a way of calling them back.

So we don’t give up.

We keep praying. We keep loving. We keep trusting God with what we cannot control. Because He cares for their soul even more than we do, and He knows how to reach them in ways we never could.

The Kind of Faith That Speaks Without Words (A Mother’s Faith in Action)

All of this comes back to a simple truth.

This kind of faith doesn’t have to be loud, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. It simply has to be real.

It’s the kind of faith that shows up in the middle of an ordinary day—the kind that chooses patience when you’re stretched thin, grace when you’re frustrated, and prayer when you don’t have the words.

What your children see consistently will shape what they believe deeply. Not just what you say on your best days, but what you do on your hardest ones.

Because they are watching how you handle pressure, how you respond when things don’t go as planned, and what you turn to when life feels overwhelming.

And it doesn’t stop inside your home—people are watching your life too.

Not for perfection, but for something different. Something steady. Something real.

A faith that doesn’t just speak when it’s easy… but lives even when it’s hard.

A Gentle Reminder

So if you’ve been wondering if what you’re doing matters… it does.

You don’t have to do this perfectly, and you don’t have to have all the answers. You simply have to remain faithful—to pray, to show up, and to live a life that reflects Him in the smallest moments.

Proverbs 31:28 says,

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed…”

That kind of fruit doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from a life faithfully lived before the Lord.

Because the faith you are living today is planting something for tomorrow, and God is faithful to grow what you’ve been sowing.

Even on the days you feel unseen, Heaven sees every seed you’re sowing. And in His timing, He is faithful to bring growth in ways you may not even realize yet.

If this encouraged you, I’d love for you to share it with another mom who may need it today.

And if you’re not already part of our Stay Rooted emails, I’d love for you to join us for weekly encouragement.

You can also find more encouragement just like this by visiting the Encouragement tab on the blog.

And remember… I’m always praying for you—even if I don’t know who you are.

Stop Fighting Spiritual Battles with Carnal Tools

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;"
2 Corinthians 10:4

Paul was blunt. He was telling believers to quit trying to handle spiritual warfare with natural ability.

When something goes wrong, especially as women, we think we can fix it. We manage it, talk it through, reorganize, confront, research, and plan.

But if the root is spiritual, no amount of carnal effort will dismantle it.

A stronghold is not just a bad situation. It is a fortified mindset. A pattern of thinking that resists truth. A spiritual resistance that keeps people bound.

Strongholds are not removed because we tried harder. They are pulled down through prayer that aligns with the authority of God.

And Jesus made this even clearer.

"Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
Matthew 17:21

There are “kinds” that will not move because you prayed once. There are “kinds” that will not shift because you were frustrated. There are “kinds” that require consecration.

Prayer and fasting are not dramatic gestures. They are surrender. They are alignment. They are warfare.

The Spirit Searches Deep

"But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."
1 Corinthians 2:10

If the Spirit searches the deep things of God, then surface Christianity will not sustain us.

We cannot build our relationship with God around convenience. We cannot approach Him only when something feels urgent. We cannot expect deep breakthrough with shallow devotion.

Going deep requires time. Going deep requires surrender. Going deep requires honesty.

And going deep can be painful.

It is painful because when we ask God to search us, He does not only point out the enemy. He points out us.

He exposes pride. He reveals motives. He refines character.

But strongholds are broken in deep places, not shallow ones.

Daniel and Intercessory Prayer

This is where Daniel becomes central.

Daniel understood Jeremiah’s prophecy. Seventy years of captivity were ending. The timeline had been spoken. The promise had been declared.

But there was no visible shift.

Daniel could have said, “God promised it. He will handle it.” And then went on his merry way.

Instead, Daniel 9:3 says:

"And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting..."

Notice what he did not do.

He did not complain about leadership. He did not blame Babylon. He did not grow cynical in the waiting.

He set his face.

Setting his face means he became intentional. Focused. Unmoved.

Then he confessed.

Daniel 9 is not a soft prayer. It is repentance on behalf of a nation. “We have sinned.” “We have done wickedly.” He included himself in the confession even though Scripture does not record Daniel personally falling into the same sins.

That is intercessory prayer.

He stood in the gap.

Verse 13 says even though judgment had come, they had not made their prayer before the Lord.

"...yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth."

That is sobering.

Sometimes we want the promise fulfilled more than we want to repent. Sometimes we want breakthrough more than we want refinement.

Daniel understood something crucial.

The prophecy was spoken. But the fulfillment was partnered with prayer.

When God is preparing to fulfill a promise, He often moves His people into deeper prayer.

And Daniel 10 pulls the curtain back even further.

In Daniel 10:12-13, the angel tells Daniel:

"Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia."

There are two things happening in those verses.

First, heaven heard immediately. From the first day Daniel humbled himself, God responded. There was no delay in God’s awareness. There was no hesitation in His willingness to act.

Second, there was resistance in the spiritual realm. The answer was opposed. What God had released encountered conflict before it manifested.

Daniel did not know any of this while he was praying.

He only knew that he had set his heart to seek God and that the breakthrough had not yet appeared.

This reframes how we understand delay.

Delay does not automatically mean disobedience. Delay does not automatically mean God said no. Sometimes delay means there is a battle we cannot see.

Intercessory prayer is not only about asking. It is about persevering when you do not yet see movement.

Daniel continued in humility and fasting. He did not abandon his posture because the answer was not immediate.

And when the resistance was broken, the message came.

Do Not Settle in the Wilderness

Just like Israel in the wilderness, we often find ourselves standing between promise and possession.

Numbers 13:2 — God said He had given them the land. But by verse 27, the report shifted the atmosphere. Oh, they saw the fruit, but other things looked greater. Giants. Walls. Fear. (Verse 28).

The promise did not change. The people’s perspective did.

Isaiah 55:2 asks why we spend ourselves on what does not satisfy.

"Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."

Why settle for wilderness living when God has promised more?

Galatians 6:9 reminds us not to grow weary. In due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

But perseverance is not passive.

Jeremiah 29:11 gives the promise. Jeremiah 29:12 gives the response.

"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you."

Call on Him. Pray to Him. Seek Him with all your heart.

The promise was spoken. Intercessory prayer activated it.

When You Do Not Know What to Pray

There will be moments when you feel overwhelmed by the weight of it all.

You may not even know how to form the words.

Romans 8:26 reminds us,

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

Even when you do not have language, you are not powerless.

The Spirit intercedes.

That should stir us, NOT make us passive.

If heaven is interceding, how much more should we?

This Is the Axis of Intercessory Prayer

An axis is the fixed point everything rotates around.

For the church. For families. For leaders.

Prayer and fasting must be the axis.

Not emotion. Not offense. Not reaction.

Prayer.

And I want to speak to the lay members for a moment. Your pastor and your pastor’s family cannot do this alone.

They can preach. They can counsel. They can show up when people are hurting. They can carry responsibility that few people see.

But spiritual warfare is not fought by one family.

If you love your church, back your pastor in prayer. Do not just critique what you do not understand. Cover what you do understand. Ask the Lord to strengthen them, protect their home, guard their minds, and keep their spirits clean.

When the church prays together, the church stands together.

Things may not unfold exactly as we plan. Circumstances may not resolve neatly. But will we still sit at His feet? Will we still praise Him? Will we still fight spiritually?

Or will we give up and react in the flesh?

This is not about hype. It is about holiness. It is about refusing to allow the enemy to gain ground because we were distracted.

I am not writing this lightly. I am writing this because I feel the urgency of it.

Daniel did not wait quietly. He set his face.

So must we.

And if you are weary, hear Galatians 6:9 again.

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

The promise God has given will come, but in His time.

Do not grow weary. Do not loosen your grip. Do not quit in the waiting.

If this stirred something in you, do not dismiss it.

If you are a pastor’s wife, I am praying strength over you. I am praying clarity, courage, and clean hands in the middle of the fight.

If you are a lay member, this is your moment to rise. Your prayers matter more than you realize. Your faithfulness matters. Your intercession matters.

And if you feel like you have been waiting on a promise for a long time, I want you to know you are not forgotten. Keep seeking. Keep standing. Keep praying.

Do not leave this as inspiration. Turn it into action.

Set aside time. Fast in whatever way the Lord leads. Intercede for your home. Intercede for your church. Intercede for your own heart.

Do not settle. Do not faint. Do not react in the flesh.

Set your face.

And let prayer become the axis again.

If this message resonates with you and you want continued encouragement like this, you can explore more faith-based encouragement here on the blog in the Encouragement category.

You can also join our Stay Rooted weekly email where I share Scripture, practical application, and reminders to stay grounded when life feels heavy. I would love to have you there.

You can find more encouragement like this here on the blog under our Encouragement category!

And remember, I’m always praying for you, even if I don’t know who you are.

New thought #1: You are not just a wife; you are a soul-winning machine, ladies!

I have been around and involved in music for as long as I can remember, probably as a little cherub up in heaven before God decided to send my mother the best-est gift ever—ME! Her tiny angel of music!

I decided I wanted to play piano when I turned nine, much to my parents’ chagrin since they wanted a prodigy, but I digress. They taught me Amazing Grace and wrote the key letters on the piano keys my grandmother bought for me—to clarify, she bought the entire piano, not just the keys.

After that, it was God that did the teaching and allowed me to excel in that field, being able to hear a song a few times and pick out the general theme within moments. But more than this exceptional skill, he also granted me an anointing when I play.

As I have grown older, I realize that the anointing is what He intended for me to focus on the whole time—to learn to submit to it and allow it to flow into someone’s life and possibly change them, just as David’s music did for Saul.

I am not an altar worker, I am not a door-knocker, and I most definitely am not a Sunday School teacher (shudder!); I am a musician with talents that God can use to reach people with or without words.

New thought #2: You are not just a (insert title here) in a church; you are a minister to those who need redemption and mercy, as well as a reminder of God’s love for humanity!

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are... true... honest... just... pure... lovely... of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

Well, this verse just sums it all up for us simple-minded individuals: we are what we think about.

This is why how you think about yourself is so very powerful. Never think of yourself as being “just a” something; you are everything you need to be, even more so in the moment that “something” is required to manifest.

You have already been equipped with everything you need to fulfill your purpose, and just like the lady with the cruse of oil and a little bit of meal, your “little bit” can sustain you and others during what you think might be the dryest season of your life, saving all of you from spiritual starvation.

It is important to keep in mind that even the greatest heroes and heroines of the Bible had moments of doubt about themselves, and we are no different. But we can take strength and encouragement from their stories and know that God has created us to be the light of the world, and once we know—I mean truly know—who we are, then our thoughts about ourselves will begin to permeate our being and shine through in our lives.

New thought #3: My life is what my thoughts make it. When I alter my thoughts towards others, they will be altered toward me.

I have rewritten this article about three times, and I do hope that this final product has helped you to regain your confidence and give you a renewed vision full of gusto and verve.

I know just writing it has opened some new doors for me to step through.

So, after doing a little soul-searching in this article, I ask you again, “Who do you think you are?” Hopefully, your answer has changed from “I’m not sure if I even have a purpose” to “I am (insert your name here) and I am everything God has created me to be!”

“Nurture your mind with great thoughts; to believe in the heroic makes heroes.” – Benjamin Disraeli

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

“He that will not command his thoughts will soon lose the command of his actions.” – Woodrow Wilson

About the Author