Art & Soul post #36 by guest author Danielle Murphy
It is very rare for me to remember a dream after I wake up, let alone remember one vividly. Recently, just before our youngest child was born, I dreamt that I was having the image of a warrior mother tattooed on my arm. The tattoo was all black using an outline of her form holding a bow with a quiver slung across her arm and shown from her backside. The only colors used in the image were on the fletching part of the arrows sticking out of the top of the quiver, and they were displayed in a rainbow of colors. It was clear to me that I loved the meaning of it so much that I was willing to place it on my body as a reminder to myself and others as to what type of mother I desired to be…. a mother dedicated to wearing the full armor of God in order to stand up against the wiles of the enemy in her marriage and for the souls of her children.
After I woke up and told my husband about the dream, I toyed around with the idea of actually getting the image tattooed on my body, but having a few tattoos I now regret, I decided against the idea. As the days passed, I continued to feel that the image I had seen in my dream had real significance from the Lord and should be preserved in some way to set before me as a reminder of my highest calling as a mother. This image reflects my very real and deep desire to be a mother pleasing to her Creator and King, always yielding to Him according to His Word and obeying His marching orders to raise up a Godly generation (Malachi 2:15), as many as are to be given to her as an inheritance from Him (Psalm 127:3).
Before having this dream, I had created three inspirational wall hangings for our nursery and had placed them directly across from the chair where I rock my babies. One of these is the words of Psalm 127, another is my rules for how to mother well, and the third is a prayer for my children that I found in the magazine Above Rubies. I used a computer to print the words/phrases in one or more fonts and colors and glued them onto wooden boards. These three hangings now surround a framed print of Daddy’s Dream by the artist Dave McCamon. I decided that I also wanted the image of the warrior mother on a wall of our nursery, but did not feel I had the artistic ability to create it myself, so I reached out to a young artist who I knew from church. She agreed to sketch the piece after I described the warrior mother to her in detail. After several weeks, she presented the finished sketch to me along with a letter that stated how honored she was to be asked to do this for our family.
I took the sketch (shown above) and added some words around it from a powerful poem I had also read in Above Rubies. God has used this magazine from the very beginning of our family to inspire me to the high calling of motherhood and to see what it looks like to surrender your family size to the Lord. Here is the free verse poem which was written by the publisher of the magazine, Nancy Campbell. It is titled “A Mother’s Creed.”
I am not languishing. I am not deceived. I have a vision. I know who I am and who God created me to be. I know my purpose. I am walking in the perfect will of God. I know it’s not easy, but I’ve counted the cost. How could my career be easy when I am influencing a nation for God, generations to come–and eternity?
How can it be easy when I am destroying the plans of the devil? Such is the power of my God-mandated career, the highest calling ever given to women–motherhood. I have embraced my calling. I am not intimidated by my antagonists. I will not be moved. My heart is fixed.
I may be hidden in my home but look out world! I am sharpening my arrows. I am getting them ready to shoot forth and destroy the adversary. In the power and anointing of God–I am advancing God’s Kingdom.
I write for The Fruitful Women, an online Christian women’s magazine, and decided to share the story of my dream along with the warrior mother sketch and what I felt God was trying to convey to me through it in my weekly column, Keepers of the Home. After reading my article, a subscriber to the magazine as well as to Art & Soul suggested I also share the sketch and its meaning in this column. She offered to draw a portrait version of the warrior mother and asked if I would allow her to photograph me with a bow and quiver to use as her model. I was delighted to oblige, as I see the warrior mother image as an important message and testimony for all mothers everywhere who feel it is their God-given calling and privilege to raise up children for His glory.
I strongly believe the image of a warrior mother shown in these drawings is a physical representation of Psalm 127:3-5 which says,
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” (ESV)
The image is also a reflection of Malachi 2:15. It takes both a man and woman to create Godly offspring, and it is the very reason the Lord brings them together:
“Didn’t the LORD make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth.” (NLT)
It requires both parents to make fierce sacrifices as they choose to go to battle daily for their family, giving themselves wholly over to raising them in Godliness so that, as they are propelled into adulthood, they will be prepared to pierce the enemy of this world themselves. Parenting is exhausting, but how could such a high calling be easy? We are destroying the works of the enemy daily by focusing on our home and our family’s needs and being the glue that holds it all together. This is why I believe God showed me the image of myself as a warrior mother.
Many years ago, after studying Psalm 127:3, my husband and I made the joint decision to completely surrender our family size to the Lord. Once again, this verse declares: “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” If God tells us that children are our heritage, who are we to limit Him? How many of us would ever tell our earthly father that the allotted portion of our inheritance is too much? To this date, God has blessed us with ten children which is the reason for there being ten arrows placed in the quiver that the mother is holding in the drawings. Only the fletchings of the arrows have color which represents the vitality and freshness of our children, the product of our best efforts and sacrifices to the Lord as we prepare them to be sent out into the world. The array of different colors of the fletchings represents our children’s unique personalities and gifts which they will in turn use to bring glory to God!
Dear friend, do you see how God has ordained women for such a high calling as motherhood and how we ought to take the role of a mother so very seriously? I pray that you too will catch the Lord’s vision and purpose for the family so that together we may remain vigilantly dedicated to our ordained mission to bring up a Godly generation.
In His Grace,
Danielle
Danielle Murphy
I have been married for 15 years and have ten children under the age of 13. I work full-time at home, homeschooling seven of our children and supporting my husband with his two businesses. I am eternally grateful to God who sought me out and continues to search me and guide me in His truth.
4 thoughts on “My Highest Calling”
Please see below words from songs we sing at the Salvation Army Cwmbran Corps.
If you would be strong put your armour on. Be strong in the Lord. If you would be strong put your armour on. Be strong in the Lord. The belt of truth around you, righteousness as your breastplate, your feet at the ready – gospel peace. The helmet salvation and Spirit’s sword. Be strong! Put your armour on!
If you would be strong put your armour on. Be strong in the Lord. If you would be strong put your armour on. Be strong in the Lord.
And always pray in the Spirit. And always pray in the Spirit. With the sword of truth in your right hand, the helmet salvation and Spirit’s sword.
Be strong! Put your armour on! If you would be strong put your armour on. Be strong in the Lord. If you would be strong put your armour on. Be strong in the Lord. Be strong! (Salvation Army Cwmbran Corps Songster Brigade)
Please excuse me for any errors and/or omissions I have made when typing words from songs as I remember them. I have Asperger’s syndrome, an autistic spectrum disorder (asd) which causes me to struggle socially. I struggle with social communication, social interaction and social imagination. An autism spectrum disorder (asd) is a neurodevelopmental condition which I can not change. Therefore, I pray.
God, help me! I ask this prayer for Jesus sake. Amen. Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief.
Thank you for sharing the lyrics of the song, Yvonne! I needed to hear those words today! May God Bless you!❤️
Danielle, thank you so much for sharing your dream and inspiring message! Motherhood (and fatherhood) is so important! May God richly bless you and your beautiful family!❤️
Even though I am not a mother and never will be, I have been blessed to catch a glimpse of that high calling through reading Danielle’s soul-baring and God-honoring articles. Her warrior mother story has been one of my favorites. I have been inspired by her accounts of struggle and triumph as a wife and mother, her devotion to living out the Word, her community involvement, and now her creative endeavors and partnerships. I wish to thank her and young Isabella for inspiring me to try my hand again at drawing after many years. I also wish to thank Elana for supporting me throughout this project starting with purchasing my first sketch book and drawing pencil set and ending with allowing me to change my final submission not once but twice. May God be glorified as we all work together for His will.