7 Ways Mary’s Story Speaks to All Women This Mother’s Day

“Mary was just a mom like us.” It’s been years since my friend, Tameka, said those words to me, but I’ve never forgotten them. Until then, I’d not thought about Mary in that way. In my rush to get to Jesus, I’d unknowingly glossed over her humanity. But isn’t that typical when a baby’s in the room? We rush past the mom to get to that bassinet.

But my friend was right. Mary was more than a biblical figure. She was a person like you and me. And, like our lives today, Mary’s life as Jesus’ mother was far from safe or simple. Her story shows us that God’s call on our lives often holds both joy and sacrifice. In a world that tells women their worth depends on perfection or performance, Mary’s example offers a different measure: Faithfulness, not outcomes, honors God. Here’s how:

1. She said “yes” to God before she knew the cost.

“‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.'” (Luke 1:38)

Mary’s response to the angel’s announcement about her unexpected pregnancy didn’t come with a contract, a complete job description, or a five-year plan. She didn’t know about the whispers that would follow her pregnancy, the midnight flight to Egypt, or the gut-wrenching day she would watch her child die on the cross. She simply said yes, trusting the One who gave her the assignment.

How often do we hesitate to accept God’s invitation because we can’t see the whole path? Mary reminds us that trust in Him often begins before receiving clarity from Him. She teaches us that sometimes the bravest prayer is simply, “I am Your servant, Lord. Yes, use me.”

2. She found joy in the unseen, even when life felt unstable.

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…” (Luke 1:46-47)

Mary’s song wasn’t composed in a palace or during a season of comfort. It erupted from the heart of a young woman filled with awe that God would use a poor, young woman for an eternal purpose. She found joy in who God was, not in the uncertain future she faced as an unwed pregnant girl.

When life feels unstable, where do we look for joy? Mary teaches us to find it in God’s presence rather than in seeking perfect conditions. Her song reminds us that we can rejoice in uncertainty when we remain certain of Him.

3. She embraced love and loss as part of her calling.

“Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel… And a sword will pierce your own soul too.'” (Luke 2:34-35)

But Mary’s joy wasn’t naive. Simeon reminded her that love and loss walk hand in hand. As Jesus’ mom, the privilege of raising Him also meant watching Him be rejected, hated, feared, and ultimately crucified. But Mary didn’t view sacrifice as a detour from God’s plan. She knew it was the road itself.

In our comfort-seeking culture, we often mistake difficulty for abandonment. But Mary teaches us that love and loss frequently travel together when we’re following God’s leadership. The invitation isn’t to avoid pain at all costs, but to trust that God remains present within it.

4. She held questions without demanding answers.

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

Scripture repeatedly shows Mary wondering, questioning, and wrestling with things she didn’t understand. (Me too, Mary!) When Jesus stayed behind at the temple, when He seemed dismissive of her at the wedding in Cana, and almost certainly during those dark days between the crucifixion and resurrection, Mary had questions.

Yet her questions didn’t diminish her faith. They were part of it. Mary teaches us that faith isn’t the absence of questions but surrender despite them. She shows us how to hold mystery with reverence rather than resentment. Mary models how to be okay in the not knowing.

5. She surrendered control.

“‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’… ‘For nothing is impossible with God.'” (Luke 1:34, 37)

Mary’s question didn’t come from a place of resistance, disrespect, or doubt. It came from a place of awe and wonder! And once the angel assured her of God’s power, she surrendered her timeline, reputation, and expectations to God’s greater purpose. Throughout Jesus’ life, we see her continuing this surrender, allowing Him to step into His ministry even when it meant letting go.

Mary’s example is counter-cultural in a world that encourages women to try to control every aspect of their lives. She shows us that God’s timing turns our waiting into worship when we surrender our grip on how things “should” be.

6. She loved loyally, even when it broke her heart.

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother…” (John 19:25)

Mary stayed with her son until the end. When many of Jesus’ followers fled, Mary remained. She stood near the cross, watching her son suffer, powerless to stop it. This is her most challenging lesson: love shows up, even when it’s excruciating to be present.

Mary teaches us that the things worth loving – our children, our families, our calling, our God – will sometimes break our hearts. But she also shows us that loving fiercely and loyally makes life meaningful. After all, the callings God places in our hearts are worth the ache they may bring.

7. Her deepest pain became the world’s hope.

“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.'” (Luke 1:46-48, ESV)

But the cross wasn’t the end. The same woman who sang “my spirit rejoices” at the start of her journey would live to see her most profound sorrow become the world’s hope. Mary witnessed the ultimate redemption story. The son she birthed, loved, and mourned became the world’s salvation. Her journey from the manger to the cross to the empty tomb demonstrates God’s ability to weave even our deepest sufferings into His redemptive plan.

This Mother’s Day, Mary reminds every woman that our stories don’t end with pain. God specializes in taking what seems the end and transforming it into a beginning. The “Good Friday” moments of our lives – the disappointments, losses, and heartbreaks – are not the end when God is around.

Finding Our Own “Yes”

This Mother’s Day, Mary’s question echoes for us all: Will you say ‘yes’ before you see the plan?

Not because the road will be easy, but because the One who calls you is faithful.

Like Mary, we’re invited to surrender control, love fiercely, and trust that our “yes” (however small) joins God’s eternal story.

And that changes everything.