Mother of Seven Offers Moms Spiritual Refreshment
WARRIOR MOTHER
Your children do not belong to you. Instead, they belong to the Lord who knew your child before they were ever born, and He has a specific plan for their life. “Your role is to lay the foundation for your children to walk into God’s design for their lives,” shares Victoria.
There are times in her parenting journey that Victoria has tried to take things into her own hands. She did not pray about big decisions and let her emotions take over. For example, when Victoria’s daughter suffered from unexplained seizures it took a toll on her. For years, she suffered with deep depression as she lived in fear of the seizures returning which could lead to irreversible and deadly consequences. She spent many nights watching the baby monitor to ensure that her daughter was not harmed on her watch. One day in desperation she cried out to God, and He spoke to her heart. He revealed that she no longer needed to parent in fear, but that she could trust Him no matter the outcome. God healed her daughter who has been seizure free for over a decade. Victoria reminds us, “It is when we surrender our parenting to God and rely on Him for instruction, we can find true peace and joy.”
WAR PLAN
In the Bible, a mom with a plan was Jochebed who is mentioned in Exodus 1:8-22. She hid Moses for three months as a baby to avoid being killed by the King of Egypt. Then she put him in a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch. She placed him in the Nile among the reeds and watched from a far until he could be discovered by the pharaoh’s daughter. Jochebed had a plan and she trusted that the Lord would protect her son. Little did Jochebed know her strategic plan and follow through didn’t just save an infant, but it changed a nation for generations to come.
In your parenting journey, take the time to ask God to reveal His plans for your children. Write out the plan God gives you so you can have a clear starting point to pray into their God-given destinies. “If we don’t create a plan for our children, the Enemy will,” shares Victoria. A few years ago, Victoria noticed a change in her daughter’s behavior. She went from being chipper and engaging to cold and distant. She had lost her joy in the things that use to bring her happiness like painting and dancing. Many told her to give her daughter space, but Victoria sought the Lord for what to do. She reread what she had written down about her daughter months earlier: “He created her to make beautiful moments through art.”
Victoria enrolled her daughter in ballet class several days later. Over the next few months, she saw the Lord soften her daughter’s heart and her joy returned. “God’s vision of her creating through art is literally unfolding before my eyes, but it didn’t just happen. It took prayer and action.”
As you develop your war plan for each child in your family, remember to include:
• A foundational verse to stand on.
• A mission statement that consists of what God has spoken about your child.
• Child specific goals that focus on current needs, character development or long-term desires. For example, Victoria’s son was struggling with his homework. She would often find him in tears because he was having a hard time with reading. Her goals she set for him were to instill resilience and joy in the learning process.
• Non-negotiable things that are not allowed, tolerated, or promoted in your home.
VICTORY MINDED
As a mother, your primary responsibility is to love and reflect God’s heart for His children. In Jesus’ relationship with His disciples, He showed His love for them in three ways: being consistent, being a source of comfort, and bringing correction.” As a mother, your parenting style should be the same with your children.
It is also important to be aware of how you are parenting. “If we want to change the way we parent, we must first change how we think,” shares Victoria. “Our thoughts can either be grounded in God’s truth or in the deception of what we believe is true.” For many years, Victoria was plagued with defeated thinking. Although she knew the Word, she felt like she was parenting alone. She screamed her way through parenting and apologized for angry outbursts until she began replacing defeated thoughts with the truth of God’s Word. For example, “I am a mother in need of God’s grace daily” vs. “I’m a bad mother.” Or “In my areas of weakness, God is strong” vs. “I am not enough.”
Other parenting tips Victoria offers include don’t scream at your children, don’t talk down to them, be intentional, love them beyond their flaws, and ask their forgiveness when needed.
ABOUT VICTORIA
As a preacher's granddaughter, Victoria grew up surrounded by Christian ideas. However, she spent many years confused about who God was and what it meant for her. At the age of 19, she accepted Christ and was baptized. Since then, she has served as an assistant youth minister, middle school coordinator, and MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) assistant coordinator. Together with her husband, Joe, they launched a new church plant called Enlighten Church in Stafford, Virginia.
Currently, she is the Co-Pastor and Worship Leader within their church. She is also a Professor of Social and Developmental Psychology at Toccoa Falls College, Crown College, and Oral Roberts University. She also speaks at local mom's groups and ministers to churches in the DC area through worship. “My true passion is that every person I encounter experiences the love of Christ. I believe that God's desire is that every person become one who can walk in true victory,” shares Victoria. “He has delivered me from depression, suicidal thoughts, fear, and so much more.”
To find out more about Victoria Riollano's ministry, please visit: www.victoryspeaks.org and to purchase Victoria Riollano's book, click here: "Mother Warrior."
