All of my life, I've constantly been told how important my relationship with my Mom is. Of course, you should always put God first, but growing up I felt like my Mom was always a close second and at times could even replace God and his indescribable grace. But what can I say? I was young and still learning about God and his incredible power and grace. At the time, all I knew about God was that he saved Noah in the ark, he feed thousands of people with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, and that he loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten son to die for my sins. And when your 6 or 7 or even 10, that sounds pretty cool. So I knew God was cool, but my Mom was my everything. She could cook up the best dinners out of almost nothing, she could make the pain from any boo boo go away instantly, and she knew the answer to some of my most difficult math problems, like what's 2 x 2. So for awhile, I'll admit that I put my Mom above God.

So when she left, I felt broken and lost. I thought I had lost everything and that there was no way I could complete my senior year without her. At the time, I thought my Mom was the only reason why I had made it so far in life. I was always afraid of disappointing her, so I did everything I could to make sure she would always be proud of me. I joined the clubs, I made the grades, I worked hard, I did it all. So when she left, I was crushed. How is an 18-year-old supposed to make it through life without her Mom? How do you get the prom dress, and the prom hair, and the graduation party without your mother? Luckily, even though at the time I had forgotten about, he hadn't forgotten about me.

So by the time I graduated high school, I may have lost one Mom but I had gained a whole army of other ones. Through this difficult time in my life, God sent so many incredible women into my life to guide me, counsel me, and most importantly pray for me. He sent me so many that I can't even name them all.

I found a mother figure in the doctors that helped me get back on my feet and remind me of how good it feels to smile. I found a mother figure in my favorite teacher, who constantly pushed me to work harder and be better no matter how stubborn I was. I found a mother figure in some incredible family friends, who helped me finish high school and make it to college with everything I needed and more.

For the past year, even though my relationship with my Mom hasn't been so great, my relationships with my heavenly father, my father here on Earth (the Daddyo), and so many others have never been better. If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that life has a tendency to knock you down and make you feel like you're not strong enough to get back up. But in those times, look around you and see how many people are rooting for you and will do anything to help you get back on your feet.

So whether your parents are divorced, your mother has passed, you're an orphan, or whatever it may be, just know that there are so many people in your life that can be like a mother to you. It could be the nice lady in the grocery store, who helps you learn how to pick the best fruit. It could be that one teacher that sees so much in you, and won't let you give up until you've reached your potential. It could be your pastor, who prays for you more than you can imagine. It could be a family friend, your next-door neighbor, anyone really.

Being a mother doesn't mean you buy all the gifts and attend all the ceremonies, it means you're there for your child in their brightest moments and their darkest times. So to the people who've helped me get to where I am today, whether you're a pastor, a teacher, a doctor, family friend, neighbor, or just a kind stranger from the grocery store, you're all family to me, and I thank God for you each and every day.