Grace and beauty can fool you, but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised. Give her the reward she deserves. Praise her in public for what she has done. [Proverbs 31: 30-31 (ERV)]

Lord, we offer thanks today, not just for our mothers, but for all the women who have been positive influences in our lives: grandmothers and mothers-in-law; daughters and daughters-in-law; sisters, cousins, aunts and nieces; teachers, doctors and nurses; business associates and mentors; friends and neighbors. Thank you for these women who loved us when we were unlovable, believed in us even when we didn’t believe in ourselves, gave us confidence when we doubted, encouraged us to learn and grow, respected us enough to let us walk our own paths, showed us how to conduct ourselves by their example, kept us accountable for our behavior, and never gave up praying for us and our happiness. Thank you.