From Goddesses to Greeting Cards: The Hidden History of Mother’s Day

 

By Zak L. Grace | AuthenticallyZ

Let’s talk about Mother’s Day. On the surface, it feels like a sweet, harmless day to honor the women who raised us—but when you peel back the layers, there’s more to the story. This post isn’t to shame anyone or make you feel guilty. It’s to uncover the truth and give you the knowledge to decide for yourself what aligns with your spirit and what doesn’t.

Let’s Take It Back: The Ancient Roots of Mother’s Day

Before the Hallmark cards and Sunday brunches, cultures around the world were already honoring “motherhood”—but not in the way we think. These celebrations were deeply spiritual and tied to goddess worship, fertility rituals, and seasonal festivals.

2000 BCE – Sumer (Ancient Mesopotamia)

• Deity: Ninhursag (also called Ki or Ninmah) – the “Mother of All Living”
  
  

• Seen as the goddess who birthed humanity. Early texts like the Enki and Ninhursag myth place her as one of the most powerful deities in Sumerian creation stories.
  
  

• Reference: Sumerian Mythology by Samuel Noah Kramer
  
  

1500 BCE – Egypt

• Deity: Isis – revered as the mother of Horus, a symbol of divine motherhood and resurrection.
  
  

• Isis became one of the most worshipped figures throughout the Greco-Roman world.
  
  

1200 BCE – Canaanite Culture

• Deity: Asherah – often referred to as the “Queen of Heaven.”
  
  

• Yah repeatedly warned Israel about worshiping Asherah poles and groves.
  
  

• They provoked Him to anger with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their graven images.– Psalm 78:58

700 BCE – Greece

• Deity: Rhea, mother of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades
  
  

• Honored with spring festivals celebrating her as the “mother of the gods.”
  
  

200 BCE – Rome

• Deity: Cybele – also known as Magna Mater, “Great Mother.”
  
  

• Worship involved processions, music, wild dancing, and sometimes self-harm by priests to show devotion.
  
  

• Festival: Hilaria, celebrated around March 25 (spring equinox)
  
  

• Learn not the way of the heathen…– Jeremiah 10:2

Medieval Europe (1600s) – England

• Transitioned into “Mothering Sunday,” a day to return to your “mother church.” Later, it became a day to honor actual mothers.
  
  

Early 1900s – United States

• Anna Jarvis, whose mother was a peace activist, led the movement to make Mother’s Day a national holiday in 1914.
  
  

• Ironically, Jarvis later fought to stop it because of how commercialized it became.
  
  

So What’s the big deal? It’s not about mothers being honored—it’s about where the tradition came from and what spirit is behind it.

Yah (God) is clear that we are to be set apart.

• Take heed to yourself, that you be not snared by following them… and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.– Deuteronomy 12:30

• Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”– Exodus 20:3

• I am YHWH: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”– Isaiah 42:8

When we participate in rituals—even unknowingly—that were designed to honor other deities, we risk inviting in spiritual confusion. This doesn’t mean you can’t love your mom or be honored as one. But we need to ask:

• Where did this tradition come from?
  
  

• Who started it—and why?
  
  

• What spirit am I coming into agreement with when I participate?
  
  
  

Books You Can Study to Go Deeper

1. "The Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop – breaks down how many modern traditions are rooted in ancient paganism. This book here!!!!
   
   

2. "Pagan Christianity?" by Frank Viola & George Barna – challenges traditions that have crept into churches.
   
   

3. "Sumerian Mythology" by Samuel Noah Kramer – foundational study of the earliest goddess systems.
   
   

4. The Bible (KJV) – read with spiritual discernment and an open mind; it's all there if you look closely.
   
   
   

This isn’t about being “deep” for the sake of it—it’s about returning to the truth. If we say we serve Yah, we can’t keep mixing what’s holy with what’s common.

 

We can still love our mothers. We can still show honor and gratitude. But let’s do it every day, not just on a date stamped by man, rooted in goddess worship. Let’s create our own days to uplift one another, led by the Ruach (Holy Spirit) and not tradition.

• And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.– John 8:32

Come with me to New Orleans- Nola Vlog

Growing up in NOLA shaped me in ways I didn’t fully understand until I left. From the neighborhoods I ran through as a kid to the family traditions that still ground me, my journey has been one of growth, change, and realization. There’s a rhythm to life in New Orleans that never really leaves you. The warmth, the resilience, the way people show up for one another—it’s in my DNA. But it wasn’t always easy. I grew up watching strength in action. I witnessed how creativity and faith could stretch limited resources into something meaningful.

 

Of course, no trip to New Orleans is complete without diving into the food. Every bite carried a memory—of childhood, of laughter, of moments that mattered. From red beans to beignets, every meal felt like a small reunion with a part of myself I forgot I missed. But more than the food, it was the conversations shared over those plates that reminded me how deeply rooted I still am in family and culture.

 

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that growth doesn’t have to look like major milestones all the time. Sometimes it’s just being present in a space that once overwhelmed you—and realizing you’re standing in it with more clarity, more confidence, more peace.

 

This trip back home helped me see that even though I’m not exactly where I want to be, I am so far from where I started. And that is worth celebrating. If you're in a season of growth—or even just trying to hold it together—take a moment to reflect on how far you’ve already come. You don’t need a big breakthrough to be proud of your progress.

 

Maybe your “walk down memory lane” looks different. Maybe it’s a conversation, a journal entry, or a quiet moment alone. Wherever you are, honor your journey.

Watch the Vlog below:

 

 

Then drop a comment in the YouTube video and let me know: What’s something in your life that reminds you how far you’ve come?

The Biblical New Year: A Fresh Start in The Most High Time

 

 

Peace, blessings, and love to you all. On March 14, 2025, we welcomed the Biblical New Year—not according to the Gregorian calendar, but in alignment with God's divine order. Unlike the world’s celebrations in January, the true new year begins in the first month of Abib (Nisan), when new life springs forth, and creation aligns with The Most High's timing (Exodus 12:2, Deuteronomy 16:1).

 

Why Does the Biblical New Year Matter?

 

I see a lot of people teaching the Bible, but when they speak, I can usually tell if they've actually read it for themselves. When you truly read the Word—whether it's the Old or New Testament—you’ll notice how often the Most High uses words like "forever," "throughout your generations," or "perpetual." Those aren’t just poetic phrases—they’re instructions that reveal what He actually expects, which is often very different from what many of us were taught in church.

 

Understanding this shifts everything. The renewal of the year isn’t just another date—it’s a spiritual reset. A divine opportunity to realign with the Most High’s will, cleanse our hearts, and prepare ourselves for His appointed times (moedim). It marks the beginning of His holy cycle, drawing us into the set-apart feasts He commanded us to keep.

 

Breaking free from tradition and stepping into truth is both exciting and liberating. It’s beautiful to realize that the Most High loves us so deeply, He gave us appointed times to celebrate, dance, reflect, and remember the promises He made to our forefathers. These aren’t just feast—they’re reminders of who we are and who He is.

 

Upcoming Feasts to Prepare For:

 

• Passover | March 28, 2025-April 3, 2025
  Passover reminds us of The Most Highs deliverance and redemption—both from Egypt and through Yahusha, the ultimate Passover Lamb (Exod. 12, 1 Corin. 5:7).

• Feast of Unleavened Bread | March 29, 2025-April 3, 2025
  For seven days, we remove leaven (sin) from our homes and lives, symbolizing our commitment to walk in obedience and righteousness (Exod. 12:15-20, 1 Corin. 5:8).

• Pentecost (Day of First Fruit)| May 17, 2025
  This feast celebrates the early harvest and Gods provision, pointing prophetically to Yahusha’s resurrection as the first fruits of those raised from the dead (Exod. 34:22, Deut. 16:9-11, Lev. 23:9-14, 1 Corinthians 15:20).

 

If all of this is new to you, my prayer in this season is that the Most High increases your wisdom and understanding of the Word He gave us centuries ago.

 

Throughout the year, I’ll be sharing and breaking down what I’ve learned from Scripture over the past two years—so you can grow, learn, and walk this path with clarity and confidence.

 

As we step into this new year, let’s do it with intention and obedience. It’s a time to purify our hearts, prepare for the feasts, and seek the Most High more deeply. Let’s move forward in faith, honoring His appointed times with joy, purpose, and reverence.

 

Shalom & Happy Biblical New Year! ✨