1 Thess 2:7-8
"But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us."
Ministry as motherhood: tenderness (epioi), affection (homeiromai), giving of one’s own life. The Gospel is communicated by people who give themselves — not just a message, but life.