Mother's Day Tribute!

"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."  2 Peter 3:9 (NASB)

The picture you see above is a picture of my mother and I on Mother's Day, 1965, when I was 2 years old.  I was born on Mother's Day, 50 years ago, wow can't believe I just typed that number, I am about to be 50 and happy, happy, happy! 

My life is a miracle from God!  I was born into a very lost family, I am the first Christian in my family and the joy of my life is to know that God used my life to lead my own dear mother to Jesus....as the years go by there is no greater Joy than to know that my mother is in heaven this Mother's Day!  If you have loved ones that still need to be saved, be encouraged, my mother did not come to know the Lord quickly or easily for this daughter. 

At first, when I ran to Jesus and gave Him my life, my mother thought that I had been brained washed.  I remember her asking me time and time again, "why are you going down to the church all the time, are you in some kind of cult"?  Witnessing to family members can be some of the most difficult people to share Jesus with, but never give up, God is always at work!  After more than 10 years of praying for my mother to come to know Jesus as her Lord, many days that were discouraging because of the rejection that often goes hand in hand with "being patient & waiting on the Lord", it happened like this:  It was a Sunday morning at our church in Plano, Texas and my mother came to church, may I say, without me even inviting her to come to church that Sunday :-) !  It was like we turned around and she was there and the next thing I know she was asking me to lead her to the Lord, GLORY & PRAISE TO GOD!!

Then she became an inspiration as she jumped into her relationship with the Lord with total surrender as I became her mentor and had the JOY of discipling my own mother....as I look around my study right now I can see the many many Bible Studies and even my mother's Bible that I had the PRIVILEGE of sharing with my mother as she grew and grew as a Christian!!  Here is a picture of my mother at one of her first women's ministry ladies retreats that I had the privilege of leading, my mother is the one full of the joy of Jesus in the middle of this picture :-)  

As my mother grew in the Lord there were dear sisters in Christ that He used to love her unconditionally, She was so excited about her relationship with the Lord that she was involved in every area of church, so much so that I was able to say back to her with a smile "why are you down at that church all the time, are you in some kind of cult, ha!!"  Barbara was one of my moms first Christian friends and she is pictured in this picture on the right and she blessed my mother's life in Christ in so many ways!  And then there was my mothers first pastor's wife, Judy Fenton.  Judy inspired and loved my mother unconditionally, here is a picture that includes Judy, she is on the left full of beauty inside and out!

My mother had her first church directory picture taken and I can not tell you how excited she was, just look at the joy of Jesus and His beauty in her face!

My mother had some difficult days in the last years of her life but because of prayer and the encouragement of many, she finished well and she is now in heaven with Jesus!  I will forever be thankful for the witness and encouragement of Jaye Martin during the last few months of my mothers life as she strived to finish strong for Jesus!  This picture was taken by Jaye at our son's wedding, just over 3 months before my mother went to be with the Lord! 

but it doesn't end with my mother going to be with the Lord, she went to be with the Lord as a soul-winner because as I had the privilege of sharing my mother's testimony at her memorial service, her 66 year old little brother, my Uncle Larry that you see in this picture with my mom GAVE HIS LIFE TO JESUS at my mother's memorial service!! 

This was one of the desires of my mother's heart, that her little brother would come to know Jesus as his Lord, God Answered my mother's Prayer!! 

Thank you, Jaye, for your prayers, for loving my mother unconditionally, and for never giving up!!

Who are you praying for today, dear friends, that still needs to turn their life over to Jesus?  Please always know that you can share your loved ones names with us as we pray with you because  "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 (NASB)

♥Happy Mother's Day 2013♥

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSVqHcdhXQ  "Blessings"!!! Laura Story