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

 

New Thanksgiving Tree!

John 15:5-8 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."


As we all prepare to gather together with our families this Thanksgiving, I Thank God for A Family Tree that is filling up with Branches of Believers....because God is Faithful!!

I wonder if you can relate to my life in Christ in anyway? You see, when I became a First-Generation Follower of Christ = A Christian, I began my walk with the Lord all by myself. But, God Is Faithful, and it wasn't long before He began to Bless my life with A New Family Tree! A tree that began to fill up with His Branches of Believers! 4 months after I became a Christian, my loving husband became a Christian (and it was the week before Thanksgiving when he gave his life to Christ, this is one of the blessings I thank God for, A Christian Husband that loves Him and loves me!)! It was amazing how God changed every relationship in our lives. As we began to learn how to share Jesus with others as His Witness, our family tree began to grow in so many ways! Did it happen quickly and overnight, NO it did not for us, as we also learned how to "wait upon the Lord & pray without ceasing"! But because of God's Faithfulness, He still keeps enlarging our new family tree! Our children have all become Christians and love God and we look forward to the next generation of believers that God Promises to reach as we strive to live for Him and share Him until Jesus returns or we go to live with Him in heaven forever!!

Below is a short picture of one of God's youngest witnesses, Josiah!!! He is one of my favorite role models in the Bible and I pray that his life will encourage you that God will grow His Family Tree through YOU, no matter what age you are and no matter what kind of family tree you were born into...God's Word says it best in Jeremiah 29:11-13; "For I know the plans I have for you,' "declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."!!


Some of Josiah’s Family Tree

 Great-Great-Great Grandpa – King David 1 Kings 11:4, 1 Kings 14:8, Acts 13:22 (“…I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.”

 Great-Great-Grandpa – King Ahaz “DID NOT do what was right in the eyes of the Lord” 2 Kings 16:2

 Great-Grandpa - King Hezekiah: “Did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” 2 Kings 18:5-7

 Grandpa - King Manasseh: “Did what was EVIL in the eyes of the Lord” 2 Kings 21:2

 Dad – King Amon: “Did what was EVIL in the eyes of the Lord” 2 Kings 21:20


 King Josiah!: “Did what was RIGHT in the eyes of the Lord” 2 Kings 22:2


Meet Josiah: “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord”
• God called Josiah when he was 8 years old...in Josiah’s day boys were considered men when they were 12 years old
• Josiah obeyed God 8-39 (killed at 39 by Neco, an evil king of Egypt), for 31 years Josiah obeyed God whole-heartedly (2 Chron.34:1)
• Josiah searched after God and had an open heart to God
• Josiah was a difference maker like his great-grandpa Hezekiah!
• Josiah cleaned out the temple of ungodliness and revived the atmosphere to following God’s Ways
• Josiah’s weakness and mistake that led to his death was to get involved in a battle that he had been warned against getting involved in (let God fight your battles!)
• Josiah made a difference for God because “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord”!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_MyC6kJzPg&feature=related (Unfailing Love - Chris Tomlin)

Found

Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,“I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” Romans 10:20-21, ESV

I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here am I, here am I,” to a nation that was not called by my name. I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places. Isaiah 65:1-4a, ESV

 

I am reminded again this morning through Romans 10:20-21 (which comes from Isaiah 65), God shows Himself even to those who do not seek Him. All I can say is, "Glo-REH!!!" Amen! Lost is hard to watch. When we see our loved ones so desperate for attention, it is very hard to watch. When they have rejected the truth and love from God, our hearts cry for them. These verses remind me that God is still at work. We pray for people to seek Him but even when they don't, God is reaching out to love them, forgive them, and give them HOPE!

Let's never give up praying for those we love who need Jesus!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13, ESV