Thank God for God loving mothers and grandmothers

2 Timothy 1:3  (NIV)

I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. ⁴ Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

I remember as a small child my grandmother profit that was full of faith in God and was faithful to read the scriptures and teach them to us. She always had a house full of grandchildren around her.

I remember on a regular basis she would open her Holy Bible and read to us young children from the Holy Scriptures.

I was born during the latter part of the great depression and nine months before the beginning of Americas entering into World War II. I lived the first nine years of my life with my grandparents.

 It was very hard times for them economically because they had very little money and often had several grandchildren sitting at their table to feed house and clothe. My grandmother suffered much in those days she did not have the comforts of life that we are accustomed to in today’s world. But yet she gave herself in sacrificial love without ever a complaint caring for her family as best she could under the hard circumstances that had befallen her life.

My grandfather at times wasn’t much comfort to her he wasn’t an evil man but often he would go to town drink and get drunk and return home a very violent and abusive man. 

My grandmother would have us children to help her watch for his coming down the dirt road that led to the house. And when he was spotted she would call all of us children to her and run us out through the fruit orchard past the barn and down into the corn field where she would drop to her knees tears filling her eyes and begin to pray for the safety of all of us.

Many times we would hide out in that corn field for hours before grandpa would finally pass out from the liquor that he had consumed. And we could return to the house. Like I said grandpa wasn’t a wicked man most of the time he was a good man taking care of his family but liquor could turn him into a very violent and mean person.

When he returned home under the influence of alcohol grandma feared for her life and ours so she would take us away from him and teach us all to pray for him. About three or four years before his death my grandpa repented of his sins and gave his heart to Jesus and was saved. I believe it was due to the goodness of my grandma and her years of prayer and tears shed for him. That kept the grace and mercy of God covering his life until he finally surrendered to the will of God and was saved.

My mother came and took me from the home of my grandparents when I was 10 years old. And for the next few years I lived without grandma’s influence over my life. As I grew into my teenage years I forgot my grandmothers reading the scriptures and teaching me about God. I wandered into a life of sin saying and doing many things that I am ashamed to talk about now. And I only discuss them if the Holy Spirit moves me with the feeling that my testimony concerning these things will help another person to break free from sin and be saved.

To make a long story short I will stop at this point because for me to tell of all of my experiences with grandpa and grandma would cover many pages and perhaps even a book or two.

I credit the life of my godly grandmother’s faith and prayers and tears for bringing me to a life of faith in God and His word. In my early twenties I turned from sin to live by the Holy Bible in the power of the Holy Spirit my life in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am now 72 years of age and have not yet regretted one day of my life since making that decision.

Thank God for God loving mothers and grandmothers of faith who faithfully read and teach the Holy Scriptures to their children and grandchildren and by their tears and prayers they call down the mercy and grace of God in bringing them to the salvation of God in The Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:21-26 (NIV)

 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;  but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,  so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.