This past weekend, my mamaw turned 83 years old.
What a woman of wisdom. What a Proverbs 31 woman.
I wanted to write a post to honor her for her birthday and share just some of what she has taught me over the years. My mamaw has been a spiritual mentor in my life for as long as I can remember. I praise God for how He has used her in my life time and time again to encourage me. I had many, many conversations with her before I was saved where she shared the Gospel with me. When I was saved, she was the first person I wanted to hug after my parents. (I was actually saved on Grandparents' Day, fun fact). I grew up seeing her in church worship with complete freedom and joy, as if no one was there but her and the Lord. I grew up hearing her sing this one song that's chorus said, "When He sees me, He sees the Blood of the Lamb. He sees me as worthy and not as I am. He clothed me in garments as white as the snow. For the Lamb of God is worthy, and He's washed me: this I know." And pretty much every time she got to the second verse, she wouldn't even be able to finish its last line, "And on the mercy seat, He placed it, salvation for us all" because at this point she'd either be crying or shouting or both.
Ultimately, my mamaw has always identified herself with Him. Her defining characteristic has always been her love for Jesus. I truly cannot remember a time in my life where I've had a long conversation with her where she didn't spend the majority (if not all) of it talking about Him. It's just who she is.
There is one time in particular though where she told me something we all need to hear and really understand.
When I have the time, I try to listen to Sadie Robertson Huff's podcast, and if you listen to it too, you know the question of the podcast is: “What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?”
I have wondered if I were to ever be on this podcast, what my answer to that question would be, and I know it without a doubt.
A couple years or so ago, I asked my mamaw that, of all the things she had learned throughout her life, what would be the #1 best, most important piece of advice she could give me. I wasn't sure what she would say as she has learned so many things throughout her life and is filled with such wisdom. I guess I expected her to say something that I had never heard before, but I got something much better and much more valuable.
She looked at me without any doubt or hesitation and said with confidence, “Put all of your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and everything will work out for the best.” So simple. But so profound.
She actually told me something I had heard all my life, and I see why. There's no better advice out there.
Since then, I’ve found myself going back to her answer throughout different seasons of my life. It always applies. Whether you're struggling and going through a hard time or things in life are going really well, that advice remains true.
This idea isn't a new one. It's actually talked about in the Bible, so we KNOW it is true. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
My mamaw didn't come up with advice herself: she got her advice from God's Word.
She knew that nothing she could ever say on her own would ever be of more help and more encouragement than something she had learned from God's Word.
Something that has been really powerful to me is to see her live that advice out even in tragedy the last 16 months. She married my papaw at the young age of 17, and she lost him at 81. She lost him to a terrible virus. She lost him suddenly. It was absolutely not something that she expected or was prepared for. It truly came out of nowhere. But it's because of that advice she gave me, she is able to press on in faith. She still continues to believe. She still continues to trust. She still continues to love the Lord her God with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength. She knows that even in her suffering, He’s good. She knows that even in her pain, He’s sovereign. She knows that He knows what’s best even if she can’t understand.
May we all do this. When we face tragedies and trials, may we choose to believe in the goodness of God and that He is using even this to work together for our good.
My mamaw is someone I will always look up to and be inspired by. Her life really has only one goal: to know God and see Him others come to know Him. It's really admirable and beautiful. I hope she had a great birthday this weekend and that her 83rd year is full of joy and peace.
"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30 KJV.
Photo by Serenity Shots by S
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