Mom's Anniversary

June 24th.

Eleven years ago today my mom joyfully left this world behind and went home to be with her Beloved Savior.

She left behind the cancer, the chemo, the migraines, the disappointments.

Barely able to breathe because of the cancer cells that consumed her lungs, my mom left this life singing to the Lord in eager anticipation of being with Him, her truest Love.

Above all else, my mom hated her sin and could not wait to be parted from her 'body of flesh.'


You might think, "Well, yeah, I would want to leave all of that behind for glory too..."

My mom also had to leave behind a 11 yr.-old, 13 yr.-old, 15 yr.-old, and 17 yr.-old who had to watch their mother slowly deteriorate for years before her body could take no more.

I don't know all of the thoughts that went through mom's mind during those years, but her words were always ones of faith, grace, and trust in a Sovereign God who was working all things for her good. And boy, did she pray for the Lord to have mercy on her children!

The thing is, mom loved God more than she loved her children. Her love was founded on the solid Rock of Scripture--there was no shaking her trust in her heavenly Father.

That's the way it ought to be. We know what we're supposed to answer if someone asks us what we love most--"Jesus, of course!" But do I? Is it a reality in my life?

If I lose family and friends and spouse and housing and job, does it affect my love for the Lord? Is my love for Christ at all dependent on what He gives me, how my life is going, etc.?

I tend to think that things God has given me, or brought into my life, are "mine!" But all things belong to the Lord.

May we all be able to say when we lose parent, spouse, child, sibling, job, friend, house, car, respect, money, retirement, comfort, freedom, health, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord!"

Oh the world needs to see the stark difference between those who know the Lord and those who have no hope in life. The world needs to see Christians who, in the midst of trials and sufferings, rejoice in their Savior as supremely satisfying.

John Piper says that this is why theology is so important. He says, "Wimpy theology makes wimpy Christians."

If most of our understanding of God's love comes from children's Sunday School songs...we're probably going to doubt that reality of that love when suffering comes our way (and it's not good enough to rely on our fathers or husbands or pastors to 'think through the heavy stuff' for us).

Our Lord has given us so much--we cannot forget that much is required.


I know that my mom (I don't know what I'll call her in heaven) is rejoicing with the Lord and will greet me one day as a sister. I cannot wait to thank her for showing the world that 'the sufferings of this world meant nothing to her'--her hope and joy and peace were in Christ alone.