Mother’s Day is a day that can produce a myriad of emotions.  Let’s start with a little Mother’s Day humor:

1. “They say women speak 20,000 words a day. I have a daughter who gets that done by breakfast.”
2. “A toddler can do more in one unsupervised minute than most people can do in a day.”
3. I asked a police recruit during an exam, “What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother?” He said, “Call for backup.”
4. I hate when I’m waiting for mom to cook dinner, and then I remember I am the mom, and I have to cook dinner.
5. Whoever wrote the song “Easy Like Sunday Morning” did not have kids.
6. When your mom’s voice is so loud, even your neighbors brush their teeth and get dressed.

I love a good laugh, but Mother’s Day can produce far more than laughter. Mother’s Day can produce laughter, love, sorrow, anger, resentment, and emotions I have not even mentioned.  Let’s talk about it.

First and foremost, there is the thanksgiving for our mothers. My mom had such a hard life, but she put up with a lot of stuff so her eight kids would have a roof over their heads. From her I learned what sacrificial love is. Though I did not understand it at the time, I totally get it now. She taught me so many things. After all she taught me to use a big-girl pottie, and that is an invaluable tool in my life. She has been gone for almost four decades, and how I wish I could hold her hand and kiss her sweet face.

There is the joy of being a mother. I feel so blessed to be the mother of Michael, Bryan, and Stephen. I was about as imperfect a mother as could be found when my boys were young. I was still in the healing process of my own life. I wish I had known then what I know now about being a healed, whole person. It is worth it to you, and your family, to get as whole as possible, so you can enjoy the journey. Also, I was such a perfectionist, wanting everything perfectly clean. Moms, you do not have to let it be a pigsty, but do not worry about every little thing, and instead have fun with your children.

For some, Mother’s Day is as painful as it is joyful. Perhaps the relationship with their mother was never good, even abusive. For some, this is the first year without Mother. Others are dealing with barrenness, longing to have a child of their own to hold in their arms. Some have the pain of miscarriage. I know that pain all too well and can still remember how that felt. I am personally praying with young women who long to have a child. How I wish I could take away their sorrow!

Others are caring for an elderly mother, and doing it with great love. Yet, sorrow and exhaustion have become a way of life in many cases.

Some mothers are faced with children that have distanced from them. Maybe the relationship with one or more of their children is strained, or perhaps there is no relationship at all.   Others have watched as their children have become victims of addiction.  I personally know several mothers who have broken hearts as a result of children who are incarcerated. 

Some mothers, like me, have mixed emotions. I have so much joy with my sons, their wives, and those precious grandchildren. Yet, at times I still feel warm tears flow down my face wishing my son Bryan could call. I know he is in heaven and I will see him again, but I wish I could see him now. I recently had a conversation with a woman, who had lost a son. I did not know her, but we both stood and cried talking about our sons. We rejoiced over what we do have but miss our sons very much.

In scripture, Hannah is always the mother to whom I am drawn. Her story is recorded in 1 Samuel chapter 1. Hannah is an example of a woman of faith. She endures years of silent suffering because of her barrenness and the cruel harassment at the hand of her rival Peninnah. She goes to the place of worship, even though she is in pain herself. She faithfully worships, pouring out her tears and petitions. Hannah promised God that if He would give her a son, she would give him back to the service of God. God answers her prayers, she not only keeps her promise, but she also explodes with praise.

As a woman, Hannah knew sorrow for many years, strife in her home, barrenness, and pain. She never gave up on God. She poured her heart out year and year, and God miraculously turned her situation around, BUT only after years of getting up every day to the same set of circumstances. Hannah was a woman of faith, and it was a faith that gave her the strength to face the joys and sorrows of life.

As a woman, wherever you find yourself this Mother’s Day, do not give up on God. I can promise you, God will NEVER give up on you! He hears the cries of your heart. He sees every tear that falls. He knows the depth of pain you feel. Be a woman of faith, for faith will see you through. He understands your sorrow and your pain, and He will meet you right where you are.

“In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.” – Psalm 138:3

“That’s too loud!”  This was exclaimed by Joseph Benton while visiting our home recently.  Joseph is our nine-year-old grandson, who is on the autism spectrum.   Children on the spectrum can have some of their senses heightened, which makes normal things to the average person painful for them.  

Papa Gaylon dropped something that made a loud noise, and Joseph looked at me.  I quickly said to him, “Goodness!  That was loud!”   Joseph repeated, “Goodness, that was loud!”   A few times during the remainder of his visit, Joseph would look at me and say, “Goodness is loud!”  While playing with toys, he would look up at me and say, “Is goodness loud?” 

That is a good question Joseph, “Is goodness loud?”

Joseph’s question caused me to ponder about just how loud goodness is.   There is no goodness louder than the goodness of God.  As a matter of fact, Christians will often say, “God is good all the time, all the time God is good!”

Is it really true that God is good all the time?  Absolutely!  However, there are times that we can lose focus of God’s goodness for many reasons, including when we are in pain, when we are in conflict, when we are depressed, when life is stressful.  It is difficult to focus on the goodness of God when things around us make His goodness seem quiet instead of loud.

One of my favorite ways of taking a picture, is to zero in on the main thing, and let there be a faded background of everything surrounding the main thing.   Are there other things in the picture?  Yes, but they are not the focus.  That is exactly how we stay focused on the goodness of God – intentionally focusing on how loud His goodness really is.

It would be easy for me to let the camera lens of my life focus on having a bad childhood growing up with a very abusive father.  It would be easy for me to focus on the loss of a son.  It would be easy for me to focus on all the ministry cancellations because of COVID 19.  My camera lens often wants to go there.    Then, I take the lens of my life and focus on the goodness of God, and His goodness is loud!

Yes, I was abused many times as a child, but because of the goodness of God, I raised three children who were loved deeply, and now have their own families who live in a loving atmosphere – only because of how loud the goodness of God is!   Yes, I lost a son, but then I look at two sons and eight wonderful grandchildren, and the goodness of God is so loud!  Yes, I had cancellations of ministry and loss of income, but because of the goodness of God, I now teach online, which I love!  I love to teach whole books of the Bible, and through online ministry, I am able to do that.  God’s goodness is so loud!   Yes, I lost income because I could no longer travel, but I have been blown away at the resources God has sent to supply every need.  It has been more than enough.  God’s goodness is loud! 

“Joseph, is goodness loud?  Yes, my dear grandson, goodness is very loud!”

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” – Psalm 27:13

It was time to declutter, so I did that just recently.   Usually, I keep things neat and orderly, but in the busyness or life and the “don’t want to do it now” of life, there were things that needed to be discarded, used, or put away.  

In this process of this cleaning, I found multiple candles that had been given to me, and all were in jars.   Some were in my possession for months, possibly even a couple of years.  I asked myself this question, “Why don’t you ever light these and enjoy the flame and the aroma?  Why do you leave them inside of a glass just to be looked out?  Let the light out, let the fragrance out.”   I decided that one by one I would burn the candles, and I have been doing that. 

My husband said to me last night, “I kind of like having that candle burning.  It sets a good atmosphere and gives off a good aroma.”   Yep, my husband/boyfriend of fifty years noticed the light, the aroma, and a change in atmosphere.

We live in a cluttered time in life.   Social media overload. Cancel culture.  Political division.   Racial division.   Family division.  Our minds are constantly bombarded with the latest story that causes division.   It is really easy to get away from the main thing, isn’t it?   Perhaps it is time to bring out the candles and light them.  It’s time for light.

Matthew 5:14-16. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

The dictionary defines light as something that makes vision possible.  It’s definitely time to light the candles of our lives in the midst of all the clutter.  I could pontificate on this for a while, but I shall simply state as my husband did, “I kind of like having that candle burning.  It sets a good atmosphere and gives off a good aroma.”   

The time is now for Christians, true Christ followers, to stop blending in with the clutter.   Let us dust off our souls and let the flame of God’s presence shine brightly.  Let’s change the atmosphere.  God’s people need to pray, and so many of us have been praying.  What would happen is that was paired with the bright light of God’s presence in our lives?   May we declutter our lives today, get into God’s presence, live brightly in a dark culture, and give off the aroma of the wonderful God we serve.  If a room is totally dark, and a candle is lit, the eyes will be drawn to the light.   Light is powerful. 

What does it mean to let your light shine? It is to live in such a way that our lives can bring clarity in dark places.  God’s people should be the most hope-filled people on the earth.  In a hopeless world, shine with hope, be a hope-filled light.  In all truthfulness, none of us can actually be the light. Just as the moon can only reflect the sun’s light to brighten up a dark night, we too can only reflect the light of the Son, Jesus Christ, to this dark world. Live a life that shines brightly, reflecting the Lord Jesus Christ. Light your candle.

“Arise, shine! Let your light shine for all to see.  For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you!” – Isaiah 60:1

God, would you hurry up already!  

Have you ever had that cross your mind?  If you are breathing, you have wondered about the waiting room of God, or the delays of God.   Though we can quote Isaiah 55:8, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD,” living it is quite another thing!

My husband Gaylon was a football player in high school and loves the game.   He attended college hoping to become a math teacher and a football coach.  During his time in college, God began to deal with Gaylon about a call to pastoral ministry.   After prayer and confirmation and after two years of college, he made the decision to switch schools, which required a move from Alabama to Florida.  In Florida, he would attend Southeastern University and begin his studies to become a pastor. 

Southeastern informed Gaylon that he would only be able to transfer one year of his studies. This would add an extra year to get his degree.  Ugh, what wasted time! What wasted money!  He thought, “God, why couldn’t you just send me there to begin with?  That would have saved me money and time.”  

I also attended Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL, and was two years behind Gaylon.   I did not know him the first year I was there, but met him the second year when he was a senior.  Eventually, we began dating, got engaged and married the summer after his graduation.   So, what is the big deal about this story?   Well, the big deal is that if Gaylon had not been required to stay the extra year, we would never have met. 

God could have easily made the path for Gaylon to be at Southeastern from the beginning, and  allow him to graduate in four years.  Instead, it was the longer path which would take five years.   God had a divine appointment set up for Gaylon’s fifth year!  Had he not been there in the fifth year, we would never have met!  God had ordained our marriage and ministry together.  In June of 2021, we will celebrate fifty years of marriage.  I am so thankful for decades of marriage to this man.  I am so thankful for the many years of ministry we have done together.  I am so thankful for three sons and eight grandchildren.  I am so thankful for the delay of God that brought this all about!

All of us who are walking the Christian life have had times when we have been perplexed by the delay, or seeming delay, of our heavenly Father.   God, would You hurry up already!   God is working during the delays of life.  He is not neglecting us, but He is working for us!  Delay does not mean that God has forsaken us.  He hears our prayers, every one of them!  Trust Him with the delays.  Delay is always an opportunity for God to bring forth a bigger and better thing than that for which we asked.

“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” (Jeremiah 29:11). 

Have you ever seen the hashtag #blessed?  It’s all over social media.  I have a great family – #blessed.  I just got the house of my dreams – #blessed.   I have met the man or the woman of my dreams – #blessed.  My spouse just got a huge promotion at work – #blessed.   Those are all wonderful things to have. 

But what happens when you look at your current circumstances and do not feel so blessed?   I know of a family where the husband and wife both lost jobs and income is scare.  I know of a family who just received an autism diagnosis for their child, and they are just beginning the journey of how to pursue his best options.  I know of a wife who got out of an abusive marriage and now can barely make ends meet.   I know of a pastor who lost his life after battling COVID-19 for a while, and now his wife finds herself alone for the for the first time in decades.  I know of a pastor’s wife who is battling breast cancer.

The above list could go on and on and on.  There is much grief, loss, and unfairness in life.  As believers in Jesus Christ, we are not inoculated against life.  Life happens.    If we are not careful, we will associate being blessed with living in comfort, disease-free, plenty in the bank, and a problem-free life.     That is a shallow view of a “blessed” life.  As a matter of fact, in Matthew 5, Jesus spoke of being blessed. 

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2. Blessed are they who mourn,
   for they shall be comforted.
3. Blessed are the meek,
   for they shall inherit the earth.
4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
   for they shall be satisfied.
5. Blessed are the merciful,
   for they shall obtain mercy.
6. Blessed are the pure of heart,
   for they shall see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers,
   for they shall be called children of God.
8. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

These are known as The Beatitudes.   The word blessed in these statements is the word “makarios” which means satisfied and super blessed.  Yet, none of them had anything to do with material things or health issues.   In the period when Jesus was on earth, many believed that having lots of possessions showed that someone was blessed.  They thought the rich and elite were the blessed people. 

Jesus came and brought a whole different meaning to a blessed life.  It is not the elite who are blessed. It is not the rich and powerful who are blessed. It is not the high and mighty who are blessed. It is not the people living in huge mansions or expensive penthouses who are blessed. Rather, Jesus pronounces God’s blessings on the lowly: the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the meek, the mourning. Throughout the history of this word, it had always been the other people who were considered blessed: the rich, the filled up, the powerful. Jesus turns it all upside-down.

Recently I read a great thought on blessings.   It was written by JoHannah Reardon:

“So how could such things lead to happiness? It seems like they lead more to the opposite of happiness. But the Beatitudes tell us one thing clearly. We can never be happy and fulfilled because of what we have.  We may be fooled into thinking we are happy for a while, but eventually it will fold in on us because true happiness can be found only in a relationship with our God Himself. Only the One who made us knows what will truly make us happy and give us satisfaction in life. We must get to the end of ourselves and the beginning of God to gain any lasting contentment in life. And that can happen only through divine revelation and transformation through God’s Word and the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. It’s the “pearl of great value” (Matthew 13:46), worth selling everything to gain it. And ultimately, it’s the secret to true satisfaction.”

Thank God for warm houses, nice cars, healthy families, and money in the bank. That can certainly help make life easier.  But that does not compare with being “blessed” because one has the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives.   My name is Barbara Benton and Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.  #blessed! 

My husband and I served in pastoral ministry for thirty-three years.  There were certainly difficult times, but we regularly reminded ourselves that we were called by God.  Remembering why we were doing what we were doing was key to not throwing in the towel at times.    On more than one occasion I told God, “I quit!”  

It was a Sunday morning, and the building was full.  I was the worship leader and Gaylon was the preacher.  Before the service started, I walked around a very full building, greeting those who had come to worship that day.  As I approached a woman to say good morning to her, she asked if she could speak to me privately.  I only had a minute, but I obliged her request. 

“Lisa” began to tell me what was on her heart.   She said to me, “I need your forgiveness.”  My mind began to race because I did not know there was an issue between us.   “Lisa” continued, “I pay tithes to this church, and when I see the nice clothes you wear, I resent it.  It’s like I am paying for the clothes you wear.  I have a hard time making ends meet and yet you have nice clothes, a nice home, and a good husband.   Forgive me for my attitude, please.” 

I was shaken, and truthfully, I wanted to give her a piece of my mind.  Almost instantly I sensed God speaking to me, “Remember why you are here.  Did you come to worship and bring others into my presence, or did you come to argue with a woman?”

As I walked towards the platform to lead worship that day, every step was difficult.  I was a bit shaken!  I was upset! I had to push through hurt feelings and another believer to take my place as a servant of God.  I thought, “How can I possibly lead this service today?”  I felt tears were about to spill onto my face.  I kept taking steps to fulfill the call of God on my life that day.   As I walked to the front of that church, step by step I walked in divine purpose.

I stepped up to the microphone and began that worship service like all others – with a voice of praise to the One who deserves it.  As I began to worship and the people began to worship, God’s Spirit did a mighty thing in me and in that building on that day.   It was a memorable service that I can still recall many years later.

Many have walked away from God because it got hard, or people hurt them.  On a human level that is so understandable.  However, I say to you what I felt God said to me that Sunday morning, “Remember why you are here.”   Remember the Savior who died to forgive you.  Remember the God who loves you.  Remember the One who has changed your life.  Remember why you are here. 

(Just a little word of advice – if you are thinking bad thoughts about someone and you need to unload it, unload it at the foot of the cross.   Ask God’s forgiveness and invite His healing.   Do not dump it on someone else!  SELAH)

Too often we allow people to steal the freedom God has given us.  On that Sunday morning, I could have let it be about “Lisa” and what she said to me, or I could let it be about God’s purpose for my life.    Dear child of God, you are His.  He saved you on purpose and for purpose.  Don’t let anyone or anything persuade you from that!  Press through to Him! Remember why you started.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” – Colossians 3:17

When I got married in 1971, I was truly one of those who had never boiled water!  I had zero experience cooking.   When it came to the kitchen, I did not know what I was doing! 

My husband and I both came from homes where our mothers were fantastic southern cooks.  I will always remember my mother’s fried apple turnovers, tomato-vegetable soup, and cornbread dressing, all made from scratch.  Gaylon’s mother was one of the best bakers on the planet – caramel cake, pound cake, pecan pie, red velvet cake, multi-layered chocolate cake.  My boys to this day still talk about Grandma Benton’s fried chicken. 

As a wedding gift, I was given a cookbook which was compiled of recipes from the women of First Assembly of God in Ashford, AL.  Many of those women were married to farmers and cooked wonderful food from fresh ingredients.   That cookbook is my most-cherished cookbook, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  As you can see from the picture, it has been used quite a bit in the past forty-nine years.   I have learned when I need help, just go to the book.

Though I am older now, I still find that life presents me with challenges, and I do not know what to do.  I often do not have a clear path in a situation, or sometimes I am simply sorrowful in spirit as I look around.  When I need help in life, I go to another book that I have cherished for more than fifty years – the Holy Bible, God’s Word. 

Like so many others, I have felt the pressure of the year 2020.  It has been a year like I have never experienced – COVID lockdown, ugly politics, riots, watching friends go through great difficulty.  It has been tough!  I have worshiped and I have prayed.  One thing I have found that has helped me most is the Word of God. 

Since I was unable to travel in ministry, I chose to teach several books of the Bible online.   It is amazing how relevant Philippians, Ruth, and 1 and 2 Peter showed themselves to be in this present time.   My soul began to grow as my online “students”, and I fed ourselves with the Word of God.  

My heart goes out to so many who are in such difficult circumstances.  My advice is to open His word, and if you can, do it with friends.  You are certainly welcome to join my online studies, and there are many more online studies from which to choose.  Open God’s Word!  Open it on days when you feel like opening it, and on days you do not feel like opening it.  Read it, read it slowly and dwell on the life-giving words.  Believe the Word and let it soak deep into your soul. 

I am thankful for a well-worn cookbook and a well-worn Bible.  Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” (NIV)

In the year 2020, it is hard to imagine life without a cell phone.  Some of us “senior saints” remember when mobile phones did not exist except in the world of George Jetsen.    When George would call his wife, she would pop up on a screen, and we thought that was cute for the kids to see, but it was never going to be a reality.  Never say never.    The year 2020 has most of us familiar with Facetime, Zoom meetings, and Marco Polo. 

A few days ago, my husband Gaylon lost his cell phone.  He had driven my car to run an errand and as he braked, the phone fell between the seat and the console.  Gaylon spent quite a while looking for it.  I did not know what was transpiring, so I went to the garage to check on him.    To his dismay, and soon to mine, the cell phone was nowhere to be found.  We checked every inch around the seats, under the seats, and in the console.  Gaylon activated his phone finder and it was evident the phone was in the car. I even peeled back skin on my hand looking for that valuable phone.  

Alas, I had an idea!  Let me call your phone and it will light up in the car and you will know where it is.  It worked!  He had never dropped the phone.  It was over the visor exactly where he had put it!   Oh boy!    Nevertheless, our priority was to find the valuable thing that was lost and return it to its owner.

Many of us have feverishly and relentlessly looked for something of value that was lost.  What would happen if we had the same attitude towards lost souls?   If we are going to have the heart of God, we must put true effort into finding the lost.   They are valuable to God, and they must become valuable to us.  How does God feel about lost souls?  Jesus told us exactly how God feels.

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15:4-7.

On many occasions I have been asked to share my testimony.  As a child I was put through all kinds of abuse, lived in abject poverty, and was deeply lost emotionally.   That was tragic. Even more tragic was that I was lost and facing an eternity in hell without God.   I was certainly not popular, did not wear nice clothes, and was not included in many fun things with other kids. BUT GOD was seeking me, looking for the girl that He had created. 

Miss Poulos, as we fondly called her, found me and many others. She picked us up. Took us to church.  Taught us in Sunday school, and led us to Jesus Christ.  Others saw me as just another “snotty-nosed” kid from a dysfunctional home.   Miss Poulos saw me as valuable in God’s sight and put a lot of effort into finding this lost sheep. 

Today, I am still a child of God, serving in full-time ministry, and teaching others about the grace of God.  I have raised three sons.   One of them awaits me in heaven, and the other two have families that are serving God.  Sometimes I tear up thinking of the difference in their lives because of the difference in my life. It was all because Miss Poulos sought that which was lost.

We, too, were once lost in sin before the Lord found us and saved us through the ministry of others – whether through our parents, through a friend, by attending church, or any other means.  Sometimes we see unbelievers as the enemy.  God sees them as valuable.   They are not the enemy but are under the influence of THE enemy. 

The year 2021 will soon be here and we tend to set all kinds of goals.  Why not set a goal to win the lost?   I plan to set a goal to win at least one person per month to Jesus.  Can you set a goal to win six, four, or even two?   I am already praying for God to help me pinpoint those who are lost and help me to bring them to Him.

We must become imitators of God.  Thank God for Bible studies!  I teach them.  Thank God for prayer meetings! I am involved in several.  Thank God for good worship!  I love it.   I want to imitate God by having a heart that seeks the lost.  I want to seek them like Gaylon and I sought a cell phone that seemed valuable.    

I love the way Pastor Greg Laurie expressed his thoughts:

Jesus said, “You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest” (John 4:35 NLT).

Do not just think of the world. Think of your world. Lift up your eyes in your family. There are people ready to come to Jesus. Lift up your eyes in your neighborhood. There are people ready to come to Jesus. Lift up your eyes in your community. There are people ready to come to Jesus.

COVID-19, COVID-19, COVID-19!  Are you tired of the acronym for Corona Virus Disease 2019?   Even my grandson, who was three at the time,  told me we could not go to the park because there was “crona birus.”  

Because of this strange period of time we are in, I have seen little of my grandchildren who live in North Carolina and Louisiana. More than ten months passed without seeing their sweet faces.  Gaylon and I made a decision that it was time to see those precious children, so this past weekend, we drove to Hickory, North Carolina, to see Mr. Tucker Bryan Benton.   Tucker stayed in the hotel with us, and let’s just say he kept things hopping!  He is an energizer bunny  and Dennis the Menace rolled into one!  He is so much fun.  

On Saturday night as we went to bed, Gaylon and I  were both exhausted.   Papa and Grammy are not spring chickens anymore!   Tucker was already asleep, and around 11:45, Gaylon and I retired for the evening.   About 6:00 in the morning, I heard something.  In the quietness of the dark room, I listened carefully and heard it again and again.  Then, I heard a slightly different sound, followed by voices.  In my muddled state of mind, I wondered what was happening.

Then, it dawned on me that someone was trying to get into our room!  I whispered to my husband Gaylon, “Someone is at our door.”  He responded in his own muddled state, “What do you want me to do?”  What do I want him to do?!  Isn’t he the mighty warrior?   (He declares that he meant what did I think was the best plan of action.) 

I got out of my bed and walked to the door.  Through the crack of the door I said, “Go away.  You have the wrong room!”  I wasn’t too sweet about it.   I know you readers would have been so polite, but I was authoritative.   The person on the other side of the door had been slipping their key card in and out, and turning the handle, then talking aloud about how it didn’t work.  After I stood in authority, the ones on the other side of the door left!

How often does the enemy disrupt our peace in life?  He comes to our dwelling, and wants to move in.  James was very clear how to handle this.  “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7.     

First of all, let me go on record as saying there is a real devil…BUT, there is also a real God!   As believers who have been born again and empowered by the Spirit of God, we have authority over the devil and his imps.  Too often, we open the door and say come on in!  We have seen the devil increase his presence in America, and he’s not even subtle with it anymore.  It is time to submit to God, and to resist the devil!   Submitting to God must happen first or we have no authority.

Resisting the devil is not just about doing all night prayer meetings and hanging crosses throughout the home.  It is to submit to God, walk away from temptation, and stop living as the world lives. The power of darkness itself is subject to the resurrection of Christ. The only power it has over us is what we give it.

I have made a decision and hope you will join me by making your own decision.  It is time to stand at the door and serve notice on the devil.  You have no authority here.   None!   It is time for the Church to rise up in America, SUBMIT TO GOD,  and resist the devil.   I am going to defend the ground that has already been gained for my family and my city, and I am going on the offensive to take new ground by breaking the strongholds of Satan. 

I was really tired that morning in the hotel when an intruder wanted to come into my space.  I was tired enough to say, “No more!  You are not coming in.”  It required movement from my place of rest to assert authority, but the alternative wasn’t even an option.  Why wasn’t it an option – because I wasn’t just protecting myself, but I was protecting my grandchild. 

Child of God, it is time!  I know some of us are tired and don’t really want to arise. It is time to strengthen our hands for war. It is time to stop the double mindedness that has infiltrated God’s people.   It is time to have an urgency about us.  It is time to close the door on the devil.  Do it for yourself, do it for your family, do it for the country, do it for God’s Kingdom.

Devil, stop right there!

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”  – 1 Peter 5:8-10

Pictured are two women who overcame in life. This is my mother and my grandmother attending my wedding. My grandmother lost her husband when he was only forty-seven years old, and she was still raising several of her nine children, and she had no money. I am not sure how she made it, but she did.

My mother was one of kindest people on the planet. She did not have much materially but was loved by so many, because she so kind and caring. My father was a stern, self-centered man, and never treated her as she deserved. She pretty much raised her eight children by herself, kept house, cooked, and put up with so much, including a man who was often drunk and scary.

Let me share a memory of my mom. My mother had a leg amputated because of diabetes that had ravaged her body. She stayed in the hospital a while, and I still remember the moment she came home. It was difficult to get her into the house, and once she was inside, it was a rare moment when I saw my mother cry.  Oh, I know she cried internally a lot, but kept it from us.  She was faced with the reality that life was going to be even more difficult.

Mom soon adapted and returned to the things that she felt needed her attention.  Most of her children lived out of town, so the day by day routine became hers again.  My father had to get up at five in the morning to get to work.  Daddy liked a cooked breakfast, and my mother had always gotten up to prepare it for him.  He never cooked for himself, cleaned house for himself, or did much of anything for himself.  After Mama’s leg amputation, Daddy still did little for himself. 

My mother would get up at 5:00 a.m., lift her body into the wheelchair, roll into her small, crowded kitchen to cook for my father.  The diabetes had also taken a significant part of her vison, yet she would find a way to cook.  Daddy would eat and leave.  Mom would clean up the mess and go about her day trying to get things done. She also had a hot meal on the table for dad, who would come home for lunch every day. 

My mom went to her grave at age sixty-three still not complaining, and still struggling to do the best she could.  It can bring tears to my eyes now to picture her.  She had a heart attack as she tried to cover my dad, who was already in bed and was cold. She wheeled into the room to cover him and that was her last act of kindness she would ever do.

In 1970 while I was in college, my mother called to tell me that she had accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior.  I was a student at a Christian university, preparing for a life of ministry.  Needless to say, I was so excited.     

Why am I so excited? Because now Mama has a beautiful home with her Lord and Savior.  Mama can get around without a wheelchair.  Mama is not overtired.  Mama is enjoying life to a degree she never came close to experiencing on earth. (And I think she’s probably hanging out with my son Bryan.)

So, on this Mother’s Day, I honor Ailene Ruth Wells.  What an example of grace and kindness she was.  What an example of endurance she was.  I did not realize until I became a mother just how much she sacrificed for her children.   I cannot wait to see her again on a great reunion day in Heaven.  Mama, thanks for the life you lived.

“Her children rise up and call her blessed… ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.'” – Proverbs 31-28-29