Modern day warriors
As I researched and wrote down stories of strong women in the Bible during my recent Lent devotions, I wanted those women to cause us to reflect on women around us with these same characteristics. It has been so fun for me to think of these modern-day warriors and to share just a snippet of their story with you.
HUMILITY - When I think of someone who reflects the character essence of “humility”, I think of my sweet friend, Kristi. She is quiet and not one to draw any attention to herself, but she has a story of healing and humility.
She is a survivor of breast cancer, followed by years of desiring to have a second child, all woven together through her story of adoption.
As I listened to her give her testimony in my Community Bible Study several years ago, I could see how God was using her and His gift of humility to her, for Him.
Her story continues as He did indeed add that second baby to her family. Today, her daughters are 19 and 14 and are both a huge part of her story and God`s faithfulness to her.
FAITH - When I think of someone who reflects the character essence of “faith”, I think of my sweet friend, Megan, and her story of faith.
She was diagnosed with cervical cancer while she was pregnant with her precious baby boy. She fought hard to keep him safe and showed tremendous faith along her journey.
She just recently wrote this on the day of Houston`s baptism at church.
“From the depths of despair when we were told to abort my baby, then, that he would be preterm and not survive to the miracle of Houston`s full-term birth and now, 8 years later, his new birth in Christ God writes beautiful stories”. Megan
BRAVERY - When I think of someone who reflects the character essence of "bravery", I think of my sweet friend, Julie, and her daughter, Julianne. Julie was diagnosed with aggressive leukemia, CML, May 2016.
After many months of tests and treatments, and an extended stay at MD Anderson, the search began for the perfect match for Julie to have a stem cell transplant. When Julianne found out that she was a match for her mother, she bravely volunteered to donate her stem cells to give Julie the opportunity to become a CML survivor.
On September 6, 2016, Julianne`s stem cells were harvested to infuse to Julie. Julie`s bravery was exhibited daily as she walked her cancer battle.
Today, she always points her story toward the Lord, praising Him that she is a CML survivor.
STRENGTH – When I think of someone who reflects the character essence of "strength", I think of my sweet friend, Greta. March 19, 2009, when her daughter was in 3rd grade and her twins were in kindergarten, in an instant, she lost her husband, Chris, in the middle of the night.
All of a sudden she was left being a widow and a single mother. Through the years that followed, she showed such strength as she took on this new role and was mother and daddy to her three children. She claims any strength seen in her story is testimony to God hearing her cry out in her weakness, physical, emotional, spiritual, all of her weaknesses.
Today, her children are growing up and starting to leave home, one by one. She has displayed much strength and courage over the years and praises Him for His faithfulness. She shines so brightly for Him in her story of courage and strength.
PATIENCE – When I think of someone who reflects the character essence of "patience", I think of my sweet friend, Rita.
She and her husband had a busy life with their three children when they felt called to be foster parents. Rita said it was a family decision because it was a life-changing decision for each of them. They were all on board and they made steps to make their dream a reality.
First a precious little girl, then came a sweet little boy. After a period of time, the family fell in love with and adopted both of these children.
Rita started full-time mothering for these two little ones. Many medical visits and help with daily needs, all along keeping up with homework, sports, graduations, and college decisions for the older ones.
I have loved watching how God has woven His story through hers and has showered her with an abundance of patience for her to do life with her husband and these 5 precious children.
COURAGE – When I think of someone in my life who reflects "courage", I think of my sweet friend, Emily. In February 2017, she got the call that would change her life. “it`s cancer. Breast cancer”, the voice on the phone said.
She is now in this battle for the second time in three years.
Radiation, surgeries, chemo, nausea, loss of appetite are all scars from this battle called cancer.
She shows exceptional courage as she bravely fights this battle and walks this hard journey, always pointing others to the Lord through her story. She walks with grace, never complaining. “Trusting is all part of His perfect timing,” she says.
This year is especially hard and exciting at the same time. Hard, as she suffers the side effects of the latest treatment. It is exciting as her daughter just graduated from Belmont and they have just celebrated the marriage of her son, Jason, and Lauren last month.
HOPE – When I think of someone who reflects the character of "hope", my sweet friend, Morgan, comes to my mind. When the unimaginable happened and her twin girl went to their heavenly home, just 17 months apart, I watched as Morgan chose to live each day with the hope she has in the Lord. The hope that she will see her girls again one day, and the hope that their earthly bodies are now healed with our Lord in heaven and get are in no pain.
In the midst of her grief, she so beautifully writes her thoughts and reflections, raw and vulnerable, for others to see and to be encouraged by. Her story is full of HOPE as she shares His story woven together through hers.
This Mother`s Day is the first for Morgan with both of her girls gone. The sun rose as it does every day and life goes on for most of us, But for Morgan, her life has changed forever and this day is anything but ordinary. It is hard. The HOPE that she has in our Lord, allowed her to speak out in her grief, to encourage others who are at a hard place too. Check out http://www.instagram.com/seedsandleaven and be inspired by this precious mother as she allows her circumstances to point others to Him through her story and her prayer.
“Breathe it in because He loves you and because He is going to mess this up in spite of how it feels. He knows what He is doing, at all times, in all things, no matter what” Morgan Cheek
I hope you will continue to pray for each of these ladies with me. They have had hard seasons on their life journeys and in the midst of the hard, they gave Him the glory and continue to do so.
How thankful we are to know the end to each of our stories
"When we all get to heaven what a day of rejoicing that will be when we all see Jesus, we`ll sing and shout the victory!"
I love you girls!!
Love, Jane
