Dear Momma,
I just want to thank you. I want to thank you for all you have done in my life. I wouldn’t be on this journey without you. Even when I didn’t quite agree, you have always done what is best for me. You have lead me in such a way that has given me strength, courage, gentleness, boldness, joy, and so much more. I tell everyone else and never really tell you this but, you are my hero. Even with your faults (because we all have them and mine tend to be similar to yours lol) I strive to be more like you everyday. I strive to be more like you because of your walk with the Lord. You have taught me so much about centering your life around Him and putting God above all. There were times that I felt hurt because you put the Lord above me and now I understand why. I didn’t always understand how you could put the Lord above someone you love so much. I say this because you have always loved me and loved me well. You have always been my biggest fan. Even when my own faults have made me think otherwise. I have always known that you were there. You were always fighting for me and not against me. These last two months, I have struggled with truly putting God first. Putting Him first before you. Before our entire family. Letting go of the most important people in my life has been terrifying to me.
But then it hit me like a bag of rocks. Similar to the glass door I ran into the other day lol. I was reading my devotional one morning and it was about parenting. It was about teaching your children to love God. Teaching them about God in all situations. It said to never miss an opportunity to share God’s love with your children. And just like that, it clicked. You have always done just that! When I think back to the first time I participated in a missions trip, it was when I was four years old and I was with you in Mexico. While I wasn’t quite old enough to understand what we were doing exactly, you brought me along. My next memory, when I realized I had this strong desire to help others, was when you took Brother along on a missions trip to Africa. One of my most vivid memories was when I was nine or ten, looking at pictures you had taken of Brother blowing bubbles for all the children. I could see the joy in all the kids faces through this photo; It was as if I could almost feel it. When you talked about y’all’s trip, your eyes gleamed with joy as you told stories of all the ways Brother impacted the people y’all were serving. You told stories of what brother did because of how proud you were of him. Now I see how much you have impacted the both of us. How our desire to serve comes from you. It comes from you sharing your journey with God with us. Always bringing us along. Taking every opportunity to share His love with us. Never letting a single moment go by without telling us we are loved by you, but most of all, God.
Now as I’m on this journey where we are constantly asked if we have laid it all down at the cross. I often say I put God first, but I have recently found myself questioning if I really have laid my family down at the cross. Will I really be okay if the unimaginable happens? Will I still love the Lord with all my heart if the most important people in my life get taken away? Well, the answer is, yes. Even if it is the most unbearable pain I may ever go through. I know, because of your walk with the Lord, even if the unimaginable happens, I will be just fine. It will all work out because I will see you again. I will be okay because as a little girl you taught me to put the Lord above all. I will be okay because I have the Lord at the center of my life. I will be okay because you loved me well, Momma.
I love you, I hope you have a very Happy Birthday!!!
Asher
Dear Momma,
I just want to thank you. I want to thank you for all you have done in my life. I wouldn’t be on this journey without you. Even when I didn’t quite agree, you have always done what is best for me. You have lead me in such a way that has given me strength, courage, gentleness, boldness, joy, and so much more. I tell everyone else and never really tell you this but, you are my hero. Even with your faults (because we all have them and mine tend to be similar to yours lol) I strive to be more like you everyday. I strive to be more like you because of your walk with the Lord. You have taught me so much about centering your life around Him and putting God above all. There were times that I felt hurt because you put the Lord above me and now I understand why. I didn’t always understand how you could put the Lord above someone you love so much. I say this because you have always loved me and loved me well. You have always been my biggest fan. Even when my own faults have made me think otherwise. I have always known that you were there. You were always fighting for me and not against me. These last two months, I have struggled with truly putting God first. Putting Him first before you. Before our entire family. Letting go of the most important people in my life has been terrifying to me.
But then it hit me like a bag of rocks. Similar to the glass door I ran into the other day lol. I was reading my devotional one morning and it was about parenting. It was about teaching your children to love God. Teaching them about God in all situations. It said to never miss an opportunity to share God’s love with your children. And just like that, it clicked. You have always done just that! When I think back to the first time I participated in a missions trip, it was when I was four years old and I was with you in Mexico. While I wasn’t quite old enough to understand what we were doing exactly, you brought me along. My next memory, when I realized I had this strong desire to help others, was when you took Brother along on a missions trip to Africa. One of my most vivid memories was when I was nine or ten, looking at pictures you had taken of Brother blowing bubbles for all the children. I could see the joy in all the kids faces through this photo; It was as if I could almost feel it. When you talked about y’all’s trip, your eyes gleamed with joy as you told stories of all the ways Brother impacted the people y’all were serving. You told stories of what brother did because of how proud you were of him. Now I see how much you have impacted the both of us. How our desire to serve comes from you. It comes from you sharing your journey with God with us. Always bringing us along. Taking every opportunity to share His love with us. Never letting a single moment go by without telling us we are loved by you, but most of all, God.
Now as I’m on this journey where we are constantly asked if we have laid it all down at the cross. I often say I put God first, but I have recently found myself questioning if I really have laid my family down at the cross. Will I really be okay if the unimaginable happens? Will I still love the Lord with all my heart if the most important people in my life get taken away? Well, the answer is, yes. Even if it is the most unbearable pain I may ever go through. I know, because of your walk with the Lord, even if the unimaginable happens, I will be just fine. It will all work out because I will see you again. I will be okay because as a little girl you taught me to put the Lord above all. I will be okay because I have the Lord at the center of my life. I will be okay because you loved me well, Momma.
I love you, I hope you have a very Happy Birthday!!!
Asher
