Dedication to Christ

I learned about dedication to Christ and standing by one's Christian beliefs early in life. You see, my mother and father had very different upbringings. My mom was raised on a country farm and my dad could scarcely claim any one location as his roots because his father was in the military and moved the family frequently. But where they lived early in life was not the most profound of their differences. Mother came from a long line of missionaries who dedicated their lives to spreading the word about Jesus.

It's true that opposites attract and according to both, from the moment they met they couldn't imagine spending life with anyone else. Mother set out to make a Christian home which was fine with my dad although it didn't seem as important to him as it did to her. Kids notice these things and I'm very fortunate that mother's dedication to Christ was as steadfast as it was or I may well have followed a different path.

An example of her devotion took place on a cold Sunday in winter day when we were all getting ready for church. The roads were in danger of becoming slick by afternoon so mother asked dad would he chauffer us to church and he refused saying that we could miss one day of preaching with no harm done.

Mother quietly turned and bundled me and my sister up just a little warmer and tugged on our rain boots and out the door we went, walking several miles to Sunday services. Where did this tiny lady find the strength to carry both of us in the freezing cold on icy roads? You can find the answer in Isaiah 40 that says:

"He gives power to the faint; and to them who have no might He increases strength....But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

A long time later I expressed how amazed I was that she had (what seemed to me) defied my dad and she directed me to read the inspirational Bible verse Romans 8:38-39 which says:

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Her dedication to Christ as shown on that cold day had not only an effect on all of us kids but on my dad as he not only accepted Jesus as his Saviour but went on to become a minister of the gospel himself! To her credit, her devotion and spiritual leadership brought all of my brothers and sisters to serve in some capacity within the church.