Prayer Tip: More Deposits Than Withdrawals

by Chris Holliday, Resurrection West Connection & Care Pastor and Adult Discipleship Director

Mary was born on January 2, 1937. Her dad was a bi-vocational Pentecostal Holiness pastor who also drove a bus and worked at a grocery store. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom who loved dogs, collected all sorts of fun trinkets and made an exceptional coconut cake. Mary graduated from high school in 1955 and promptly married her high school sweetheart. She got a job as a secretary/office manager at a propane gas company and stayed there for 41 years. She was a hard worker who dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s. She was a devoted lay leader at church and served as the choir director, treasurer, women’s ministry president and more. She was caring, loving, funny, had a beautiful voice and made the best banana pudding in the whole world. Mary passed away with family by her side on January 23, 2019.

Who was Mary? She was my mom. When I was sick, she cared for me. When I messed up, she offered grace. She taught me about Jesus and raised me in the faith. She was super supportive of all my endeavors. If I was even moving a music stand at a recital, she was there to cheer me on. During hard times, she would listen to me for hours and offer comfort, wise counsel and reassurance. We talked; we laughed; we played.

There’s an old saying, “There’s no time like the present and no present like the time.” That’s what my mom gave me, and it made all the difference. Our relationship was foundational to me becoming who I am today. My mom showed me how to be in loving relationships and how to comfort and care for others. She exemplified the Scriptures above and taught me to love my neighbor as myself.

During your prayer time today, I invite you to reflect on your mother or one who served in that role for you. Give thanks for her life and the specific ways she taught you to love and care for others. May God bless the special women in our lives.