Her name was Evelyn—such a beautiful name for such a beautiful mother! Many of you didn't know her, but this woman I call "Mama" is known by many names: Mama, Mother, MawMaw, Nanny, Darling, and Nana by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren! She was a rock for me. She was my prayer partner and a loving example of what a mother should be.
Words can't express my love for her and what she meant to me. Although she is in Heaven now, I catch myself many times a day reflecting on all the time I spent with her. Memories flood my mind and wash over my emotions. Oh, how I miss her! My Mama was my very best friend in the world. As I think back at her profound impact on my life, one memory stands out more significant than the rest. She was a prayer warrior!
My Mama's prayers were a constant in my life. She prayed before her feet hit the floor, before laying her head down to sleep, and throughout the day, she would call on the Lord. Mom would call on Him no matter where it was. In the grocery store, when a friend passed by and shared a need with her, she would stop and call out to God on their behalf. Her love for Jesus was unwavering and unashamed. She was bold about her faith in the Lord and her love for Him was evident in everything she did.
When I shared a need with her, she prayed fervently for me and my family. I heard her pray, and I had confidence that she did by evidence of answered needs that we had agreed on in prayer. Her prayers were not just words, but a source of strength and comfort in my life, my family’s life, and many, many others who knew her.
When I was traveling, as we were hanging up after I shared a need with her, I would hear my Mama call out to the Lord as she was hanging up the phone…I heard her pray. After my dad passed, I was lying beside her one night while she was sleeping. I began to hear my Mama praying in her sleep. I listened to these words come out of her mouth in a mumbled sleep voice, "We will just have to pray about that." My heart still swells with the agony of the void in my heart from her absence, but one thing is for sure: her prayers still live on! I rejoice in that fact. Her prayers have been a source of strength and comfort for me, especially during the most challenging times.
"I will pray about that with you"…whatever "that" was…she would pray.
Many people say, "I will pray or I'm praying for you," but do we really believe them? When my Mama said she would pray, you could count on it. Her prayers were not just words, but a promise of her unwavering faith. I believed my Mama when she said, "I will pray!"
My Mama's unwavering commitment to prayer has challenged me to be even more dedicated to my own prayer life and to pray for others with the same fervor and faith that she did for so many years. Lord, help your people to be dedicated to a prayer life and genuinely pray for others!
"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” Matthew 6:6 (ESV). Written by: Shelly Dority
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