“Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.” by Jim Elliot, whose whole name was Phillip James Elliot
My father lived out this quote of his, and my mother loved him for his absolute commitment to the Kingdom, and courage to do whatever it would take to glorify Him. My mother has now gone on to see Jesus Christ, face to face, and I am so grateful that she has been freed from the chains of this earthly life. In her last 10 years, with dementia, she was peaceful and I saw that serenity most when we sang hymns to her. It used to be that when she and I would sing together, she would point out special lines that meant a great deal to her, and it would give me more appreciation for each one. I would say some of her favorites were:
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Guide me O, Thou great Jehovah
For all the Saints
Jesus the Very Thought of Thee
Jesus keep me Near the Cross
Jesus Thou Joy of loving Heart
Tallis's cannon- Glory to Thee, my God, this night
Praise my soul the King of Heaven which was sung at her second two weddings
Trust and Obey
Praise the Savior ye who Know Him
I cannot Tell, why He whom angels worship
My Faith has Found a resting place
The Lord's my Shepherd
At Even, ere the Sun was Set
And Can it be
She knew hundreds and I'm so glad she sang them to me throughout my childhood, especially right before going to sleep.
She taught me to pray to our Father, always starting her prayers with "Dear Father." I learned trust and contentment at her side. I learned that God's will was the most important thing to pursue in life. I learned to laugh and enjoy funny, fascinating, and fortifying stories. Several of them were about Gladys Aylward, the "small woman of China." She had heard her speak once and could imitate her perfectly. One of the stories was about her leading a group of children through forest and a mountainous terrain, which had bandits, and singing to them,
"I will not be afraid,
I will not be afraid,
I will look upward,
and travel onward, and NOT be afraid!"
One of the main themes of her training of me was based on Jesus's teaching of Luke 16:10- "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." I remember that verse almost daily in my routines.
As the weeks go by, and I think of her teaching and love, I will share more. I'm looking forward to honoring her at the memorial service in July. It will be announced on her website- Elisabethelliot.org and on Face Book.
What a blessing to have her for your mother! She has blessed so many through her ministry and will continue to do so through her many books and wise words. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to reading more. Praise God for the comfort of knowing she is with the Lord!
ReplyDeleteI was sorry th hear of your mother's passing, knowing how much she will be missed. But I also rejoiced to know that her mind and body have been restored and she is in the presence of the Lord she loved and served so faithfully!
ReplyDeleteMy condolences and prayers go out to you and your family on the passing of your mom. She was so special to so many. Her love of Christ and her trust in Him have encouraged me greatly in my walk with God. He is trustworthy and worthy of praise. So thankful for your mom's words and life that have demonstrated this. God bless
ReplyDeleteValerie, I loved your Mother! As a newly married Christian wife, your mom impacted my thinking and living. I read her, listened to her, watched her and cherished her humor and candor. While serving in a Ladies Conference at Grace Community Church in Calif in 1992, she shared her love for husband, family and God's word. We had our picture taken together. A few years ago, near Mother's day, the Lord impressed upon me to write and thank Elisabeth for her faithfulness and influence on me. Lars wrote back and told me the only things that remained the same in the picture was her blue suit and the lapel pin. I was saddened by that. Knowing she had built into her fabric the sturdiness of Scripture, I knew God's grace would see him, you and her through this gate to the splendor heaven. May the Christ your mom loved and served faithfully, sustain and abide with you [all]. My husband and I [now 43 years serving and loving the Lord together] are praying for you, dear sister in Christ! Psalm 121:1-3 and 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I'm so grateful for all the ones she ministered to. The Lord used her mightily, and probably more than we can see on this earth!
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