As a young girl growing up, I was nurtured by three important women in my life. Each one of these special ladies had dynamic attributes that helped shape and mold who I am today. Most of all, I admired their deep abiding faith in Yahweh. Through many trials and heartaches, they never blamed or wavered in the strength of their faith in our heavenly Father and they kept Yahshua near their hearts.
I wish you could have met my grandmother, Mary. She had a sweet rosy smile and beautiful white-as-snow hair, which I helped curl. She didn’t come to the knowledge of the Name until near the end of her life. Grandma’s faith was amazing. Each year she faithfully read her Bible through and through until she wasn’t able to anymore.
I remember sitting at her feet under her old, but well-kept, sewing machine, watching the treadle move swiftly back and forth. She would remind me never to sew on the “Sabbath” day because, as she put it, “Each stitch would go into Yahshua’s heart.”. I still remember this and abide by it today…
The next special lady is my beautiful mother, Millie, with a heart of gold. Now talk about faith and endurance! Momma raised seven children, helped run a business, kept a spotless house, planted and canned produce from a huge garden and, most of all, taught me how to pray.
One cold, snowy Pennsylvania evening, my father left the house to plow snow. As he turned to say goodbye he reminded us, “Be sure to keep the water dripping so the pipes won’t freeze.”. As you can guess, with seven children in the house, someone turned off the spigot and the pipes froze. We were all worried what Dad would say. Our mother, never blinking an eye, got down on her knees without hesitation, telling us to do the same. By the time we finished praying, the water shot out of the faucet like a rocket ship. We all jumped up with joy, thanking Yahweh from the bottom of our hearts.
The third special lady in my life was my mother-in-law, Mil. I loved to watch her laugh (I’m so glad she passed that trait on to her daughter, Linda). Mil never worried about anything (well, maybe about her children, a little). We always said Yahweh had angels watching over her – especially if you saw her drive! She always knew everything would work out in its own time and that “everything will be all right.”. It always was. Mil’s faith was sweet, soft and private in many ways. She taught me to “stay the course, believe in Yahweh and keep the faith.” She fell asleep privately but never alone. That is how she would have wanted it…
Yahweh in his Word shows us many examples of faith, and we must ourselves grow in faith for Him. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” These loving sisters kept their vision toward their Father in heaven. Their examples taught me never to give up. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to Elohim must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Keep strong in your faith. Show, by example, to your children and your children’s children the faith you have in Yahweh. Put Yahweh first in all that you do – and I promise everything will be all right in the end.
by: Margie Mansager
