I was eight years old, my mother was divorced by my father and remarried. A small corn field town surrounded us in rural Illinois.

I was an only child and was given toys to keep me occupied. I remember paper dolls, small record players, a mini pin ball machine was my favorite.

However, by the time I was nine years old, my mother and my step father started having marital problems. I imagine because of all the alcohol and wild parties. My mother was a good mother for most of my life until alcohol and drugs took over her life. She lost custody of me and my biological father became my primary caregiver.

Years would pass and I was never restored to live under my mothers care. It was devastating to me. I lived most of my life with the remnant of that pain and neglect. At thirty-one years old, I became a Christian, I gave my heart to Jesus Christ. Then twelve years later, I was baptized by the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. It was a phenomenal encounter! I will never forget it.

Today, I serve the Lord with a whole heart. I’m madly in love with the Lord. I know He has redeemed me from all of my sins.

I was able to forgive my father and mother for their failures as my parents. One thing I remembered and began to think about is this.

We never know how God is working behind the scenes. I’m a wife and mother of three beautiful children. My dream of being a mother and wife came true. God has blessed me. Just the other day, I was washing the laundry and there was the sign on the wall from a yearly calendar I broke apart.

I kept the pages and put them on the wall and then the Lord showed me something I never realized.

For years, before I forgave my mother for abandonment I had a distain for her but then love entered in. I forgave her and just last year she was laid to rest. She passed away from years of mental illness in an assisted living nursing home. It was the most precious thing I learned about death. Though it has a finality physically, spiritually her spirit lives on because she confessed Jesus Christ is Lord. She is free and liberated. It’s what I believe. Not everyone will believe. It will be sad day for those who will stay behind because the church of a Jesus Christ will be raptured up. I will see my mother in heaven.

What I remembered was from this sign. My mother did the best thing ever. I am grateful. She sent me when I was eight years old to a children’s ministry in town. I remember signing songs about Jesus. I would get to church across town and hear a message of salvation. I accepted Jesus into my heart and the ministry was used to reach me for salvation. I went for several months and raised my hand each week for salvation. In my child like mind I didn’t understand everything about salvation but the seeds were planted.

Today, I want to remember my mother and in my heart thank her for doing the best thing that could have ever happened to me. She allowed me to go on that children’s ministry bus and hear the gospel message. I accepted Jesus into my heart! Today, as an adult I wouldn’t take my past away it made me who I am and God gets all the glory!!!

Sing with me!!!!