I Turn 50 in Three Days....

I turn 50 in three days.

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Fifty

One-half a century

And, the question that comes to my mind is of what value have those years been?  If you had asked me this question a few years ago, I would have been hard-pressed to give you any kind of positive answer.  I had lost my way…allowed others to tell me my worth or lack thereof…I had forgotten to measure my worth by God’s view rather than man’s.

And, easy as it would be to blame another or others for that, I have learned that no one is to blame but me.

When you are centered around God, you, in humility know that you have great, precious, wonderful worth. 

You lose the need to force, to pull, to tug….you no longer need to gossip, critique, naysay.

When God’s view of you is seared onto your heart, you are able to fully understand your worth in a true and honest way which brings peace to your heart and joy to your soul.

I know that now.

I knew that when I was a young girl and even a young woman….innately, I knew God is love and that He loves me.  I knew that in His eyes, I was not only worthy…I saw me through His eyes….and, this is what I saw…

Lovely

Earnest

Sincere

Authentic

Sissy

Holy

Elegant

Real

Young

Lord’s (the)

Marvelous

Intelligent

Loving

Laughing

Special

Tender

Eager

Amiable

Daughter

Yeilding

Only

Unique

Natural

Grateful

Lesa Sheryl Millstead Young

I know these things to be true.  I forgot them for a season and even if I had remembered them, I would not have allowed myself to write them for fear of being thought vain or conceited or self-absorbed.  But, that was wrong –thinking.

How can we go about reflecting the Glory of God if we don’t see the value of ourselves?

How am I able to share His love with others if I am unable to love myself?

You cannot.  You cannot pour out to others what you do not have full up in yourself.

And, no one, not parent, nor spouse, nor sibling can make you love yourself.  Only God can lead you to seeing yourself worthy of such a deep thing.

And, He does so delight when we “get it”…..We Are Worthy…We Are Beautiful….We are Precious

And, the more we love ourselves, the more that love grows and grows and overfills our soul.  When our love overflows, then we are able to not only pour it out on others, but we are able to heap it up large and tall on others.

Not only on the loveable others, but on the unlovable others.

God’s love heals many a wound.  His love fills many an empty heart.

And, in the so-doing, a magical thing occurs…

We share our selves because we understand we actually have something worthy of sharing.

We share our lives because we know we make a difference.

We stoop to smile at the little child in a wheelchair; we pay to fix a cleft palate.  We adopt those who would be motherless; we nurture those who are mentally unable to survive without our help.

We open our wallets and give financially to improve the lot of the needy; we open our homes to those whose head has nowhere to rest.  We pray for the lost, the sick, the dying.

we do little sweet kindnesses. We slow down and listen to our elderly friend who just wants to share.

We do…

We give..

We share…

We love…

All in the name of God and all because He first loved us.

It is a gift, this love we are given.

It is a gift to be able to finally….finally….finally see ourselves through the eyes of the only one who truly matters.  And, to know in the viewing that we see how beautiful we truly are.

And, what I find particularly sweet is that the more I see myself through God’s eyes, the more lovely you become.

The more precious….the more beautiful you are.

So, as I hit the “big 50”……I am grateful.

I have been to the end of myself, and in so-doing, have gotten to the beginning of God.

Fifty….it is not the beginning of my end.  It is the beginning of my new start.

A clean slate.

A deeper understanding.

A clear view….from the stained glass windows of God’s eyes, looking down on me through Jesus’ life, I see something very lovely.

I see someone very lovely.

And, her name is….

Lesa Sheryl Millstead Young

For she is God’s Girl.  God’s gift. 

She has great worth, great value.

And, standing right beside her

Is YOU

Someone very lovely, very worthy, very valuable

And, all God really asks is that we take our time here on earth, whether it be too short such as with Bethany Anderson or Beth Morris, or whether it be very lengthy such as Herschel Young or Sister Cook….

All He asks is that we recognize our time is to love…to share…to shine like the sun….and His Son.

And, to use our life to be His reflection to others.

Do my 50 years have worth and value?

I think so.

As do your years.

Celebrate each and every one! 

Blessings and much love,

Lesa

 

The HEART

Καρδιά

It is the most used muscle of the body.  The heart beats an average of 72 beats per minute, 2.5 billion beats in an average life span.

 The heart of the matter.  From Latin “Cor” the core of the issue.  The heart is referred to as being the center of whatever issue is being talked about. 

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  We know it as the organ of love and emotion; I love you with all my heart.  God wants us to love Him with all our heart, to write His commands upon our hearts.

I knew 31 years ago Lesa had a good heart.  When she was 13, I could see her “Cor” and knew it was good.  With her 50^th birthday approaching, I see the center of decisions she makes come to life through her heart.  Her heart is still good, no better.  Is she perfect?  No, as with all of us she makes mistakes.  But she has not allowed the hardness of life to dim the glow of her heart.  At my age of 55, in many areas my heart is soft and pliable.  But in many areas I have allowed life to harden my heart.  She lovingly encourages me to think on matters as we discuss everyday life, and I vent frustrations sometimes. I trusted her heart 30 years ago; I have found her heart is even more trustworthy now.

Our kids are ornery, as all teenagers are; but like their mom, they have good hearts.  They have had a great teacher and example to follow.  I see her take life moments and turn them into teachable-heart opportunities.  And not only to her children, but her husband.

We pray at night when all of the kids are in bed and the house is locked down.  I hear Lesa pray, asking God to renew her heart. I know God must smile when He hears her request.  Hers’ is the heart God searches for; a humble heart that wants to do better and is repentive when mistakes are made.

I am grateful and thankful to KNOW where Lesa’s treasure is.  It’s easy to see.  Her treasure is in God.  Her number one desire and goal is to be “God’s Girl”.  Everything else flows from this treasure; her love for me, her children.  How she treats others, even when I would bristle and be ready to return act for act.  God’s girl is willing to try and be Jesus.

I know what a heart of gold looks like.  My hero has one.  I know what it is to be married to God’s girl, to be second in her life……I am thankful for coming in second.

I love you more than all of the 1,589,940,000 beats of my heart. 

Ian

March Madness 2012

March Madness

Today is a big day for Kentuckians.  It’s “March Madness” and our beloved C A T S are still in the “DANCE”. 

I didn’t grow up in a big sports family.  I don’t have memories of my parents and siblings and I sitting around biting nails as we wait for our favorite team to win.  I have thought back over my life and no, I don’t remember a single time of doing that for a single team.

I do remember cheering on the local teams on which my different siblings play, but March Madness was not in the library of my memories.

Not until 1984.

That was the year everything changed.

I was introduced to a family who lived and breathed basketball.  And, generally speaking, it was  not just any basketball…..it was UK basketball.

I remember one of this family’s members telling me “in our family, you are an athlete…you are either a good athlete or a bad athlete, but you ARE going to be an athlete.”

Now, I was not too overly concerned because I was a pretty serious runner at the time.  And, while I would not have really considered myself overly athletic, I did consider that I would be able to slide under the term athlete.

I am not sure I ever did.

But I did learn to “bleed blue”, spell C A T S and find the locations where UK blue items could be purchased in quantity.

To say I became immersed in the UK frenzy is an understatement.

It almost became my religion.

And, that was something with which I struggled.   Really struggled.

But, as I sit here today writing this, I have to confess to a changed perspective.

I realize now that most of my CAT fans and other major sports fans use their sport as a tool…a source of commonality to foster camaraderie between them and their friends and acquaintances.

Just a fancy way of saying, “sports are the glue which binds them in friendship with others”.

Yes, I do know many sports “Catfanatics” who love “Catlanta” and all things blue and white…and, some are frankly “over the top”,

But, as I think about most of my sports friends, they are some of the most good and Godly people I know.  They love their basketball hard and serious.  They can quote UK basketball stats as simply as they can say the alphabet.  They know the players names, numbers and barbers.

And, they have great passion.

Many of these same people parlay their love of sports on others as a way of bringing them into the fold of their friendship.

You see, once you be-friend someone, really embrace them into your life and into the things for which you have passion, then is your real opportunity to share your faith.

And, many of my UK friends do just that.

Along with their Cats Paws, they take time to Prayer Pause.

Next to their game strategizing is their care planning.

These same people who can whip up a pre-basketball/football feast are the same ones who can prepare an elegant baby shower, memorial dinner or youth banquet.

And, as I started making a list of my favorite athletic fans, I realized something.

Every single one of them was a person I would consider a strong Christian.

Amazing.

Not just a bench warming, pew warming person/family but a bold, strong warrior for God.

These are the people who you call at 2am in a crisis, who kneel beside you when your child is sick or your parent is dying.  These most beloved athletes do love their sports…..especially their CATS or Cardinals, but you know what I realized?

They love their God even more.

And, they use sports as a way of giving honor to Him.

They use their couches, their leather chairs and their tvs to invite others to come to know HIM as they come to know them.

To these friends, even better than a “slam dunk” on the court of basketball is a full dunk in the baptistery at the front of our church.

Better than the choir of C A T S at Rupp or C A R D S at the Yumm Center are the cheers you hear over one new baptism into Christ.

Standing Ovations are amazing to these people….who raise hands with each goal and each Immersion.

Many many people have come to know our Lord who would not have otherwise if not for my friend’s love of sports.

Many are now Christians with their own favorite team because one of these special folks invited them to a “pre-game” party which led to a post-game devotional, teen activity or prayer service.

These people have it figured out.

You sometimes have to meet people where they are in life….

On the court, in the field, at the theater.  In the school, in the hospital, at the foot of a grave. 

And, you have to share the Good News of our God in a way which others who don’t know him can understand.  That may mean, you don the blue and white or red and black or whatever other your favorite team may wear.

And, you share.

You share laughter, foot stomping, yelling at the Refs.  You share wings, a spot on the sofa and friendship.

And, more importantly, you share HIM.

And, I cannot help but believe that that “Great COACH in the heavens” looks down upon us, his sports fanatical children and smiles…..

Because He, even better than us, sees the impact on a human heart which a healthy love of sports can make.

Isn’t He who said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”  I Timothy 4:7

I believe with all of my heart that these same “Cat-fanatics” will do just as this verse says…..

They will fight the good fight of life, they will finish their race…and, they will keep the faith with the same love of God, with the same deep-seated passion that they demonstrate with their favorite team.

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but WE do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore….do not run like a man (woman) running aimlessly; do not fight like a man/woman beating in the air”  I Corinthians 9:24-27

“Seek first His kingdom and righteousness.”  Matthew 6:33

I don’t know what Heaven will be like.

I don’t know if there will be an Arena for Cat fans and a separate Arena for Card fans.  I don’t know if we will all fill one arena and will become common fans.  I don’t even know if ….gasp….we will not even have sports for which to be a fan of.

So, as we cheer on our fans, this week and in the future…..let’s do it with great Fanfare!

Let’s do it with our whole hearts.

Let’s do it with a purpose.

Let’s get a “W” for the only team which really matters.

Team God!

Blessings,

Lesa

804 Days

804

2 years, 2 months and 13 days

The number of days we have my boys living in our home as full-time high school students.

Not enough.

So much to cover with them before the 804 days are up.

Do they know how to wash their clothes, balance their check book, fill out an application?  Do they know their social security number by memory or their Mama’s birthday?  Will they be able to fill up their car with gas and buy clothes which fit and are a good “deal”?

Do they have a favorite Bible verse to carry them on their days’ journeys?  Will they remember to write home?

Can they iron?  Can they cook?  Do they know to treat every single girl they ever date like “china in the cabinet”?

Do they know where their Bible is?  Do they know how and do they pray?

Are they prepared?  Will they be ready?  

I sat tonight in the car awaiting the ending of football practice for Kenton and baseball practice for Johnson.  I sat at the peak of both fields and thanked God for the blessings of my children.  They have been the harbingers of great joy and some sorrow.  More the former than the latter.  Thank you,  God.

There is something about watching your sons exert themselves on a ball field with their peers at the set of the sun which brings prayer to a mother’s lips. 

And memories….precious, sweet memories.

I remember trying so hard to get pregnant with my boys.  It was an expensive endeavor in many different ways.  It was costly to our bank account, our emotions and my physical body.  I remember finally being pregnant and daily walking around the track at Southern Hills Methodist Church in Lexington, KY and praying.  Praying for their lives.  Praying for their spiritual growth, their physical well-being, their hearts.

I was such a grateful woman.

I am still a grateful woman.

My children, they are not perfect.  But, they are the very best of their Dad and me.

And, while they distress me at times as teenagers are “wont” to do to their parents, I believe they have great hearts.

I have faith in them.

I believe with all of my heart that at the end of the day, they will remember whose child they really are.

His.

I believe this because I claim His promise that if we pray with faith that He will answer our prayers.  Will it always be easy? No

Will it always be neat and tidy?  No

Will I want to give up? Yes

Will I feel like a failure?  Yes yes

Am I a Mom who believes their children can do no wrong?  Absolutely not.  I know they are wrong-doers. 

But, I do not give in to that thought.

Because I have faith.  I know that they are never alone.  I believe that the many, many prayers Ian and I pray on their behalf, their grand parents, their Aunts and Uncles…their friends parents and probably many of you.

I believe these prayers will be answered.

And, I believe when the times comes, that yes, they will be “ready”…maybe not fully blown ready, but age appropriate ready.

And so, tonight, as I sat alone and watched my sons tackle their friends and kick dust as the sun set, I made a commitment.

If I am sincere.

If I really believe that our prayers, my prayers make a difference in the lives of my own three children, then why would I not cover their friends in prayer as well?

I mean, I have prayed for all of their friends at one time or another as we mothers have shared our worries and concerns, hurts and joys.

So, I started looking.

I looked to my right…the football field.  I saw Ethan and Vanmeter and Clay and Bradley.  I looked to the left and saw Scott and Thomas and Chase.  I saw Tanner B. and Bo and Luke.  

Fields full of the faces of boys I have grown to love.  Years of spending time coming to know them and their parents.  Know them in ways you get to know people with whom you share a lot of time.

And so, I got out my pen and paper and started making a list. 

I wrote down their names one by one….

And, I prayed.

And, I committed to praying often.

I believe in the power of prayer.  I believe in the power of praying for my children and I am committed to believing in the power of  praying for my children’s’ friends.

I have 804 more days.

I want to see how long my list can grow as I add names….

Duncan, Devon, Tanner F., Patrick, Connor, Kivo, D’Love, Kevin….

Lucas, Patrick, Nick, Elliott, Zack, Joey, Malik, Brian, William….

And, even more exciting to me is to knowing that I don’t even have to know what to pray for each of these boys….HE knows what they need.

But, I believe that there is something precious when you lift up a child in this way.

So, I will….for at least the next 804 days.

Join me?

Blessings,

Lesa

S.  There are a few Coaches I'll be adding as well:) 

What Do I Really Count Dear

I am humbled by this question….”What do I really count dear?”……

At first pass, I am likely to respond “the kindness, genuine affection and tenderness of my husband; the sweetness, liveliness and joy of my children; the faithful and abiding love of my parents”….and on and on…those intangible “feelings” brought to my heart, my spirit by the out reaching of others in my life.  They are dear to me in ways words cannot express.  Like water to the flowers and sun to their growth, I hold dear the hearts of those who choose to love me…just as I am.

But, I am learning.

Ever, always, constantly the student, learning…..

And, the learning comes with work….reconsideration….willingness to admit I know very little and what I do know, is not always what God would have me to know..

I am learning that God requires Abandonment….to Him

What does that even mean? 

I look…

Abandon….”to leave someone or something behind; to leave for reason of safety without the intention of returning soon; to renounce.”

I didn’t know how serious to abandon something was.

I do now.  I have done this abandoning at different times in my life.  But, the abandoning I have done is not the abandoning of which God speaks….

I know this as well because I abandoned within human definition, not God’s. 

The more I come to know Him and His ways, the more I come to know that God would have us hold fast in faith and trust that He will carry us, cover us, counter for us….contain us.  He will protect us, provide for us, hold fast to us in our abandonment to Him.

The more I study Him and hold hands with Him through my life, the more I realize through Him all things are possible….and that any abandoning we must to should be To Him….

He may provide avenues to follow Him which we do not understand…creative, hard, simple, generous paths.  He may provide avenues which are hard, painful, which we think we cannot survive.

But, while God calls us to abandon ourselves to Him, HE never abandons us.

I know this is His truth to us.

While God will allow us choice, and decision, and free will; He never falters in His compassion, carry, strength to pull us to Him.

If we but ask.

If we but seek.

If we but trust.

I have a dear friend, Russ, who has pretty consistently hugged me and said, “Lesa…everything happens for a reason.”

Again and again…tender words.  I think now, what he was encouraging me to understand is that no matter what I go through in my life;   it is not in vain.  There is a purpose.  His words kept me looking “up” to God rather than down on myself.  And, in the so-doing, that has made the difference.

As God is wont to do, He illuminates things to us through time..and, as I move further and further away from times past and more and more into times future, I am seeing things more clearly…as the fog of pain and anguish is melted into nothingness and my heart peeks out, my thoughts come clear, my soul is replenished, things, thoughts become more understood.

Nothing in my life is without purpose.

Holy purpose.

Not to simply “get me through”  but to grow me into.

To God, I matter.  You matter.  We matter.

We are not simply here to exist.  We are here to give glory.

To Him.

Not because God needs our glory.  But, because WE need to be a vessel of glorifying Him.  Without that, our life is one big struggle without purpose or aim.

BUT, with that…our life takes on a holy dimension which gives purpose and authenticity….

That is why Russ speaks truth…even the bad, even the sad, even the painful has purpose.

I see the truth of that….my friend loses a precious daughter perhaps to make all of us appreciate the power of God and the shortness of life; my brother in Christ suffers mental illness perhaps to draw out tenderness and compassion from those of us to know him so that we can more fully understand the heart wrenching  gentleness of God.

When I was a children’s minister, I remember telling a friend, Jackie, “Since I have been working for the church, I have noticed that there is so much pain in life.” 

I will never forget her sage reply….”Lesa…there is no new amount of pain in life.  The volume is no greater.  The difference is that you now are in a position to see more clearly God working in your own life and in others.”

Powerful.

I had been shielded, protected, held back from the understanding.  Likely because in my sheltered existence, I could not fathom how to deal with the pain in life.

But,  would come to fathom such.

And, as God is likely to do, He has allowed me in the sharing of this new understanding and I am forever grateful.  Not grateful for the experiences which brought me here, but grateful for the growth in my heart of understanding, insight and compassion.

Grateful that at least I know now that I know nothing…..and that any small amount I might come to understand is solely due to God’s mercy on my life brought on by His desire to teach me, by His desire to draw me close…to never give up on me…to always have hope in me.

He tells me very clearly, “But if from there you seek your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all of your heart and with all of your soul.”  “When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey Him.  For the Lord your God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which He confirmed to them by oath.”

The peace, the hope, the joy which comes from knowing that while I may not have it all figured out yet…this Abandonment to Him I am asked to give

The more I abandon myself to Him….the more he stands fast in not abandoning me.

Blessings,

Lesa

I Am a Praying Woman

I am a praying woman.

Perhaps because I was a praying girl.

Possibly because I was surrounded by prayer warriors.

I love prayer.

I love the power of prayer.

I have been praying for as long as I can remember.  Talking to God.  Talking with God.

Talking, whispering, crying, singing…..with God.

My first memory of “organized” prayer was with my Great Granny Sadie Belle….

“Jesus tender shepherd hear me,

  Bless the little children tonight

  In the darkness be thou near me

  Keep me safe until the early morning light”

I can still feel her wrinkled and spindly hands folding my plump young ones together in prayer…I don’t remember her face so much, but I do remember her voice whispering this prayer with me.  I might have been four or five.  I had a little night light shaped like a book which I always thought was a Bible. 

As I grew older, I remember the powerful, booming voice of others who prayed for, with and around me…

My Daddy…he prayed with strong affirmation that he believed God would answer him.  He prayed in a very committed and disciplined way as if his family depended on it…and, they did and do

My Mama…she prayed and prayed and prayed.  I have seen her smile in prayer, weep in prayer and be still in prayer.  She is the greatest prayer warrior I know.

My siblings…they have prayed in turn taking, in moments of not wanting to and at the front of the communion table.  They have prayed for marriages, babies and one another.
My children....they have prayed when they could barely say words...precious baby worded prayers, sweet young adult prayers which have melted my heart.
My husband...intimate, knowing prayers from one who sees the worst and best in me and loves me all the same; who reminds me that God loves to hear me pray....who prays with me in return.

Friends of mine have knelt with me at the front of our church (Thanks Tracy C), and at My School (thanks Patty R and many others).

We have had our church elders over and asked them to pray with us and for us and our children.

We have had our physicians pray over our babies prior to child birth and after child birth (Thanks, Dr. Hager)

I can remember praying with my friends when we were little…amazing, now that I think about it…our praying together at age 6 and 7.  It was just something we did.  Debbie, Janet and I played “church” and prayed.

I can remember praying with boyfriends prior to eating dinner on our dates.  I was telling my daughter the other day that the majority of the boys I dated were even of my same church affiliation.  I don’t remember thinking of doing that on purpose, but I did like a guy who prayed.  Even in college, several of the young men I dated were from my church background and all of them seemed to be pray-ers.  Those who were not, for some reason, learned to.

I can remember praying with my sister-friends during devotionals, ladies’ retreats, play-group times together.

I cannot imagine a life without prayer.

But, I have lived a season of life when I knew not for what to pray.

While I am a praying person, it does not always come easy to me.

I think that is because when praying you really need to speak from your heart.  I don’t know about your heart, but my own is not always lovely and beautiful as it should be.

Sometimes, when I pray….the ugliness in me comes out from my center and straight toward God.  My pettiness, ugliness, sinfulness comes flowing right along with my tears and frustrations.

I love the movie, “Eat, Pray, Love” with Julia Roberts.  The part where she gets on her knees and says,
“Hello God, it’s me….I need your help. …..please just tell me what to do and I will do it”…..tears flowing down her face.  She is new to prayer….but prays just the same…..in belief that He will answer.

I have prayed with confidence.  I have prayed in fear.

I have prayed for things such as wisdom and patience and then ducked knowing that the answers were likely to be painful.

I have prayed for children in years of infertility.

I have prayed for a second chance in times of mistakes.

I have prayed for clarity in seasons of absolutely cloud-covered thinking.

I have prayed with “brave hope” that my baby would live.

I have prayed with hope that my marriage would survive.

I have prayed to be submissive, compliant, obedient.

I have prayed to be strong.

I have prayed for 8 hours straight as a part of marriage counseling.

I have prayed for words to explain my life’s decision.

I have prayed for my babies.

I have prayed on my knees, on my feet and on my face. I have prayed in the shower (easy to hide the tears) and as I jogged.  I have prayed in the car, on the plane and in the elevator.

Prayer time at the foot of my baby’s crib was a common occurrence….little fingers wound around mine.

P R A Y without ceasing makes sense to me.

I don’t pray because I am such a great, Godly woman.

I pray because I could not survive otherwise.

I so relate to Paul in Romans when he says, “ I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do.  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.  As it is, it is no longer myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  For I know that good itself does not dwell in me….for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.”

I pray because I fear what I would be like if I did not.

I pray because I know life without prayer would not be live-able.

I pray because I believe God will answer my mother’s prayers for my children.

I pray because even when I am tired, scared, hurt, and broken, I believe God hears me.

And, in His hearing…..my prayerful heart understands that prayer is all about making God real in our lives.  It is our way of having a conversation with our “Father” who really is the only one who can help us, hold us, love us.

And, in the folding of my hands, I am given hope….that that which I cannot do alone, I can do with God….

And, my direct link…my text message…my Facebook message is going to be heard by Him

Through my prayers.

Blessings,

Lesa

The Promise

The Promise…..

My daughter, Madison, recently received a “Promise Ring” from her Ladder dad….a ring which originally belonged to his mother and given to Madison …..in response to her promise.

Promise defined is “a declaration that something will or will not be done, an express assurance on which expectation is based, indication of a future truth which will be carried out.”

A Promise is a serious thing.

A Promise is the living out of your heart’s commitment in the living of your life (QTMH).

Madison’s role models for making promises have been weak as is evidenced through the lives of the two most significant people in her life – her mother and her father.

For that, I have had great anguish.

However, God is a God of promises and while I may fall short, HE does not.

Thank God.

God gives us many promises…to unconditionally love us, to protect us, to teach us, to enable us, to discipline us, to seek out us, to never leave us, to never forsake us, to hear our prayers, to hear our pleas for help, to guide us, to cover us, to empower us, to enrich us, to humble us…

To LOVE us.

He is the great “Promise Keeper” and while we may fail at perfectly keeping our promises to him and to one another,

He does not.

Thank God.

For it is in HIS ability to keep HIS promises to us that WE find hope when we are not able to keep our promises to Him or to one another.

Promises give birth to commitment, compassion and hope.

As in my daughter’s life.

Madison asked me to “blog” about her promise ring and her promise…so, she will bless what I share herein…

When Madison was a young girl, the concept of making and keeping promises was never really discussed.  Our family was so wrapped up in other things, many of them very good, some not so much, that we failed to discuss “promises” covenants….commitments until it was too late.

We did not recognize, in our parenting immaturity, the need for laying the foundation of what it means to make a Promise…and, even more importantly, what it takes to keep it.

But, as is always true with God,

It is never too late….

To learn, to change, to commit,

To Promise.

Because of our  failure to teach our daughter the “value of the gift” of making a Promise and keeping it, she made some poor decisions early in her life.  Some were poor and immature with little consequence.  Some were poor and immature with grave and dire consequence.

Some make us look back and laugh at her silliness.

But, some make us look back and weep for innocence lost.

For that, both Madison, her Dad and I weep and have wept.

But, as with God, the maker of Rainbows of Promises, there is great Hope.

God who can make “all things as new”

Does.

If we but ask.

And, My daughter, precious that she is,

Has asked.

Asked us to stand beside her as she renews her promise to God to strive to live daily for Him in her life.

And, so we do.

To commemorate that renewed promise, Ian has given Madison a ring which was his Mother, Dorothy’s.  Dorothy was a very lovely, Godly woman with a long history of being bold, brave, committed and most definitely a major

“God’s Girl”

Dorothy was no quiet wallflower of a woman.  She was a pioneer in the workforce, being one of the top women employees at Fort Knox at a time where women were not fully respected for their knowledge and ability.

But, Dorothy was.

She was strong, vibrant and verbose.  She was strong-willed, strong natured and of good courage. 

She had to be.

Hers was a world where women were best seen and not heard, where the value of their ability and presence was just beginning to be seen as worthy.

And so, Dorothy was a pioneer woman of sorts…breaking the glass ceiling for young women like Madison who would come along fifty years later and have a place in the work environment which better recognized the value of her knowledge, strength and insight.

But, as Dorothy armored herself for the workplace

She lived it as one who lives first for the Lord.

She was a woman who sought God after her own heart as evidenced by how she loved her husband, married some  52 years and raised her only son, Ian.   A loving wife and precious mother who set her standards by God’s laws and not her own.

And it shows

As I go through journals, photo albums, photo graphs and the many hand written things of Dorothy’s, I am touched by her love of God…her pointing constantly toward God, His word, His heart and her desire to follow Him in all things at all times in all ways.

I think she would enjoy my daughter, the recipient of her diamond ring.

I think she would have been a good mentor to my daughter were she able.

I also think that Madison is blessed now to have two other strong and Godly women in her life – her Grammy Shirle Millstead and her Mamaw Betty McKenzie.

Both women seek God first in their lives.  Both gave over their hearts to God very early in their lives.

Both are warriors…

Warriors for the love of their husbands and the hearts of their children.

Both are mighty in the battle for the souls and spirits of those whom they love.

Prayer warriors….joy seekers…

So, Madison’s promise to live first for God, renewed that it is, comes with the back up and support of a strong heritage of women…

And, then there is you.

Many of you reading this have prayed for, stood beside and loved my daughter, and for that I am eternally grateful.  Some of you have never met my daughter, but have prayed for her  just the same. Some of you continually reach out to her via e-mail, voice mail, facebook.  And, not all of you are women (Thanks Bobby).

But, you have done what God requires.

Loved her.  Love her.

And, it makes a difference.

A promise is a hard thing to keep by oneself.

While promises are generally made by one, the support of many makes it simpler to honor.

The holding accountable makes us accountable.

The gently reminding and even the boldly reminding…perhaps even tenaciously reminding one of one’s promise.

It is a good thing.

It is a Godly thing to do.

So, as Madison re-commits herself to her Promise

To God, to herself and to her family and friends

Please keep on keeping on as you have

Pray for her, pray with her, pray despite her.

By doing so, you are supporting just one young woman who wants to be different.  Who wants to be Godly.  Who wants to live fully and purposefully?

She will stumble, she will fall and she will  make mistakes.

That is what humanity does.

But, she will have something tangible to remind her of “her Promise”

A ring…

And your prayers.

Blessings,

Lesa