Every now and then, someone comes along who changes everything. I was in my late twenties when a woman I’d come to know through my aerobics class then a small Sunday school class came up to me and said with a gentle firmness, “God is calling me to support you in ministry.”
It was the first time…
A) that anybody had ever called whatever on earth I was doing “ministry.”
and,
B) that there was even enough to be done for anyone to actually help me do it, for crying out loud.
Though I’d already come to like her so much and was instantly taken aback by her kindness, I could not have begun to grasp how God had smiled on me that moment. As I look back on it, she would only have been a couple of years older than I am now.
Her name was Mary Helen Davis. Or, to my family and to multiple hundreds of people at Houston’s First Baptist Church, “Mrs. Mary Helen.” I was in my early thirties and teaching my first ungraded class of women when she walked in one Sunday right before class with one of those off-white rectangular cassette recorders with the big thick buttons. I looked at her curiously and she waved her hand as if to dismiss it entirely and said, “I’m just going to set this right here…” (a folding table near my small podium) “…and record some of these lessons. Who knows but that somebody might want one some time. Don’t pay any attention to it. You’ll never know it’s there.”
Within several years as the class grew, she moved a duplicator upstairs in her home and copied tapes all by herself each week for anybody who signed up for one. And…wait for it…laid hands on every single tape. She hand wrote the title of the lesson on each cassette with a Sharpie. Several years after that, her best buddy and our second official volunteer, Julie Weir, began helping her. Because of God’s grace alone, the class kept growing and people kept ordering and a couple of years after that, we started looking for a tiny little office space so our homes were not turned upside down. I wish I had some way of making this next statement appear on this page with all the passion and honesty that I feel as I write it: NO ONE ON THE PLANET has supported, (accidentally) steered, served and loved this ministry more than Mrs. Mary Helen Davis. She even let me try the name “Living Proof” on her. Turned out, she liked it.
Soon after that, that title developed into the name of a non-profit and necessitated a board of directors. And she was on it.
During all this time, she was not just supporting me in ministry. She supported me in mothering. Melissa was one and Amanda was four when Mrs. Mary Helen first came into our lives. Because she was in both my Sunday School class and my aerobics classes, we saw her a minimum of three times a week. My girls do not remember life pre-Mrs. Mary Helen. To give you some idea of how in love they fell with her, there was a period of years when I never – let me say that again a little louder – I NEVER got one single craft that Melissa Moore did in Sunday School. Nope. Mrs. Mary Helen did. Stay with me here. EVEN MY MOTHER’S DAY PRESENT made in kindergarten Sunday School went straight past me and into Mrs. Mary Helen’s hands. We both laughed so hard behind Melissa’s back that we nearly couldn’t stand up. Mrs. Mary Helen was such a fun sport that she’d take them…and I’d let her…and we’d tell it and retell it on Melissa for years to come. (Amanda was too sensitive about people’s feelings to be as forthright about passing me over for Mrs. Mary Helen but I don’t doubt she wanted to. I’m sure it was a sacrifice.) My mother had gone to be with the Lord Jesus when Amanda married and Mrs. Mary Helen sat right beside me on that front row and when, at the first glimpse of that gorgeous bride, I stood to my feet, she stood right beside me. And bawled her head off.
When Melissa was six years-old and in the hospital for a week, you can guess who she requested. Of course, she got both of us. I did not give over that easy. But at least I got to go home and get a change of clothes on occasion. Melissa swore and declared that Mrs. Mary Helen would be one of her bridesmaids and we were all – including Mrs. Mary Helen – scared to death she was serious. We were all relieved when she gave over at the time and let Mrs. Mary Helen simply stand in place as the Bride’s maternal grandmother. Mrs. Mary Helen just didn’t know if she could bring herself to wear one of those strapless bridesmaids’ dresses.
Mrs. Mary Helen adored my children. And my husband. Oh, she’d laugh at him! (And all the harder if I didn’t think he was very funny.) But, to be fair, she didn’t just love our family. She loved everyone she met. She cooked for people, doted on them and showered them with gifts. Case in point: one time my coworker Sabrina talked about often serving her family their dinner on paper plates. Mrs. Mary Helen never judged her. She just bought her a whole set of dishes. Sabrina treasures them like diamonds set in solid gold today. So many of my coworkers can tell similar stories and all of them can boast in God’s kindness to them shown through that one powerful woman who never appeared anywhere except behind the scenes. She moved to Washington State several years ago to live near her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren – whom she totally adored. We could hardly tear ourselves away from her but her health was declining and she did exactly what she needed to do. Her family got to lap up every possible drop of those last few years. God was all wise. He always is.
Our beloved Mrs. Mary Helen saw Jesus late Wednesday night.
We are so happy for her. And so happy for HIM. He must surely be delighted. And, there is no doubt in my mind that He has the best tape ministry He’s ever had.
But I have cried my eyes out, over and over since her daughter Carol let me know that He’d come for her. She was loving enough to tell me only a couple of minutes later. I am so thankful that she has so graciously allowed me to love her mother alongside her, as my second mother. My girls are heartbroken over her passing, too. Oh, mercy. She was a love. We will grieve to the extent that we loved. We will spend much of next week getting ready for her service. It will be back here in Houston where she raised her family and she will be buried right next to her man.This is the two of them. It was taken I guess about 10 years ago.
This is her and her BFF Julie Weir. We were all dressed in jammies for a staff Christmas party.
A few of us at another staff Christmas party when we moved from a jammy theme to a headdress theme.
And another. She is holding our Jackson in this picture who appeared that day as Claus.
I am almost positive this was taken at Amanda’s wedding:
This picture is Mrs. Mary Helen, her daughter, Carol, and me on a very important day at Living Proof Ministries: the dedication of the Mary Helen Davis Resource Center.
This will be on the wall of that center as long as God chooses for Living Proof Ministries to exist.
We all hope we’re loved but, for all of us, occasionally we absolutely KNOW we are loved. We don’t know why maybe. But we are. I do not know why God caused this woman to love me.
But she did.
And my entire life was changed in those arms.
Beth,
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. What an absolute gift she was. Praying all of us are able to experience a relationship as this in our lifetimes.
Praying for you all, as well as Carol and her family. What a wonderful tribute to such a sweet lady, and the lasting impact she has on so many.
karen:)
What a moving tribute to a woman who believed in you and your gift for women’s ministry before anyone had an inkling of what was to come. My prayers will be with her family as well as yours. My Mary Helen was named Freda and she was my beloved Godmother who never got out of bed in the morning without reading her Bible. When she was dying I lived in another state so I wrote her a letter and told her I didn’t know how to say goodbye to someone who’d always been a part of my life and attended every important moment. Women like this in our lives are a blessing. I’m so glad you and your daughters had this remarkable lady to love and believe in you.
I don’t know much about dying- but what I Do know is that Jesus IS with his people intimately as they walk- no maybe run into His arms- have had the honor of standing on that holy ground on more than one occasion- ohhhhh- blessings of pace and presence to each one of you!
We are sorry that you have lost such a dear friend and we rejoice that she is home. I too have a wonderful friend who is 89 and not doing very well, these ladies are dear to us aren’t they? Thanking God for dear ones.
Thank you for sharing Mrs. Mary Helen with us. What an awesome tribute to a beautiful woman. My heart goes out to all of her loved ones at this time. I know you all will miss her, treasure the memories of her, and anticipate your reunion some day.
A “MARY” through and through.. 😉
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. As I read the comments, I too remember her from the videos, how fun that we were all studying the Word together! I have a “Momma Carolyn” that is not any blood relative, but an amazing part of my life and my spiritual journey. I love her to pieces. Praying for your family, and Carol’s too.
xoxo
Oh, what a sweet person she must’ve been and the sweet sorrow of saying goodby. That warm stinging feeling of missing someone already when they have barely been gone a minute. It just takes your breath away to think about it and how you will manage with out them, you haven’t a clue. I have gone through this afew times with dear friends too. It just makes Heaven so much more anticipated than ever. We look forward to the day He wipes away our tears becuz when He does they will never come into our eyes again. My heartfelt sympathies as you go through this time of sweet remembrances of times past and anticipated times of forever. Love, Betty M
Crying with you, sister. Glad she loved you like that…nothin in the world like that kind of love– that changes us…makes is who God meant for us to be.
Dear, Dear Beth…How I wish you could know how deeply I was affected by your sweet honoring of your dear Mrs. Mary Helen. This world as a whole will be the lesser for her going home…can’t you just imagine the care she’s enjoying giving her Jesus? 🙂
My heart is heavy for you, Beth and for Amanda and Melissa. I am praying for you all. It is so hard to be the ones having to wait to dance on the streets of gold with our loved ones…
May God bless you Beth with more joy from having known her, than grief from having to wait to see her again!
Debbie
I loved what you said, Debbie. It reminded me of what Melissa said the morning after her passing. “This world feels as though it’s not as safe a place.” Of course, she knows God is who makes a place safe but He had used Mary Helen on many occasions to make her world feel safer.
Oh, what a legacy she has left here on this earth!! I pray God will fill the holes left in the hearts of all those she blessed at Living Proof offices and your family especially, Beth. And all of us have been blessed by her over the years, and did not even know it!!
While God has taken her to the other side of Heaven,those left on this side of Heaven must learn to live on without them on this side of Heaven. May God give all of you His comfort, peace and direction as you grieve and then go on. That is what she would want you to do!
Mama Beth, this was so beautiful. Through it, Mary Helen has already touched another life to want to be more like hers… just thought you’d want to know.
Dear Beth, Melissa and Amanda, family and LPM Staff,
Praying for you all as you begin to grieve your friend, encourage r, co-laborer. May you all find your memories sweet and God’s presence in these days filling your hearts and the service and your ministry with such love and peace that only He can bring to these days. There is nothing quite like ushering one we have loved into the gates of Heaven. Awesome and yet we grieve and it is okay. Thank you Jesus we have this Hope!
I am thankful for Mrs. Mary Helen had she not started taping you may have just stayed teaching that class and being quite content doing so and I would never have learned nearly so much about my Lord.
Thank you for sharing your heart, your gift, your love, your family. We love you!
Your sister in Christ. Philemon 4:3-7
Beth, I’m so sorry for your loss! I’ll be praying for you and your family, as well as, Mrs. Mary Helen’s. Thank you for sharing the sweet story of her precious life and servanthood.
Oh, Miss Beth,
As I started to read this post, I began to notice that you were speaking of Mrs. Mary Helen in the past tense, I began to wonder . . .
I haven’t been in Texas since June 2004, so I obviously did not know anything about any decline in her health. However, I do know that she truly was a dear, and true “lady”. I only knew her from across that tape table after Water’s Edge, but her smile was lively and so real. A servant’s heart, yes, that is what she had . . . Precious to all of us, even those who barely knew her . . .
May God bless all of you who mourn so deeply for her at this time . . . Praise be to God for giving you such a precious “2nd mother” . . .
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer O.
Jennifer, I’m so glad to hear from you and I pictured her just as you described her: right at that table in our Water’s Edge class. Thank you for kindling that familiar image of her.
Sharing in your heartache….i just lost a dear friend this evening. Even though at the age of 90, you knew the time for her to go to home to her Lord was near, the ache is still there. We rejoice that our friends now see Jesus face to face! What a day that will be… Keeping you and your family in prayer. May we all carry the torch and be a “Mrs. Mary Helen” to someone.
With love and prayers….
Well, that was beautiful Beth. How blessed you are to have had this special relationship in your life. My heart aches for someone like that in my life.
Beth – what a special post about your beloved second mother. Your special words make us feel like we knew mrs Mary helen. With sympathy to you, your family and her family. How wonderful to know she is with Jesus. God bless
What a beautiful example of what God can do when we take the time to pour into another’s life. While I was not blessed to have Mary Helen in my life, my prayer is that I can become a Mary Helen for another.
May you be comforted as you mourn.
You are apart of her beautiful legacy!
Sorry for the loss of a great love!
I could see her love for you in your hugging picture – she seemed to glow!!!
May the service bring rejoicing in her life dedication for those who attend!
How absolutely precious… what a special blessing! With prayers for you and your family as well as hers…
Such a wonderful and sweet tribute. I am sorry about your loss of someone so dear to you and yours.
I am so sorry for your loss! It is hard to lose someone so special as your friend and sister and second mother Mrs. Mary Helen! I will be praying for you and your family and Mrs. Mary Helen’s family also..
Sending a virtual hug to you!
Carol and Beth….praise the Lord…this separation truly is…just for a little while. May expectation fill you to overflowing! Thank you for sharing her with us. What she must have felt to hear the Lord say, “Well done!” We love you, Beth. Thank you for your willingness to be real with us…no masks…just Jesus.
Welcome home Mrs. Mary Helen. Praying for you, Momma Beth, and Amanda & Melissa as you all prepare to say goodbye… until you meet again at those pearly gates.
{{{{{Hug}}}}}
Anna
Dear Beth, what a beautiful love story. Hopefully this testimony will help me when I feel God is calling me to do something. We are not all called to be “up front” (I am not),
but so much can be done behind the scenes to help someone else. May I someday be a “mrs Mary Helen” to someone in need. Love you, Beth.
Another beautiful message! Praying for you as you remember such a special lady in your life! And rejoicing with you as you imagine how happy she is now! We can only Imagine!!
Philemon 4-7
“I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.”
Thank You so much Beth for sharing your heart with us!
I love you!
I am sitting here with tears streaming. I volunteered for LPM on Tuesday night Bible Study and worked the resource table with Mrs. Mary Helen. We often arrived around 3:30 to start setting up. I spent many hours with this precious lady. She was definitely one-of-a-kind. So sweet and oh so precious. She loved her God and she surely loved you, Beth. So often, she would tell stories and her love for you was abundantly clear. While it’s sad to see a precious one leave this earth, there is great rejoicing in knowing she is with the Lord. I will always have fond memories of what time I got to share with Mrs. Mary Helen Davis.
Julie, this meant so much to me. I am so thankful your lives intersected in such a tender way.
I am so sorry. I thank you for sharing her with me. I am so thankful to God for giving her the insight to tape your bible studies. In a way because of her wisdom my life was touched by her through you and I am a different person because of this. May God continue to bless you.
This precious story touches my heart as today I attended the funeral of my dear friend, Vivian. Only God could take a simple meeting of two women and create a lifetime of memories. Hearts touched, hearts loved, hearts weeping. Thank you for sharing.
Mama Beth I am so sorry for your loss and oh so grateful to Mrs. Mary Helen for supporting you and loving you to begin LPM. We have all reaped the benefits of your friendship. I just finished the 12th lesson of Daniel on Tuesday and you spoke of the last enemy “death” being defeated. What a glorious day that will be. I look forward to meeting Mrs Mary Helen when I get to heaven. I would love to have a hug.
Here’s to you Mrs Mary Helen Davis
Your life was a blessing
Your memory a treasure
You are loved beyond words
And missed beyond measure
Deepest sympathy to you, your family, her family and friends.
Carolyn
Oceanside,Ca
As I read I was thinking how great our God is to place people in our life. I read every would with understanding of the love between you both. My heart breaks that you had to give her up. But what a joyful day in heaven. God is so awsome to placing people in our life.
Let me share with you the blessing I have gotten. I’ll be 36 soon. 6 days now I guess and on my birthday I should know by then. If I’m having to fight cancer. Any other time that would totally flip me out to even say. But god placed this woman in my life. The most godly woman I know. She has been here every step on this roller coaster ride with me. Listening to me cry, laugh and some day just sob. She has been here when I felt all alone. Shfe is a big sister to me showing me love I’ve never known. Lifting me up to god so much and when I loss sight she points me in the direction and that is to god.
Beth I understand ur blessing
Oh, Rebecca, I am so thankful that God has given you someone so dear. May He stand you to your feet healed and whole.
Beth
Thank-you … You are my sister in Christ that I’ve lean on through the years through your bible study as face to face with a battle that may be before me. I know that God has has already been there and he is walking with me. I would be lying if I said I am not scared. I’ve been through a lot . But this is far greater then all. As I wait for blood work to come back. I set and weep and pray. That if this fight is placed before me that I will have wisdom and knowledge to fight this battle. And stand on gods word. Till he calls me home. Beth you are loved by me.
I think of Psalm 27 as I read your words. Read them aloud, dear Rebecca, right now. May His Presence pulsate through every verse.
Thank-you.. I so needed that. Beth thank you for being you. God has used your works. To help me in my walk so many times. From drug abuse, to fighting my whole family to protect a child and now as the unknowingly await. Who shall I fear. Love you sister
Beth, Thank you for sharing such a tender time with us. I will be praying for you, your girls and Mrs. Mary Helens family as you go through this very sad time. God is so GOOD!!! He sent me a Mary Helen to love me, shortly after the death of my dear Mother. She loved me too and I know it. God comfort each of you as only He can!!! Sharon
I’m crying again…when am I not crying reading this blog…I LOVE this blog…I think your Mary Helen was in one of your teaching videos, wasn’t she…”When Godly People Do UnGodly Things?”. I remember thinking how sweet she looked sitting there listening. I loved this post!!God brings so many wonderful people in our lives!! Praise you Lord for sisters in you!!
Yes, Maria! She surely was! I am so touched that you remembered her in it.
What a beautiful tribute to Mary Helen – God’s gift to you and many others! I had tears streaming down my face as I thanked Him for Godly spiritual Mamas who see things in us that we don’t yet see. He gave me such a gift, and she has been with Jesus for 9 years now. Eternity seems sweeter every day! Praying God’s strength and comfort for you,your girls, and her family. Also, joining in prayer right now that all Siestas would have a God sent spiritual Mama. He is faithful!
Beth, what a wonderful tribute to a wonderful woman. What a blessing the two of you were for each other. I know her loss cuts deeply, and will cover you, Amanda and Melissa (as well as Mary Helen’s blood family) in my prayers. God used her greatly, didn’t he?
A beautiful tribute and memorial, for a lady whom deserved it,Prayers are lifted for each of you during this painful loss. Thank you for sharing her love for you and family as well as her own family. God Bless you.
How much we need those special women in our lives! I miss my own dear mama so very very much….I need some loving and support like that, and I hope I can be that for someone else.
God be with you all, may the memories always warm you heart and soul.
What a beautiful gift!
Oh, MamaBeth, I am so sorry for your loss. I will pray for you as you grieve. I am grateful for her support of you, too! I have loved every bible study, every book, every blog post, everything you have written has oozed Jesus to me, and I’ve loved every minute of it! I always read my bible every day, from the moment I came to Christ, and sometimes even before that! I totally destroyed my mama’s bible in high school, though none of it would sink in until I experienced the real, tangible love of Christ through another person! I immediately thought of him when you talked about with some you KNOW you are loved. He was one of those people. The first one in my life. I do believe that in those weeks prior to my receiving Christ, he WAS Jesus to me. Jesus showed Himself to me through that man so many times, even after I came to know Him personally (oh, man, the tears are about to come yet again. I can feel them threatening and the lump in my throat…oh, man!) I’ve always referred to him as my spiritual daddy, as opposed to my Daddy (God) if you get my drift. He was the father I never had and definitely filled that role in my life in college before I got married. In fact, my future husband must have gave him an odd look the first time he saw him hug me, because Josh practically got a reprimand afterwards. Still with his arms around me, he turned me and himself toward Josh and said something like, “Hey, young man, I will hug her anytime I want. I knew this young lady long before you came into the picture.” It was made very clear to him that no way was he pushing Dave out of my life. If my own daddy had not been alive I probably would have had Dave walk me down the aisle. About now, I wish I would have. If only I’d have known that my wedding would be the last time I’d ever see him! (Okay, now I’m crying! Why do you do this to me?!!!:) I would talk to him on the phone after that, but those first few years of our marriage, Josh decided I needed to completely let go of the people I knew in Coeur d’Alene in order to embrace those in Moscow (which never happened as much as I tried) and I only talked to him once during the time he lived in Coeur d’Alene still and Josh is so sorry he did that. Josh only lived in Coeur d’Alene a few months and said he didn’t realize just how close I had come to the people at the church where I first came to know Jesus. He found out when my biological father moved there and we went for a visit that tons of people at the church had been asking about me and how I was doing and they were all very concerned cause they hadn’t heard from me. He had no idea I was so important to them and since I never expressed feelings much cause I didn’t know how to, he could never know how much they meant to me! I wasn’t able to see him when I was in town, but talked to him on the phone! I so wish there were more pictures of him from our wedding! the few I have I’ve stared at for so long! A couple years after that (we still weren’t very good about keeping in touch! Social networking has helped with that tremendously! Too bad we didn’t have that then.) we went up and found out that he had been diagnosed with cancer and he was convinced he wasn’t going to get better. (No one else was convinced yet at that time.) I started to ask for contact info for him then, but couldn’t get the words out for the lump in my throat. No way was I going to let someone see me cry over this man! I’m telling you, I was so afraid of my emotions, I just could not deal with it. I determined that I wouldn’t call or ask about him until I heard that God had healed him and brought him back to Idaho (he was in Texas at the time) and I could see him and talk to him myself. When I finally started dealing with my own issues through Celebrate Recovery, I thought of him again and decided I could email someone and ask about him. I still couldn’t bear the thought of crying on the phone or in person, but I could do email. It was too late. I found out he’d passed away the month before. He was right. He didn’t get better. He died in Texas, and it still kills me that I never got a chance to say goodbye, because I was too proud to admit how much I loved him. I told his wife this, and she just whispered to me, “He knew, Shellie. He knew.” Somebody else pointed out to me that he knows now, that they’re sure Jesus has told him all about it, probably stuff about it that he and I never knew this side of heaven. It’s not quite the same as telling him myself, but it does help knowing that he knows. I miss him so much! I’m sorry to go off on that while you’re grieving your own loss. I better get off of here before I flood my own laptop with tears and kill it!!
Anyway, if you’re interested in hearing about my sweet Dave, I’ve written about him a few times here: http://www.spaparazzo.blogspot.com/
I’ll have to make sure I put “Dave” as one of the topics or whatever they’re called. Maybe I already have, but I’ll check and make sure.
Someday I will learn that if I am going to click on your blog I should have kleenex handy. Rejoicing with you over this blessing in your life and praying as you grieve.
Wow! All that and I never got to my point about bible study. I always read my bible and Dave and many others always encouraged bible study in my life, so I was in a bible study every semester from the time I came to Christ, but I mostly did it because I knew I was supposed to, until I did my first Beth Moore bible study! Soon after that I became a ravenous beast!!! As you know, though, nothing got me as good as Believing God! I knew I was a mess and that I needed Jesus to heal me at that point, but yes, my first bible study of yours was Living Beyond Yourself and I’ll never see the fruit of the spirit the same again. It just got me how practical that study was. Like nothing I’d ever experienced before! God’s Word started to become real to me at that point, if that makes any sense! So much more than just an old book! And, seeing that, none of it may have been without Mary Helen Davis, I am eternally grateful to her as well, even though I’ve never met her!
I think we all need a Mrs. Mary Helen in our lives. One thing I love about the body of Christ is how we can be Spiritual Moms & Dads, Aunts & Uncles, Grandmas & Grandpas to those in our church families. Our two children have been the recipients of that kind of generous love during the years we’ve lived away from blood family. Our current church is quite small, but is made up mostly of divorced families. My husband and I take seriously our God-given roles of being “Aunty Amy” & “Uncle David” to those kids, who just may grow up knowing Jesus a little better because of us. Such a huge responsibilty, but what a tremendous honor! Truly, you and your family were blessed by having Mrs. Mary Helen as your Spiritual Mom & Grandmother. What precious memories!! And how sweet it is that “we do not grieve as those without hope.” (1 Thess. 4:13)
With love & appreciation for you and yours,
Amy in Hawaii
Beth,
I am so sorry for your family’s loss. I know you are rejoicing as you can over this. Thank you for sharing her story with us. While I read it I thought of my grandmother and how much she loved me. We should all be so blessed as to have a Mary Helen in our lives or to be a Mary Helen to others.
I am studying James and she fits right in doesn’t she?
Beth, thank you for sharing 🙂 I don’t mean to sound superficial but I just had to tell you. I LOVE your hair in the picture of you, Carol, and Mrs. Mary Helen! It’s gorgeous 🙂
Oh, Beth, may His grace embrace you, your girls and Ms. Helen’s family as you walk through these days. As I read this, I realized Ms. Helen touched my life too. I have been listening to your teaching online on the book of Romans and have wondered several times who had the unction to start recording your teachings? Now I know. It was this precious lady! I am forever grateful to her sensitive and obedient heart. You said once that the Lord knows when someone will need to hear a teaching; whether it is immediately or several years later. He sent her to you, so He could talk to me. Again, my heart mourns with you during this time. Please know that my prayers and love go out to all of you who loved her deeply.
“Because He predestined, Ms. Helen, He called her and justified her and now He has glorified her.” Rom 8:30
What a beautiful story and what a role model she was.
Sweet Lord Jesus,
Please pick up each one of these wonderful Sisters in the Lord, wrap them up in Your everlasting, strong arms, and let them feel your great Love, your great Peace, and be filled with your great Hope. My heart hurts for each one of these sweet sisters that has lost someone close to them this week. I know that death eventually touches each one of our lives, but thank you, Sweet Jesus, for the beautiful promise of Heaven where we will see those precious faces again. Thank you for minds that retain those precious memories. Flood them, Lord, with a “peace that passes all understanding.” Those who don’t have you as Saviour cannot comprehend how we can travel these roads of sorrow with joy and peace. Help us, in the midst of these sorrows, to maintain a testimony to draw the unsaved to you. Our other sweet Sisters who have commented of other needs in their lives today, please Lord, meet those needs in such a way that they cannot help but stand in awe of your Amazing Grace and Love. Thank you, Lord, that across the miles, we can hold each other up. Be our Strength. Be our Peace. Be our Rock.
I sure do love you, Beth Moore! My 104 year old grandmother, “Nonnie,” is on her way to Glory this weekend, we think. Sweet, beautiful, hard, glorious days indeed!
What an amazing tribute and what an amazing woman! This reminds me of our first teaching session in James where you taught on family. It also reminds me of my mother…oh how she loves and what an encouragement she is to others. May we all strive to be more like Mrs. Mary Helen!