Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, for the promise of life in Christ Jesus: To Timothy, my dearly loved son. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, when I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day. Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy, clearly recalling your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois, then in your mother Eunice, and that I am convinced is in you also. 2 Timothy 1:1-5
My words…
Praise
You have convicted me of the clear fact that my praise of You is just as vital to my life as the food I eat and water I drink. The more I praise You, the stronger I become, in my spirit. Praise equals strength. Praise equals breakthroughs. I have become more enlightened through my praise of You than in any other spiritual communication. How did I learn this? Through Your Spirit. How did I know where to find Your Spirit? Through Your words. What words? The ones written on the thin onion skin paper, bound in leather, given to me by my mom. I still have that Bible. It was made with a zipper closure. After a while, the zipper band tore away from the cover, so I stitched it back together with red embroidery thread. I didn’t know the full impact those pages would have on my life. (I still don’t, really.) But I did know the words were important. I knew they were Your words. And who, in their right mind, wouldn’t want to listen to You? It just made sense to me. And over the decades, I learned to praise. And that has made all the difference. Thanks, Mom.
Forgive me
When I had children, I became part of the Legacy. I don’t think I have ever asked You to forgive my weakness in upholding it. So I am asking You now. I didn’t spend enough time growing a sincere faith to pass down. I spent more time making sure my kids were in a pew. Wearing clean clothes. Being quiet. Who would want that Legacy?
Prayer for me
I rely on Your Spirit to grow my faith, make it more sincere, more genuine. One day, perhaps, it will have become a beautiful Legacy I can leave behind, as did Lois and Eunice.
Prayer for others
I pray that You will strengthen every mother and grandmother who is raising children alone, especially those who are sharing Your words, written on thin paper bound in a book. I know how tiring and discouraging it can be. But I also know the joy of seeing Your words penetrate a young spirit and set it walking on a well-lit path.
Thank You
Thank you for placing me in my Legacy. Of all the families I could have been born into, I praise You that I was born into mine!
More praise
Praise is all about knowing who I am in respect to who You are, where I am in respect to where You are, what I know in respect to what You know. I am just a small carbon life-form with a limited intelligence (very limited) existing on just one of a gazillion planets in the universe. But that’s not praise. I am a daughter of The King, living in Your kingdom among the stars You spoke into twinkling, knowing You created the whole thing for me. And I am prostrate. In praise.
