“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”
2 Timothy 1:5

Before I was born, my mother prayed a prayer she modeled after Hannah, the mother of Samuel the prophet. She asked God for a son and promised that if God would give her a son she would give him to be dedicated to the Lord. At the time, she was not imagining that I would one day grow up to be a preacher. (I was 13 years old when I told them that I felt God calling me towards ministry…they were both surprised.) She simply prayed the desires of her heart to God promising that she would do her part to raise godly children. I know that my life has been richly blessed because of the faith that existed in my parents. They instilled a deep passion and appreciation for God in my life from as far back as I can remember. In fact, I am still being blessed by their prayers, love, and continuing growth in faith in Christ Jesus.
In one way or another faith is formed through relationship. For many of us it was first formed in the blessed nurture of a Godly mother or grandmother. She cared for you when you were hungry, tired, or hurting. My mother was the one who helped me see God amidst all of life, even the difficult aspects. From the shadowy fears of the dark to the growing pains of loss my mother was always there with godly words of comfort to ease my distress. Like a good doctor, my mother always knew how to prescribe just the right Scripture to meet the needs of my heart. Often, she encouraged me with the instruction of Jesus to not worry, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33 NIV). Her love and faith taught me so much. It showed me, even at a very young age, to learn to trust God with all the concerns of my life. God bless those mother’s who have shown us the way of faith.