Thankful... Day 4

Today I am thankful for the Godly women who have had influence in my life. We were talking about this at Ladies Bible Study this morning. We are studying God's Priorities for Today's Women.

I am so blessed to have had, and currently have, so many wonderful women's influences in my life. 

I have to start this list with my Mom. She has been such a Godly Woman and such an influence on my life. She was a Godly wife and is a Godly mother. 

Rachel, Jessica and my Mom at the Memorial Day Parade in Wayne, PA., my hometown.

She has served her Lord through my whole life. She still spends much time each day reading her Bible. She served her Lord in VBS, Sunday School, Ladies meetings, she was a deaconess (took care of preparing and cleaning up from communion each month), and was in choir. She loves to sing the good old hymns in the hymnal and I got my love of them and my love of singing harmony from her. We used to keep a hymnal in the car and would sing together, her on melody, me on harmony, while my dad drove all over on Sunday afternoons. She has been influential in my kids lives also. Especially since she is their only grandparent.

 She worked while I was growing up but she worked at the local school so that she could be home when I was. When I got older she got a better job at a Chiropractor's office. During the summer I would often go with her to work and sit in the back room and do stuff. She has been an example of a Godly widow. My dad died in 1976 just before I turned 15. It was a hard time. She was there for me. She was there for me when I went off to college and was terribly, terribly home sick. She allowed me to come home as often as I could get a ride... college was 3 hrs. from home... but I had to promise to go back after the weekend was over. That is how homesick I was. My second year I was a lot less homesick, I only came home for regular breaks... not between times. My third year even less. My fourth year I did not even come for some of the shorter breaks. I went to a friends house. God was good. Mom was firm when she needed to be.

There were a lot of other ladies who were influential in my growing up years. Unfortunately I don't have photos of them. I do have their images in my mind. There was Aunt Sarah (not my Aunt, but everyone called her that), Mrs. Carbo, Mrs. Cunningham, Mrs. Samworth, Mrs. Longworth, and others. These ladies were my Sunday School Teachers, VBS teachers, they prayed for me and I knew it. They were a Godly influence. I am sure they are enjoying their reward in heaven now.

There are ladies from my current church.

The first one I think of is our growth group leader's wife.

She is also the leader of the Ladies Bible Study I go to.

 Here is a picture of her with my daughters at the ground breaking for our new addition to our church.

 There are other ladies from my churches, past and present, have also been an influence.

Here is a group of us at a Ladies Spring Refresher, our church's ladies retreat.

I am thankful for my daughters also. Even though they are young they are a Godly example. They exemplify that verse in I Timothy... 1 Timothy 4:12 "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." That is my girls. They are all of that. They are an example to many... including me. They pick me up when I am down, pray for me, serve their family and others, reach out to old and young, They are wonderful young women. I am so proud of them.

Well, that is what I am thankful for today, the influence of Godly women in my life.

What about you? Take time to be thankful in these days leading up to Thanksgiving. Join us and post on your blog or on Facebook. Click the button(s) above to visit the hostesses of the challenges.

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