Perseverance

Her home is Guatemala.

Mine is mostly North Dakota.

She travelled 1500 miles from the south to see her grand kids.

I travelled 1400 miles from the north to see my grand kids.

She had planned her trip months ahead.

I had planned my trip months ahead.

She was in Midland, Texas to spend the night.

I was in Midland, Texas to spend the night.

She didn't know her grandson would be graduating from 6th grade while she was there.

I didn't know my grandson would be graduating from 6th grade while I was there.

We didn't plan to be there at the same time.

What a coincidence!

We slept in the same king sized bed with a long-legged 7 year old girl between us

- hugging us, patting us, talking into the night, and waking with us.

We visited non-stop - just catching up.

And we kept saying,

 "Oh, this is so good.  It is just God.  He is so amazing."

He IS!

Pat and I were friends before we ever saw the spark of love in the eyes of

her son and my daughter.

We wished for it and hoped for it.

But she was wise enough to pray for my daughter all her son's life. 

We went to the 6th grade graduation where each elementary class gave a short presentation. 

The first graders sang and signed The Perfect Ten (Commandments).

Their dad, her son, my son-in-law gave the commencement address

and made us all so very proud.



He talked to the six-graders about

Perseverance.

He told them about

Thomas Edison (3000 failed light bulbs before success)

Milton Hershey (years of failure before the Hershey Kiss)

Colonel Harland Sanders (many rejections, began starting KFC at age 65)

Michael Jordan (rejected by his high school basketball team)

Walt Disney (once fired for lack of creativity)

But the greatest story of perseverance,

was about about a missionary who was crippled from polio at age 3.

She walked with braces and crutches, married, worked, and raised two sons.

At age 20, she had felt the call to be a missionary,

but was denied by her denomination's mission board because of her disability.

She held the mission dream in her heart for 33 years,

when she and Charlie heard the call again, they sold everything they owned,

and struck out on a faith mission for Guatemala.

She elevated to heroine status

when she said goodbye to her children and grandchildren.

This one was only three weeks old.

She left with a heavy heart and lots of tears

following the call of God and the dream

He had placed in her heart.

She is an amazing, persevering woman of God.

For more about their ministry

click on the link below:

His Appointed Time Ministries