31 Days of Life Stories #18

As my thoughts turn toward Sunday, I think about how faith has played such an important part in our family life. I also think about how it was the women who kept the faith in the beginning.

It's sad but true that a lot of our men in their early years didn't have time for God. BUT they had praying mamas, wives and grandmas so they really didn't stand a chance. It was just a matter of time before they would get right with God.

In my dad's case, his mama prayed for him for a lot of years - along with my mom, of course. He was 34 years old when his mom passed away after a bout of throat cancer followed by lung cancer. (And, she never even smoked!) 

On the last visit they had together, Grandma told Dad she would gladly go through the pain of suffering with cancer again if it meant that all her four of her boys would get right with God.

Grandma's 4 Boys (Dad is the one on the left)

He couldn't forget her words. Talk about conviction! He knew her desire was for him to have a genuine conversion. It was nothing you could go into half-heartedly.

Finally tired of wrestling with the whole thing, on the way to work one day, he surrendered. He turned over his life to God and asked for help. He had to pull the truck over onto the shoulder of the interstate and cry it out.

When it was over, he was a new man. He acted differently. He had new behaviors. Was he perfect from then on? No, he still had to work on his temper. He still struggled with giving up nicotine. Still, it wasn't long before the guys he worked with could tell a change had come over him. Sure they made fun of him when he wouldn't go have a beer with them anymore; but soon they began telling him their troubles and asking him to pray for them.

I was 17 years old when Dad gave his heart to the Lord. I'd have 17 more years with him before God called him home. Dad was determined to live more for God than he ever did for worldly things. I know God can really make a new creation when a person surrenders their will to His, because I saw the evidence firsthand.

I'm thankful for answers to prayers.

This post is #18 in my series, 31 Days of Life Stories. Hundreds of writers are linking up at the 31 Day Writing Challenge hosted by Crystal Stine. There is a wealth of information on many topics. Go visit and see! I'll be posting under the category "Inspiration and Faith."