Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful (Colossians 4:1 NIV).

Another treasured memory from my childhood is the way my mother taught us by example the importance of prayer. If I couldn’t   find my glasses, which was often, Mama’s solution was, “We need to pray.” If we were having a hard time driving up our steep, snow-covered hill, she exhorted, “We need to pray.” If money was scarce, her on-going mantra, “We need to pray.”

Because of Mom’s example, I never worried that God might be too busy dealing with wars and epidemics to concern Himself about my less important requests. I had experienced His intervention in ordinary situations too often for anyone to convince me of that. And I was not alone–the lives of many others in our community were also impacted by Mom’s life of prayer. Even after she was a resident in Goodwill Mennonite Home, a young man called to ask if he could visit her to receive counsel and prayer.

After Mom passed away in August of 2000, our daughter, Angelyn, chose one of her Grandma Beiler’s Bibles to take home. Later, she discovered that Mom had documented her commitment to be  prayer warrior on the first page of the Bible. “I give myself to the Lord to pray without ceasing for anything the Holy Spirit presents until the answer comes.” Mom did indeed fulfill Paul’s exhortation to “devote yourselves to prayer.”

 Heavenly Father, I pray that we would be faithful to devote ourselves to prayer and keep the legacy of prayer alive for our children and our grandchildren. Amen.

Photo 1: My mom, Ruth Beiler,  me in her arms and my sisters Lucy (beside us), Ruthie (in front of Lucy) and Judy, 1951 or early 1952. I have two brothers who are not on this picture and a sister in heaven. Photo 2: Goodwill Mennonite Home; Photo 3 Angelyn and her Grandma Beiler around 1974; Photo 3 Angelyn, her daughter, Joy, and me around 2000.

(Devotional from Homespun Faith, Reflections from the Seasons of Life, copyright 2014 Daisy Beiler Townsend. Available as paperback or ebook: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Xulon Press. Locally at Fresh Grounds, M & M Grocery, Leanna’s Books, Penn Alps in Grantsville, Maryland, or from me 724-373-8445 or donaisy@neo.rr.com.)