There is nothing like a prayer warrior in one’s life! Yesterday, early afternoon, I met with my prayer warrior, Lois. She had done a little homework for me putting scriptures to a list of what’s called “thinking errors”–a document we use in counseling. However, the time turned into something I wasn’t expecting. As I sat down for us to talk, she said she wanted to tell me something. She said that most of us wait until someone dies to tell just how much they meant to us. Well, she wanted to tell me right then how much I meant to her and to God. I could hardly hear the message I got so choked up. Several months ago Lois had told me I was like a second son to her. I confirmed to her that she was like a second mom to me. As she concluded her compliments and I was able to speak, I told her that I’d longed for a message like this from my mom. I so wanted to know I met her approval. However, that had never happened. However, for reasons only God knows, He had Lois give me the message yesterday.

The motivation to serve God as a young man was mostly about receiving His approval. Little did I know then about His Love for me. Today my motivation to serve God comes from a depth of gratitude for God being so loving, so forgiving, so compassionate. There are so many in our world that do not know God and certainly do not know these generous characteristics of Him. I want to do my part in passing them along just as Lois did for me yesterday.