Marilyn's Mother and the Word
Marilyn Meeks Beverley sent me the following bittersweet story about her family.
She wrote, "She lived only twelve days, yet my twin's life impacted our family for eternity. During the months that our mama carried us in her womb, she worked for a publisher who printed Christian tracts. Mama walked to work, and literally threw up every morning. Then at work she would proof the tracts filled with scripture saying that if we repent of sin, believe in Jesus Christ, the Cross, and His Resurrection and receive Him into our hearts, we receive a new life in Christ and eternal life.
"On July twelfth, 1955, Mama went into early labor. We were born 2 1/2 months early. I spent the first six weeks of my life in an incubator. My twin spent two weeks, her entire life in an incubator.
"When my twin died, mama's heart broke. I had an older sister who died at birth, my brother was born, then mama had several miscarriages-then we were born. We were not expected to live so were baptized by the Catholic priest.
"When I was able to come home, the battle was not over. I would quit breathing and turn blue. No one would feed me because they were afraid I would die, so Mama cared for me 24 hours a day.
"Finally she broke from physical, mental and emotional exhaustion. She knelt by her bed and called out to God and repeated those words she had read day after day--for all have sinned, repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house, and for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.
"That day kneeling by the bed, she repented and believed and Jesus Christ met her there. From that day forward she prayed for the salvation of my daddy and other family members and one by one they were saved. She saw her children marry Christian spouses and her grandchildren come to Jesus.
I praise You, dear Jesus, because You are faithful to use Your Word You prompt us to share even if we see no results.
"So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; it will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11 AMP).
