My Momma!

My mom wears many titles but I like the one I call her by the most.  I want to take a moment to tell a story of love, forgiveness and redemption!
My parents got married somewhat young and I'm sure they both thought it would be "happily ever after" as they were declaring their I do's but that just wasn't the case.  Several months after getting married they found themselves pregnant with their first child.  It wasn't long after that my dad became unfaithful... with more than one woman.  Then they had their second.  I can only imagine how hard it must have been for my mother to be in love with a man who wasn't in love with her in return.  Then I came along... possibly the worst timing ever.  I'm sure there were moments she or both of them wished they hadn't had me.  Not because I was a bad child but because it added one more complication to the marriage.
My dad resigned from his job as a pastor which he should have done!!! He decided from that moment on he would never be in ministry again because he didn't want to disappoint people again.  I'm sure people treated as a disappointment because he didn't have a good track record for making good decisions.
As time when on my dad became an alcoholic and was still unfaithful to my mother.  After receiving a call from my dads girlfriend telling her that she was marrying my dad and their was nothing my mom could do about it she decided she had had enough.  She waited, prayed and hoped for years that my dad would do right but she saw no end in sight.  They filed for divorce.  I will never forget the day she told him... I had never heard my parents argue (which is crazy considering the hardships of their relationship).
So we moved to Kentucky and my mom broken as she was showed us kids that God's strength really is perfect in our weakness.  My dad called her and told her he was marrying someone else... she hung up the phone and the enemy filled her mind with thoughts of "who will ever want me, what church would ever want me, I'll never be able to minister again...".  Then God gave her this scripture Psalm 4:4 ⁴Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.
She decided she would not let my dad even see her face.  A few short months later my dad was married and that lasted about two weeks.  He called my mom and said to her "anna, I know I've made mistakes and I understand if you don't want me but if you'll have me I would like to put our family back together again".  As she stood their looking out the back door window God brought Psalm 4:4 back to her memory STAND IN AWE and sin not.  My mom had done all she could to help my dad be the man he should be.  To help him be a good dad, to help him be a good husband but God didn't need her help.  He wanted her to be STILL and know that HE was God.
So we moved back to Ohio and my parents got remarried and I wish I could say that was the end of hardship for my mother but it wasn't.  My dad became a severe alcoholic and for those of you who have been around people like that it's not fun.  Years pass by and I'm sure my mom wondered why she came back but GOD knew what HE was doing.
One night as my dad was sleeping God gave Him a dream.  In his dream he was walking through the house and he could see that the holy spirit was upon him.  God brought him to a room full of people to a plate of cookies (yes cookies) and he picked one up and broke it in half.  Then he handed half to a person and when he looked back at the cookie it was whole again.  So he fed the people.  Then he woke up and that moment was the moment my dad was transformed!  He prayed all night while listening to worship music.  He never looked back!
Many many years roll by and my dad was still going strong in christ but people still rejected him because of his past.  People couldn't forgive his mistakes or his past behaviors.  So my parents were sitting around talking about church and my mom says "why don't we start a church".  That was the beginning of a ministry that would not only change peoples lives but be used to save peoples lives literally and figuratively.
I share all this because my mom lived a life of forgiveness, grace and kindness and my father left his past behind him many lives have been affected.  No one chooses to go through hardship, sadness and trails but GOD always creates purpose out of it.  Not only is my momma an inspiration to all woman (especially those who can relate to her story) but she is apart of great union that God has uses mightily!  My parents are amazing people!  My father though his past transgressions were many God has used Him  to bring hope to those who haven't been "perfect".  People who have pasts or maybe even present day issues... THERE IS HOPE!  My dad no longer has to think about people at church rejecting him because of his past because we have a church where everyone is accepted the way they are.  That doesn't mean you excuse sin or approve of it but it means that you LOVE people ... really LOVE them for who they are!
It's mothers day and I love my mother more than words could even express but I also love that she stood by my dad through sickness and health, richer or poorer till death does them part.  You don't see those kind of women often.  I know that it was a hardship for our family but we would endure it all over again because we know what GOD has brought from it.
A big happy mothers day to my momma Anna Marie Brooks! I love you!!! To her second half, my dad, I can't wait till fathers day ;) I love you too!!!!