Last night, I was surfing the net...something I really have enjoyed doing for about 10 years now! Unbelievable how this decade has passed by...I visited one of the hometown papers where I lived 14 years ago. I noticed that one of my friends had died on Monday and the memorial was earlier in the day. I was abit taken back. I was not aware that there was a service. I missed it.
Another earthly friend has entered into a heavenly place in the presence of Almighty God. This is something to be happy about that they are in the presence of God.
Her name is Madelyn and I met her back when we had located to the town she was living near. We became fast friends as we traveled to Topeka to attend a rally. She drove her van filled with Ladies and I sat up front and away we went...visiting and getting to chat about common ground between us.
Later I would go to Wichita with her as she had a Doctor's appointment. Afterwards she introduced me to Chinese Food at Qwan Court. My husband was working in Wichita at the time and after becoming aware of this place, we'd frequent Qwan Court for Chinese Food. Their Lemon Chicken was a favorite of ours.
Madelyn wasn't shy about her Faith in Christ and walking the Christian Life. She shared with me about her early days. She'd been married several times before she made her way to where she was living then. Death of her first husband and then a divorce from an unfaithful husband were her experience. Her present husband was a farmer and she'd share how when he introduced her to his mother, the mother hated her...I mean HATED her. The momma was not pleased that her baby boy was interested in another woman other than momma. Can I hear an, "That's aweful! Shouldn't momma be glad that her son had found a companion/love to share his life with???"
When Madelyn's soon to be husband had left the room, the momma lit into her about "I will never accept you!!!"
Madelyn cried about this and shared with her soon to be husband what had happened. Of course married life would have challenges from this momma that had purposed in her heart to not accept her son's soon to be wife. When we wed, we wed our spouse and though the parents are important, this relationship with parents or grown children cannot be more important than our marriage to our spouse. Our marriages takes priority over the parents wanting to hang onto their children as if they are still minors living under their roof and supervising the child which has now grown into an adult themselves and are to run their own estate and household.
When the parents have difficulty in turning loose of their children as God wants us to, it only causes problems that aren't suppose to be there. A man is to leave his mother and father to cleave to his beloved wife. When the husband doesn't do this...well it creates strife, hurt and distance where there is suppose to be a tenderness between husband and wife. The two shall become ONE. The wife can cause problems as well by not putting her husband first before her parents and respecting her husband's opinion. If the parents are continually butting in and running the show...they are sinning and not honoring God's instructions.
The man is to be the wife's covering to protect and provide for her. This is how God has wired us. When we don't honor God's design, we cause calamity to come and this can be heck getting this thing straightened out.
Knowing her story would help me down the road when some rejection issues would arise with my own in-laws. God bless my in-laws. The story is for a different day. There's hope with Jesus. He will receive you and love you when the world will abuse you and desire to murder your reputation.
Long story short, Madelyn's Christianity caused her husband to pause and think about his own eternity. He admitted that he was lost (not knowing God and without God's Spirit in him) and didn't have salvation (being redeemed, and filled with God's Holy Spirit to change us, teach us, guide and direct us). He'd accept Christ and become BORN AGAIN (becoming a child of God, original sin being washed clean, entering into a rightful relationship with a Holy God, human soul being redeemed and introduced to the abundant life).
He credits his wife for helping him become a child of God and becoming heaven bound. He'd gone to church, but Jesus was not his savior until Madelyn came into his life as his wife. When we accept Jesus the Christ as savior, we inherit the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit will help us to understand the things of God. The unbeliever considers the things of God as nonsense. It isn't until we have become BORN AGAIN that our souls have been renewed and redeemed. It isn't about how good a person we are or how many great things we've done...it's about being washed in the blood of Christ...believing He paid the price by dying on the cross and taking the sins of the world on himself...believing He is the son of God...believing the Bible in that He is who He says He is and He did the things He said He did. Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity. There's the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Ghost (Spirit).
We're born into this world without the spirit of God in us. Though God created us, we are born as a baby that's without God's Holy Spirit in us. We cannot understand the things of God without His Holy Spirit in us. Are you in a rightful relationship with Almighty God? Are you BORN AGAIN and FILLED with God's Holy Spirit?
Madelyn was an inspiration as she had activated sharing her Christian Faith with young girls in need of some blessings within their young lives. They'd have CHARM SCHOOL right in her home, hear the word of God and learn some table manners! The word of God would be shared and talked about and then these sweet young girls would grow into young ladies that loved the Lord and had manners as well.
Sometimes we need some help in knowing that we have great value and worth, that we are greatly loved and should behave accordingly. Royalty, not ragged and ruined. We are eternal beings that are important people and God has good plans for our lives. He desires that we be His children and be who we are suppose to be.
Madelyn knew this and understood that we are sinners in need of a savior.
This is another great Lady that God allowed me to meet and share with. At first when I moved to the town where we met, I thought I had moved to the spiritual dessert. I was so wrong. God had plans for me to grow there. Madelyn was personal friends with Dave and Carol Breese. She introduced me to Dr. Dave Breese's ministry which was located 10 miles from where we lived. Dave is with the Lord now as well, but you can read about him if you google him or wikipedia him. Brilliant man and author. He wrote the book '7 MEN WHO RULE THE WORLD FROM THE GRAVE' . Before I knew Madelyn had died, just yesterday I mentioned to a blogger this book to read because she was begging for suggestions.
Dave's Ministry continues with the help of his wife and staff. If you contact Christian Destiny in Hillsboro, Kansas you'll receive monthly newsletters. His previous writings are still in print. Affordable pamphlets are still attainable. Or if you like you can read on the computer newsletters by going to http://www.christiandestiny.org/
Madelyn was 83 years old the day she died. What I remember about her appearance was that she dressed nicely, kept herself groomed and clean. Her home was clean and a orderly place. She kept a small trunk near the front door that was filled with family pictures that she cherished. She told me that she did this in case there was ever a fire that would destroy the home property. Hopefully the trunk of pictures would go outside first and hopefully spared.
Do you know a Madelyn? Do you have a friend like her? I hope so. If not may God bless you with a Madelyn Friend. Maybe we're to be the Madelyn Friend to others and share the Love of Jesus with them, honor our husbands, keep a clean appearance and orderly home. I'd like to be a Madelyn Type. Help me Lord Jesus to be the woman of God that pleases you!
I'm so glad I met her in a place where I thought I was in a spiritual dessert and God would show me...no my dear, you are not. For I am with you.
God Bless you real good,
~Deanna~
Football Homecomings 
Delighted to take a break with you! Please chat with me. 
Beloved,
