1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: Life Audio. You're listening to every Day Prayers with Million 2 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: Praying Moms, where we're dedicated to helping moms pray God's 3 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: word for their families in the areas they need at most. 4 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Over the last decade, we've 5 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: helped thousands of moms make prayer a priority for their families. 6 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: Our mission is to help you do the same. Prayer 7 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: is not a last resort. It's our first and best 8 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: response to the challenges of parenting, a partnership for the 9 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: hearts of our children that God invites us into. Today's 10 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: devotion is written by Rachel Adams, author of Everyday Prayers 11 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:44,599 Speaker 1: for Love, a part of our Million Praying Moms every 12 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: Day Prayers devotional series. This month, with Rachel as our guide, 13 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: we are walking through some excerpts from this book as 14 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: we focus on what it means to truly love God, 15 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: love others, and even ourselves. Our prayer and hope is 16 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: that this month our understanding of God's love would grow 17 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: deeper as we pray together. To learn more about Rachel, 18 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: or to learn more about how you can get involved 19 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 1: in the ministry of Million Praying Moms, visit today's show 20 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: notes or million Prayingmoms dot Com. After a brief word 21 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: from our sponsors, we'll pray together for our children. 22 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 2: Love always perseveres First Corinthians, chapter thirteen, verse seven. As 23 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,199 Speaker 2: I faced Brian in my white wedding dress, my eyes 24 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 2: were locked on his, Holding on to each other's newly 25 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 2: ringed hands, we listened as his grandparents read verse Corinthians 26 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 2: thirteen from their tattered Bible. At the time of our wedding, 27 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 2: Norman and Anne had been married for fifty one years. 28 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 2: As they quoted each love quality, I knew the words 29 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 2: were more than lip service. Their marriage was a living 30 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 2: testament to each characteristic. As I said I do before God, 31 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 2: family and friends, I was inspired by what they had done, 32 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 2: how they had lived out their commitment. As time passed, 33 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 2: Alzheimer's disease took Norman's mind, Anne made the difficult decision 34 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 2: to move from their family home of fifty four years 35 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 2: to reside in a nursing home. Norman was over six 36 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:11,799 Speaker 2: feet tall and Anne was around five feet tall, so 37 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 2: as difficult for her to care for him as needed. 38 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 2: Anne was healthy in body and mind, but she chose 39 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 2: to move into the nursing home with Norman so they 40 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: could remain together. She cared for him like she always had, 41 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:27,119 Speaker 2: laying out his clothes, changing his socks, ensuring he had 42 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,399 Speaker 2: his medications, and making sure he had the food required 43 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 2: for his diabetes. They'd sit together in one room, talking, reading, 44 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 2: watching television, sharing meals, and occasionally walking around the block. 45 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 2: Her devotion to him and selfless love still moves me. 46 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 2: She could have lived separately from him with more freedom, 47 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:47,799 Speaker 2: but chose to stay regardless of the less than ideal 48 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 2: living situation. Norman has gone on to be with the Lord, 49 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 2: but his legacy lives on through his daughters, grandchildren, and 50 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 2: great grandchildren. When he passed, he and Anne had been 51 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 2: married for sixty year eight years. It's been five years 52 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,359 Speaker 2: since he passed, but Anne still wears her wedding ring. 53 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 2: Their love wasn't perfect, but it persevered and lives on 54 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 2: in Ann today. The Bible beside me as I write 55 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: this devotion was a gift from Brian's grandparents on our 56 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,800 Speaker 2: wedding day. Our names are embossed in gold on the 57 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 2: front on the first page. They signed and dated it 58 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 2: with Psalm chapter one nineteen, verse one oh five written underneath. 59 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a 60 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 2: light to my path. Such true words from two people 61 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 2: who persevered as faithful examples and guides. In Ruth Chapter one, 62 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: verses sixteen and seventeen, it says, where you go, I 63 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 2: will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your 64 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 2: people will be my people, and your God will be 65 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 2: my God. Where you die, I will die, and there 66 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 2: I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, 67 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 2: be it ever so severely, if even death separates you 68 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 2: and me. These words remind me of Norman and Anne. 69 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 2: But we're spoken by Ruth to her mother in law Naomi. 70 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 2: When we first meet these two biblical characters, they are 71 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: destitute widows. In the ancient world, widows were taken advantage of, ignored, 72 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 2: and almost always impoverished because of their polite Naomi decided 73 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 2: to return to Israel to find relatives to help her. 74 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 2: Despite her desperate situation, Naomi encouraged Ruth and her other 75 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 2: daughter in law, Orpah, to stay in Moab and restart 76 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 2: their lives. She realized this would mean more hardship for her, 77 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 2: yet she acted selflessly on behalf of her family. Orpah 78 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 2: kissed her mother in law goodbye, but Ruth remained with 79 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 2: Naomi despite having to leave her homeland, so the women 80 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 2: set out together for Bethlehem in Judah. This unlikely pair 81 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 2: came from different cultures and family backgrounds, but they were 82 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 2: bound to each other. They shared deep sorrow and great 83 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 2: affection for one another. Their greatest bond was faith in 84 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 2: God and a commitment to doing what was best for 85 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 2: the other. They made their home in Bethlehem. Because they 86 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 2: were widows, they had no means of providing for themselves, 87 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 2: so Ruth went into the fields to glean grain, gathering 88 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 2: up what was left over by the harvesters. In the 89 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 2: following months, God led Ruth to a man named Boaz, 90 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 2: whom she eventually married. As a result, she became the 91 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 2: great grandmother of David and an ancestor of Jesus. Ruth 92 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 2: and Naomi's relationship is a beautiful example of perseverance, friendship, 93 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 2: and allegiance. As a result of faithful obedience, their lives 94 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:37,040 Speaker 2: and legacies were significant, even though they could not personally 95 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 2: see the fruit of their labor. When we live faithfully, 96 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 2: our significance will extend beyond our lifetime too. Future generations 97 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,600 Speaker 2: benefit when we persist and don't give up on our relationships. 98 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 2: Just as Ruth and Naomi were unaware of the larger 99 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 2: purpose for their lives, we will not know our lives 100 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 2: full objective, and impact until eternity. Therefore, we should make 101 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 2: decisions with God's everlasting values in mind, and not take 102 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 2: moral shortcuts for short term pleasures. The rewards will far 103 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 2: exceed any sacrifices we make. Let's pray, Father, forgive me 104 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 2: for giving up on people too soon. Give me the 105 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 2: courage and endurance to be loyal and faithful when it 106 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 2: is your desire. Help me to stay when I want 107 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 2: to leave. Thank you for persisting in your relationship with me. 108 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 2: I'm grateful you never leave me or forsake me. In 109 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,839 Speaker 2: Jesus's name. Amen, Are you a visual learner? Would you 110 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 2: like to receive our daily devotions and written form Write 111 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 2: to your inbox then join our Patreon community of Praying Moms. 112 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 2: Not only will you receive the transcripts of each podcast devotional, 113 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 2: you will also receive a monthly prayer calendar and surprise 114 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 2: bonus content. Learn more about our Praying mom community in 115 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 2: today's show notes or at million Prayingmoms dot com. Till 116 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 2: next time, friends, the Lord bless you and keep you. 117 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 2: Make his face shine up upon you, and be gracious 118 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 2: to you. May the Lord look with favor on you 119 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 2: and give you peace.