The Faith of My Mother

                As this blog continues to focus on the faith of women, I must devote an entry to my mother.  This dear woman has seemed to carry one trial right after another throughout her life.  For example, she has faced financial struggles most of her life.  She has also faced marital struggles at times, just as most married people do.  And my mother has faced countless struggles with her children. 
       I’ve grown up watching my mom endure these trials with an unshakeable faith in Jesus Christ.  There have been times she has felt certain she had reached her limit on what she could endure.  She has often doubted her own strength.  But she has always trusted that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He had the power to help her.  So I want to share what I have seen and learned from watching my mother endure her trials, particularly focusing on the financial struggles.
       The financial struggle is a struggle I’ve seen my mother endure pretty much my whole life.  I also know she endured this struggle from the time she was child.  My dear grandmother never had much financial wealth, probably due to raising seven children largely on her own.  I can’t remember how long she did raise the children herself before remarrying, but I know she did for a time.  So my mother never knew financial wealth as a child.
       Then there has been her life as a married adult.  My parents have often started building financial security only to find some difficulty stripped this security away from them.  For example, my father started a dairy farm partnership with his brother.  Things were going well for a time.  Then my uncle decided to exit the partnership.  Unfortunately, not long after he decided to do so, the dairy farm ran into problems.  Most of the cows, which brought in most of the money, died from various causes such as disease.  This difficulty and the many others that have struck my parents have prevented my parents from building their wealth.
       Through all of these financial difficulties, my mother has continued to believe the Lord will provide for her.  Then she has acted on this faith by continuing to hold a job and provide what financial support she could for her family.  When she received the opportunity, she went back to school to learn new skills.  These skills allowed her to obtain a better-paying job.  And she continues to act on her faith that the Lord will provide.  And though my parents have never become wealthy, the Lord has continued to provide them with the means they need to support their family.
       From my mother’s example of faith, I’ve been able to learn the power of reliance on the Lord.  When we trust in God, believing our needs will be provided for if we continue to act in faith, God will provide for our needs.  I’ve also learned that we don’t need financial wealth to be happy.  We need faith in God to be happy.  Oh, sure, financial wealth can help by building our security.  But financial wealth is a fleeting thing that can disappear overnight.  But the happiness that comes from faith in God can only be taken if we ourselves give up our faith.
       I do want to stress that it is okay to face doubts.  As I’ve stated, my mother has.  It’s okay to feel we are at the end of our strength.  It’s okay to wonder if we have the strength to endure more.  It’s okay to even wonder at times if there really is a god who loves and cares about us.  These doubts and fears were part of the Plan of Happiness.  We were meant to come here and face these doubts.
       In fact, faith cannot take place if we don’t at times face doubts.  But we must remember that when we face these doubts and fears we must turn to our Heavenly Father in prayer and faith.  This is what I’ve watched my mother do.  This is the lesson we need to learn most from my mother.  We must turn to Heavenly Father in prayer and faith.  Then we must act on that faith and do what we can for ourselves.  Then God will take care of the rest.
       I can’t promise you what the rest will be.  You may find He brings you financial wealth.  Or He may allow you to remain in poverty while granting you happiness, hope, and love.  He may grant you physical health.  Or He may allow you to hold the burdens of sicknesses such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, or rheumatoid arthritis.  He may grant you many loving children of your own.  Or He may leave you only the option of adoption for building the family you desire.
       But I have learned from my mother that when you turn to the Lord in faith and do what you can for yourself, He does take care of the rest.  I have since tested this myself.  So I can promise you that if you will take your problems, doubts, fears, and concerns to your Heavenly Father in prayer and faith, He will listen to you.  And He will take care of you.  I can promise that you will have true happiness even if you don’t get the things that bring you fleeting happiness.  So follow the example of my mother and turn to God in faith.