Mum's Day 2026 | Purpose House Church

and praise one more time and give Him all the glory and all of the honor. It's forever do His holy name, amen. In fact, the scripture says, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, He alone is worthy. Amen. If you would, would you greet your neighbors and welcome them to the house of the Lord. If you don't know who they are, take a moment and introduce yourself to them. Take a moment, introduce yourself to them. Welcome to Mom's Day. Amen. This is more of an abnormal service for Purpose House. Normally about this time, Pastor Melissa goes into a flow and we go for another hour or so. But today we want to honor all of our moms and our mothers. And so if you are a mother in the house, would you stand? Would you stand and let's honor all of our moms and say happy Mother's Day to you. Thank you for spending your Sunday with us. You be seated. Sometime in December, Pastor Melissa asked me, which is more of told me that she was kind of, she needed a little bit of a change of scenery in ministry. And so I took over the creative department sometime in January. And Mom's Day is a big deal around here. Normally we've never taken the whole service and honored our mothers. Well, so I began to plan it and Pastor Melissa said,

we don't do it that way. I said, well, you're not in charge anymore. We're going to do it my way. And so I sat down and began to think about it. And in the middle of thinking about it, I got an email. And I'm going to read that to you momentarily. And it began to make me think about mothers. And so this is, I think, the first time in many, many years I've been with my mother on Mother's Day. And I know this is the first time in five years you've been in service on Mother's Day. Because Mother's Day, while some people are celebrating, other people may be mourning. And while some of you, this may be the best day of your life, for others it may be the worst day of their life. And so I wanted to be intentional today about trying to minister to the whole room, to every person who is in the room. And for certainly there is people that are celebrating. It's a beautiful season. All your children are thriving. All the bumper stickers on the back of your car are yes and amen. They're all the high honorable students. They got all the scholarships. They've never lost a basketball game. They've never lost a soccer game. Your kids are amazing. At least your social media channel says so. The celebrating mom. Then there's other women who carry silent grief.

They've had miscarriages. They've had the loss of a child. Maybe you're estranged. Or maybe even you're suffering with the loss of your own mother. And some losses are very public and others are very private or deeply hidden. And we want to tell you that we notice you too. And then there's some relationships that the word mother doesn't always bring comfort. It doesn't bring warm, fuzzy feelings to you. Maybe you're like me. You have post-traumatic syndrome of things that your mother... I didn't even say anything and you all knew exactly. But for others of you, it's not just a joke, it's real. There was abuse there. There was abandonment. Maybe neglect or even broken relationships. And today might be difficult for you. Then there are women in the room and some of my favorite evenings on Sunday nights is to walk into a ministry here we call Hannah's Ministry. It's a wonderful ministry for the moms who are longing to be a mom. All they would want in life is just to hold a baby. for their baby, and then there are other mothers who are overlooked, the foster moms, the Coleena Edwards in the room, who've fostered more children than I can count, stepmoms, grandmothers who have become moms again, spiritual mothers, you're the woman who stepped in

when somebody else stepped out, and we wanna honor you today as well. So a song I learned in Sunday school was the poem, Mother, M-O-T-H-E-R. Today we're gonna go through that. We have about seven speakers going to speak to you about what a mother is. But a little while ago, I got an email, and I wanna read it to you in its entirety, and then I wanna give honor to who the email is about. Something so amazing happened today for my mom. I simply couldn't resist sharing with you, Pastor. I don't know how much you know about my mom. You've known her in her later years, but in her younger years, she worked as a social worker for Addis or DCFS, and she would go into the homes of young women who were, in many cases, in their young teens and having babies and living on welfare, and often, these young mothers were on the verge of losing their children because they were living in conditions that were not safe for their children. They did not know how to be mothers, didn't know how to keep a clean house or how to manage their finances, and Mom would go in and teach them how to clean their houses, how to bathe their children, how to cook, how to handle their money before the power of the water would be turned off on them. She often went to court to testify for these mothers

to help them keep their families together. My mother helped so many young women. It was a job that she loved. I was not even aware of it at the time. Mom and Dad sheltered me from a lot of the world. I was not aware that girls that were my age, 15 and 16, were having babies and doing it on their own because our life was centered on the Lord and being in church. And the years rolled by. Mom retired. These women naturally raised their families and moved on. I'm sure you know now that my mom has moved into the anchor in Marion. She's in stage three. My family and I have been praying fervently for her happiness in this new stage of life. And I went to see her after church today. Mom needs some help physically, bathing, dressing herself. And I walked into the room and there stood a lady who works there at the anchor. I was amazed to find out that she was one of those clients that my mom had helped those years ago. She told me the story of everything that my mom did for her, how because of my mom, she was able to raise her babies. And now she is delighted to be there to love and take care of my mom. It was all I could do not to cry with relief and joy to see the love and the respect that she has for my mother. And it blessed me beyond words.

And it is a true Testament that the seeds we sow are the harvest that comes later in our life. So I wanna give honor today to Ms. Barb LaCroix. I know she's here today with her children. I'm looking for her. She's all the way in the back there in the yellow. She's one of the mothers of this house. We give honor to you, Ms. Barb. Thank you. I miss you when you're not here, but I'm so glad to see you today. And I'm thankful that somebody else drove you. Because even on your good day, that was scary. We love Barb. So for the rest of the day, we wanna minister to all of the moms and the mothers that are in this house today. And so to kick this off, my natural daughter and my COVID daughter are gonna come and they're gonna sing to you today. Thank you. ♪ I don't know why God made one bedroom apart ♪ ♪ And I don't know why He made me a part of this world ♪ ♪ I don't know why God made me a part of this world ♪ I don't know why he made hotels if it's somewhere I can't stay. ♪ I don't know why God made me a part of this world ♪ I don't know why he made growing up. I guess that we're all gone. I don't know a lot of things. But I know I got room on us.

For the open arms to fall into. For the wind, you don't know what to do. For the phone call saying don't forget I'm always in your corner. For the heart that makes the house a home. For the knowing that you're not alone. For the darling, don't you dare give up, even when you want. Yeah, that's why I got me mamas. For putting band-aids on a scraped up knee and wiping tears away. For picking up the pieces when I dream don't go your way. For always giving more than taking. Always knowing what you need. For showing you that fighting's always best done on your knees. For the open arms to fall into. For the wind, you don't know what to do. For the phone call saying don't forget I'm always in your corner. For the heart that makes the house a home. For the knowing that you're not alone. For the darling, don't you dare give up, even when you want. Yeah, that's why I got me mamas. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Mamas. You know I got me living life down here so hard to do. But I know I got me mamas, cause you knew I needed you. Oh, oh, oh, oh. For the open arms to fall into. For the wind, you don't know what to do. For the phone call saying don't forget I'm always in your corner. For the heart that makes the house a home. For the knowing that you're not alone. For the darling, don't you dare give up, even when you want.

Yeah, that's why I got me mamas. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Mamas. Mamas. Hey mom, it's Johnny. I just wanted to let you know how much I love you and I appreciate you. And just thank you for being there for all the moments in life that have just been crazy. And just being so supportive of everything throughout the years. And just of being a cheerleader and just being someone I can always count on. You have been my closest friend, my best friend, you and my sister. And I just want that relationship with my daughter. And the way you love me is the way I know and hope Jesus loves me. I wanted to say thank you and I love you so much. And hope that you love this message. Hi mom, this is Jalen. I just wanted to say how I appreciate you so much for all the things you've done for me. It's like you're literally like a second mother to me. And I don't know how I would be able to do my life without you. And you've been such a blessing. And the love of God that shines through you, shines through me. And I just, I'm so happy and thankful to have you as my grandma. I just love you so much. I just want to tell you how much you mean to me. You didn't really come into my life until I was an adult. But what you've done in the past couple years has just been so special. The way you've just taken on the grandma role with my kids. And just stepped in has been more than you know. And I just want to tell you how much you mean to me. And that although I have a great mother and mother-in-law. Having you as a bonus mom means the world to me.

I love you. Happy Mother's Day. I just really want to say I love you so much. And I hope you have a great Mother's Day. And you're the best mom I've ever had. I could ever have and I love you so much. Hey mom, it's Jasmine, aka your mini me. Just wanted to say happy Mother's Day, we love you so much. You have been the best mom, you've been there through everything. You have been my number one supporter and I wouldn't be able to do this life without you. You truly are a blessing and you represent what a true woman of God should be like and I strive to be like you. Thank you for everything you have done, you are so loving and thanks mom. Hey mom, it's your youngest, Elena, aka your favorite. And I love you so much because you are just so kind, caring and very thoughtful to others and I love you so much. Hey mom, it's Mason. I just wanna say how thankful I am for all the times that you've helped me get through with anything that I've been struggling with. And I just wanna say how much I love you and how much I'm grateful for you. I wanna say thank you for all the things that you've done for me. I think a lot of times I maybe didn't appreciate it

as much as I should have, but now being a parent, I've been able to see a lot of things that maybe I didn't notice over the years and but I'm very grateful and thankful to have a mother who has cared for me and loved me all these years and taken in my beautiful wife and son. I have been so close to you for so long now and you have done so much for me these past nine years and I just love you so much and I'm so thankful for you. Keller, would you like to say anything? Say I love you. All right, I love you, mom. See you soon. Hey, mom, it's me, Ben. It's been a long time since last we talked. Oh, God, it's been over a year. But you know, if you could see Maverick now, he's four, he's joined a soccer team. Emerson's gotten so big. Oh, she's just like you were. She had your smile, she has your eyes. She even sleeps in and has your attitude sometimes. Me and Annie are doing fantastic. We're both doing really well. We got a new car. Can't wait to be where you are. Thank you so much for everything you've taught me. Thank you for showing the love of Christ

and letting me teach my family that. I love you and I miss you. I'll see you soon. Bye. I'll see you soon. Bye. Wanda Ray Short-Reed, affectionately called Wani, was our mama. She was a but-God mom. No matter what obstacle or situation was thrown her, she would always say, but God. At 13, she was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect, which is a hole in the heart. And the prognosis was not the best. But her daddy was a praying man. And he sought the Lord and told the doctors, my God's going to heal her. The hole was not closed how we thought it would be. But because of the healing, she never suffered or experienced any of the complications. She was told that she would not see her 20s. She would not be able to have children. Not only did she see her 20s, she saw her 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s and had two lovely children. She lived a full life. She was a pastor's wife for 20 years, a classroom mom, a baseball mom, hosted Kids Crusade, and hosted all the family dinners and reunions. She got to tell the doctors, nurses, and medical students from Chicago to St. Louis all the way to Atlanta

the healing powers of God. When they would do the testing, they would see the defect, but she experienced no complications. When she came home from picking us up from school in February of 1992, she found a letter left on the kitchen cabinet that led her down a path to being a homeless, divorced mom to two teenagers. Some would have thrown the talent in defeat, not Wani. She went to war with the devil. That evening, she wiped her tears. We had a time of prayer. She told us, girls, get ready. She took us to eat Mexican, and we went to church, because it was Wednesday night, and you went to Bible study. She didn't do it because she was in denial, but she knew it was be relying on God that would get her through this time. For the next 18 months, we lived in our 1984 Delta 88 Oldsmobile. Some days, our only meal was the three of us sharing a 99-cent salad from Wendy's. At that time, a young man gave us a dollar bill, and literally, for some weeks, that was the only dollar bill we had to our name, and we still have that dollar to this day. She never lost her faith. When possible, she had us in church. Every day, we prayed together, and every day, we read the Bible. That Christmas, we were gifted a necessity box from a homeless shelter that just a year before the three of us had volunteered at, and we received a food box from a food pantry. In those moments when we thought we were being crushed, God was building a future ministry. In 1994, we settled back into West Frankfort, and Juanie again found her calling working at our church. She became the youth group mama, organized events, decorated every church dinner, sang in the choir, and served in every capacity she could. Yes, our mama was a Proverbs 31 woman, but she took Luke 6 21 to heart. It says, blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied, and blessed are you

who weep now, for you will laugh. Even though her obituary listed Jen and I as her only surviving children, she thought of so many others as her kids. Her nieces, nephews, our neighbors, our friends, our co-workers, as well one of her children described it after mom passed, Juanie was a mom of it all. She was at her happiest when her people, and if you met her once, you were then considered her people, were eating mostly her tacos, and you were sitting around laughing. But most of all, she made sure that everyone knew about her Jesus and all he had done for her. In December of 2016, Juanie received a phone call after some routine blood work, and was told to get to the hospital immediately. She was in liver failure from non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. In the hospital, she made sure all, of course, all the nurses and staff were taken care of, and most importantly, laughing. We spent our last Christmas in that hospital together, but once again, God was there and was doing some work for our ministry. Mom came home for 48 hours, and an ambulance had to be called for her. After a few days, we were told that she was a possible candidate for a liver transplant. We made the trip to the University of Chicago on January 8th. Jenna and I went through rounds of interviews and having to prove quality of life for her. On Tuesday night, we received the news that she had qualified, and they would begin the process to start the transplant. But God healed her in a way that made her whole, but it wasn't the way we thought. On January 11th, Juanie took her last breath on earth, and her first breath in heaven. But the devil thought he had taken her out. He didn't know that a warrior raised two warriors. In December of 2019, Juanie's Warriors ministry began. It started out sponsoring 13 students in our school district on an angel tree, has grown to hundreds of students receiving a pair of new shoes to go back to school, close to 1,000 people now receiving food from local food pantries and blessing boxes.

Over 100 students have been sponsored for Christmas presents the last seven years, veterans at our local CLC receiving clothing, homeless shelters in our area receiving personal items and laundry supplies, and 5,000 parade goers receiving a little Debbie Christmas tree cake at our annual Christmas parade. We have a quote saved that says, ministry is others being blessed by the oil that came from what crushed you. At this moment, you may think that you are being crushed, but let us tell you that there is a God, a God that loves you. He sees you. you, and He has His hand upon you. Do not give up. You keep pressing on, because this test will become your testimony. Keep the faith, or as Lonnie always says, don't keep the faith, spread it around. You have a purpose, and just when you think you have lost it all, but God. Good morning, everyone. How are you doing today? Pardon me just one moment. When I was asked to speak today, I kind of struggled to come up with a new topic, and I finally came to the conclusion that the best things are the old things just revised. So one of our favorite things to do as a family is to rehash old memories, as some of you have probably learned from my father. And much to the people around me who know me, to their dismay, I started thinking about all the memories that we share with our mothers and our family. My favorite mother, my favorite mother, my favorite memory with my mother, recently at least, was when my dear poor mother, who is absolutely terrified of horses, went out to the barn with me a while back. This was back when we owned horses, and we owned a 17-hand horse named Sonny, for translation for the non-horse people, that is a six-foot tall horse. And that horse had just visited the vet, and she was dazed, and my mother

kept trying to peek through the fence and say, hi, hi. And now with my grandmother, I get new memories every time I go on a car ride with her. Most are of my meetings with the Lord, and my prayers up to the Lord of Most High. And if it wasn't for the iconic memory of my father getting his head slammed in a trunk, he probably would not be a pastor today, because he had a one-on-one meeting with the Lord. And so I asked my sister what her favorite memory with our mother was, and her favorite memory, and this is just such a distinction between me and my sister, her favorite memory was when we went to Disney World, and my mother got on the teacup ride and passed out. It's those memories that we have with our mothers that actually shape us. And these memories, they make us laugh, and they make us realize who our mother was to us, and how did they shape us, and how did they shape why we see the world. The last memory I want to share with you, and this is for the oldies but goldies, was back when we were in the old building when I was at least seven and to the age of 10, I used to get up on stage in a crowd that is now our kids' crowd and sing This Little Light of Mine. I do not remember a single performance, and my father asked me at least once a year to sing This Little Light of Mine. I could not tell you a performance except for my last performance, and that was with my mother. All of these memories mean something, and what memories of your mothers make you laugh and realize who she was to you. The memory with Sunny and my mother made me realize that even if I was afraid, I should try and say hi. Riding with my grandmother taught me how to pray and how to slam that trunk just a little harder. And the teacup ride taught me how to be prepared. Moms play such an intricate role in our lives, and we don't even realize it until we can no longer make memories,

but as we sit and we rehash these old memories, we create new memories. It's the memories that we form with them and about them that truly make mothers special to us. They help form our memories, and our memories form us. And that is what I leave you with today. Thank you. Thank you. Happy Mother's Day. You know what? Mothers are unique in that they are not all one size or one shape. They come in many different appearances and not one size fits all. Even though a few of us in here would like to be a size 6, right? But for a moment I want you to think about your mother. What makes her so special to you? What can she only give? Or maybe she's passed. Is it her laugh? Is it her delicious pie that only she can make? Or is it the sound of her voice? For me it is the countless things that she has taught me. Much of who I am today is because of the time and the love my mom has spent pouring in and shaping my life. My mom is also special to me because she prayed and interceded for me. But here are some things that only a mother can give. Only a mother can kiss boo-boos and skin knees and make you feel better.

Remember to do the laundry and get the science project done at 10 p.m. Make lunches for school and get everyone's hair done and make sure that everyone has what they need for that day. Mothers give the best hugs and tell you it's going to be okay. Mothers celebrate your big day. It's going to be okay. Mothers celebrate your biggest life's wins. And mothers know the pain that life brings. Mothers teach you to believe in yourself because she was the first one to believe in you. Only a mother can look at a child's artwork and see a masterpiece. Mothers nurture little ones and spend countless hours being a teacher. A chef. A maid. A counselor. A chauffeur driver. And a life coach. And the list goes on and on. Motherhood is exhausting while you are living in it and priceless when you are remembering it. Mothers give wise counsel because they have been around the block a few times. I know I have a teenager in my house and sometimes they think they have it all figured out. Here are some wise advice to all the daughters and sons out there. It's Proverbs 1... Now talk about some drip and some riz.

You have to be 18 or younger to get that. Mothers have a special way of wearing many hats and spinning many plates at one time. Mothers don't get a day off. Someone once told me that the real Mother's Day is when all of her children go to school. A mother is more than someone who gives birth. A mother is someone who loves and nurtures and protects and teaches and sacrifices and shows up and cares. What often makes a person a mother is not only giving life. It's about giving love and guidance and strength and support every day. Now think of all the ladies in your life that have played a key role. Some mothers are biological mothers while others become mothers through adoption and fostering and step-parenting and mentoring or simply loving a child like their own. Some here today are longing for motherhood. And some are in the thick of motherhood and some are in the season of watching your children be parents. Each season brings new challenges and excitements. I want to make something clear though. Motherhood is special. And it's a gift. Your greatest ministry is your children. And one day you will give an account for what you have been given. Psalms 127 verse 3 says... of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Mothers have special eyes to see what you are becoming.

Mothers have special hearts to connect to the deepest parts of your life. And mothers have special ears to hear unspoken words. And today, if today you are longing for motherhood, maybe you're wanting it so badly to be a mother, remember you have God-given qualities that people around you are in need of. Growing up, I had a granny. He was not my biological granny. Living in a pastor's home, we didn't live near family. And granny and I became bonded very quickly. She was six, or she was six, I was six, and she was 80. The Lord knew I needed a granny in my life and provided one. Ladies, we are all called to be spiritual mothers in the faith. God has equipped each one of you for his good work, and ladies around you, they need a mother, they need a daughter, and they need a sister. In 2 Timothy chapter one, verse five, I remember your sincere and unqualified faith, the surrendering of your entire self to God and Christ with confident trust in his power, wisdom, and goodness of faith, which first lived in the heart of your grandmother, Lois, and your mother, Eunice, and I am confident that it is in you as well. Lois was Timothy's grandmother, and Eunice was Timothy's mother. It was through them that they passed down their faith to Timothy. Women have eggs for reproduction in them.

You are born with the eggs that you are going to carry for the rest of your life in the physical, but also in the spiritual. You have a spiritual seed that is passed down from generation to generation. Timothy had two women in his life that nurtured him in his faith. Your seed is vital and needed for this generation and the generation to come. To show you how vital your seed is, look at Genesis three, chapter 15. I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between you, your seed, and her seed. He will crush your head and you will crush his heel. There are some things that only a mother can give. Today, we celebrate the beauty of motherhood. So I want you to press into what God has called you to give, love big, and someone is needing you in their lives. Let us pray. Lord, I thank you so much for every mother, for every lady that is in this room. Each one is so special in your sight. Bless them today in your mighty name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Hi, everybody. I can't sit, I gotta stand up. Well, first of all, this podium is the Holy Spirit and it's my children's hands holding me so I can get through all this. But, and another thing is, I wore the Dorn corset so I'd be pleased in y'all's eyes and it's rolling down. And if I sit down, I'm in bad shape. I'm in bad shape. I got a tale of two mothers. I was raised with two swimming pools, three lakes. There was nothing we didn't have. Nothing, nothing we didn't have as far as the world is saying. In the forties and fifties, my dad and grandpa owned every house of repuke. Pastor told me how to watch my mouth here. And every taverns, every nightclub in Carroll, Illinois.

Forties into fifties, when they didn't, when they all just swap machines and all of that, they had them. They was hooked up with the governor and everything else. My dad and grandpa was in the mafia. Grandpa died with the Bible in his lap and I led my dad to the Lord. So he's good. But anyhow, I grew up in a household. My mother never raised her voice. Never. She, she never, she. I cannot say anything bad about my mother, except there was no love in our house. There was zero love. I had everything, but no love. My dad was awful. Bless him, Lord. Thank God he's in heaven. Both of them smell like smoke, but they made it. I glorify your name, God. Poor mother, daddy would come in and scream and holler and cuss her and cuss us. We couldn't walk right. We couldn't talk right. Now, if we didn't hold that fork right or open our mouths right, he'd pick up something and throw it against the wall. It was awful. But he was gone so much with all his businesses.

Now, one Christmas, he did bring one of his floozies home and mom had to take her home. But, praise Jesus. And it just, I'll tell you the truth. I was Catholic and when I made my first communion, my siblings said I was different than them. If I am, this is the reason why, because it was God's grace. I made my first communion. You had to make your first confession. So, I went in there, because I was sincere. I mean, I was gun-hold Catholic, little girl. And I went out, I cussed one of my brothers. So, I had to go back to that confessional, because you couldn't go to communion unless you went to confessional. I went back and cussed the other one, seven years old. I had to go back to the confessional and he told me not to come back, say the rosary and do not come back. So, I didn't. But I remember swinging on that swing. I was seven years old and I had this experience with God and I just fell in love with him. And then I see the grace in my life because of that. I was saved at seven years old. I did not understand my salvation till I was 38. I had a brother 11 months older, brother 11 months younger. My brother that was 11 months older,

he passed me one night. We was not drag racing. He had a fancy sports car and he passed me and he was killed. So, when I went home, I was there. And the police said, go home, tell your parents instead of we calling them. And my dad shook his fist and he said, I wish it was you than him. I thought, where's my mother? I need a mother. I need a mother here. But she said nothing. She said nothing. And then, but it's good because I know my brother was in heaven. I know he was. Anyhow, I'd lead daddy to the Lord. Now, let me tell y'all something. When you lead, he had cancer. When you lead people to the Lord, man, you can't leave them. I had five kids. I was a newborn Christian. I lived an hour and a half away and I tried to come to minister to him. And he really did get Jesus. But the preacher came and seen him one time. He said he was most bitter, had the most bitter root he ever seen of anybody. And daddy, I'm telling you, he wasn't discipled. I know he's in heaven.

But his last two words to me, I couldn't repeat them to a human being. But forgiveness, forgiveness is what keeps you through. That's what keeps you through. My mother died on social security. Ill-gotten gains don't get you nowhere. She died on social security. Okay, the other tale. I wanted, all I wanted to be is a mother. But let me tell you, there's a shout out because I know aunts. One aunt's name is Aunt Bun Bun and one's name's Aunt Susie. They're mothers, but they're called aunts. And I'm telling you, there's teachers out there. They're mothers, but they're called teachers. And I praise God for them. Well, I said my rosaries and everything. I wanted to marry somebody that would be just the best husband ever. And so that's exactly what God did. He sent me the best father anyone could ever have for a child. So I go to his house. He has 15 brothers and sisters. Man, this is a whole different place, people. My house has got fancy everything, no love. And his house, those people are drinking out jars, like pickle jars and grape jars. I mean, I was slumming it and then I'm telling you, I'm loving it.

And then we're sitting there, I'm watching what I say here, pastor. And I had a, I had Adidas t-shirt on. Now this was a very Christian family. And Al's dad said, what does that mean? I said, it meant big ta-tas. Can I say I did it? So he's looking at me, he's laughing. And Al's mom is sitting in a chair. She says, oh me, oh my. I thought, okay. We lived nine months with her. I had my first child. We lived nine months cause Al had to be up north. He only come home on weekends. I learned to be a mother. They would get up every morning. Everybody would hug everybody. The last words that man said to his wife was, you're the most beautiful woman in the world. And he dropped dead. And love and encouragement. They had nothing. They never required a penny from the government. They worked and they had nothing but love. And I learned from my mother-in-law, but I got to go back to my mother. My mother taught me the most best lesson anybody ever taught me in my whole life. When mother died, the priest wouldn't come, he was busy.

So my sister got a preacher she knew in Cape and he come. First of all, he had his daughter sing somewhere over the rainbow. Oh, I forgot to tell y'all, tells a whole story. My mother's name was Hortense. Tells a whole story. Hortense is his woman's name. That we had to tell her, call her Hortense because she got tired of being called mother. So anyhow, he played Hortense's favorite song, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Well, I'm looking at him because mother had said lip and cassettes in her car. I mean, it wasn't no Somewhere Over the Rainbow. So he said, everybody gather and think about what your mother taught you. So we all gathered. Otis' son said, hey mom, she told me that I could say anything I wanted to. He was a religious fanatic. My daughter said, she told me, well, of course we couldn't think of nothing this woman taught us. She told me it was okay. You know, grandma was wearing mini skirts, that's all good. When nobody could think of what she said, then let me hear me, hear me loud and clear. My mother taught me the most wonderful thing anybody could ever teach their child. When daddy died, I said, mama, how come?

How come you didn't fight back? How come you didn't take up for yourself? She says, then there would be two of us fighting and screaming in front of you kids. And I did not want to do that. So my mother taught me the greatest thing and she could teach me that was peace in a home. And I'm grateful for her for that. And getting back to my precious mother-in-law, when she died, every single one of her kids was gathered around her bedside. I hope I get to do this. And when she come to me, she says, I didn't know what I was going to thank. When you come into family, she says, but I want to thank you. You never caused me one minute's trouble. And of all my children, you're the best mother. And that's words that I wanted to hear. And I thank God for both of my mothers, for both of them, both of them I do. And I praise God because I have so much love. My phone's going off the hook. What I always cried was love. And when I ran for stuff at school, people never did understand, they didn't know me. I didn't tell them. But every vote meant somebody loved me. That didn't mean nothing to them, but it did to me. And I praise, and I praise God for that

because my phone's gone off the hook because all of these, my precious Jesus cast a wish me happy Mother's Day. I thank God, but it's God's grace. And I praise Him for it. And I praise Him for every single thing that I ever been through. Glory to God. Thank you. Wow. Thank you. Aw. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Well, how about going after Gigi, that's a good one. All right, so I got the letter H, and that's help from above. There's a woman in scripture named Hannah, and her story begins not with celebration but with longing. She carried a deep ache year after year, praying, weeping, hoping, while others stepped in easily into motherhood. She stood in the quiet place of waiting, misunderstood, overlooked, and grieving what hadn't yet come. Maybe that's where some hearts are today. Mother's Day doesn't hold just one kind. And you may look at me right now and say, what does she know about longing for a child? She is very much pregnant right now, and I also have two others that are wandering around this building. But I also went through my season of waiting, longing, and pain and heartache. We went through four years of infertility, and in the midst of that, we lost one baby. And then after we had our miracle baby banner, I got pregnant fairly quickly after that,

and we lost that baby. And then I got pregnant again, and we lost that baby. So within six months' time, we had lost two babies, and we've lost three altogether. In this time, it was very much a pressing and a crushing season for us. I had spoken with the Lord. We had had conversations, and I knew I heard Him clearly, and so I had a lot of questions for Him. But in this season, it just so happens to be my word was yes. I had told the Lord my word was yes. So whatever you ask of me, whether it's uncomfortable, whether it hurts, whether it stretches me, my answer is yes. So God has a sense of humor. Right after my first miscarriage, I came back to church, and I had a woman come up to me and ask me to pray for her womb, that it would be open. I said, okay, Lord. So I did. Then I was asked to share my testimony on how God had healed me from anxiety when I was, in fact, struggling with the symptoms of anxiety. I did not have anxiety. I was struggling with the symptoms of anxiety, and He met me there. Then I was asked to speak to women, encouraging them, when I myself felt very discouraged, and He met me there. He also met me in the altar an hour after I found out that I had lost another child. I was weeping before Him, and He also met me in the shower when I was curled up, asking Him why, when I knew I had heard Him clearly that we would have another child. I didn't understand what was going on, but He had a purpose. There was a season for that, and while I still don't totally understand all of it, He used every bit of it, and He met me there. Mother's Day can be beautiful, but it can also quietly break your heart. For the woman who is longing to be a mother, for the one who has lost a baby, for the one

who feels unseen in motherhood, for the one doing everything she can and wondering, is it enough? Hannah shows us something sacred. God is not intimidated by your tears. In 1 Samuel, we find her in the temple. She was not polished. She was not put together, but pouring out her soul so deeply that even the priest misunderstood her, thinking she must be drunk. God did not misunderstand her. He saw her. He sees you. Before Hannah ever held her miracle, she was held by God. Before her story changed, her heart was known. This Mother's Day, your value is not measured by what you hold in your arms, but by the God who holds you. You're not forgotten. You're not overlooked, and you're not alone in your longing, because motherhood is not only something you give birth to, sometimes it's something that you step into. There are women here who do not carry a child in their womb, but carry them faithfully in their lives. Women who choose to love, women who showed up, women who stepped in when it wasn't easy, natural, or expected. A stepmom who loves children she didn't birth, the adoptive mom who said yes to a child who needed a home, the grandmother raising a second generation, or the aunt, the mentor, or the spiritual mother that is constantly covering, guiding, and nurturing. That is not less than motherhood. That is intentional motherhood, and it reflects the heart of God, because long before Hannah ever held Samuel, she showed us something deeper than biology. she showed us surrender and when God answered her prayer she entrusted that child back to him reminding us that every child however they come into our

lives is ultimately his and for the woman who feels overlooked today because or whether because you're still waiting or because your role isn't always recognized hear this God sees the mothering you give even when others don't he sees the rides the prayers the patience he sees the choosing over and over again to love a child as your own and first Samuel Hannah poured out her soul before the Lord and he met her there the same God meets you not just in longing but in the quiet faithful yes of showing up as mom in whatever way he's called you this Mother's Day we honor more than one path we honor the mothers who carried life and we honor the mothers who chose life in how they love you're not second you're not overlooked and you're not forgotten you're seen by God and your motherhood matters happy Mother's Day if you guys are keeping track I am at E who this is deep but as humans we all have hopes and plans for ourselves and our families we plan to get a job we hope to plan and have a family we hope our kids aren't weird but some of us some of us are so meticulous the eyes are dotted the T's are crossed we know the difference between lavender and periwinkle does anyone know I googled it we hope and we plan with a sharp eye so that if anything goes off course we can quickly correct it before it gets too off the rails now nothing is wrong with planning but when that plan changes or something goes just a little crazy just a little something that we didn't plan for what do we do now this is me back up I am in fight-or-flight mode I'm in damage control and then sometimes you start to ask God I thought you were in this or say I heard you clearly someone spoke it over me our plans sometimes go only as far as we can see but there is a God who sees more than we can now I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that this day brings about some highs and lows an aspect of grief to some some might think I've I've never had someone in my life that prayed or had aspirations or plans for me or some might say Lydia you're not even a mom you don't get it valid but I do know what it means to be devastated when something does not work out according to plan my biggest hope and plan for myself the last four years now has been

to graduate lame I know but to me it's a huge thing when I came back in 2022 I said God what would you have me to do in this next season and he said I just need you to get your master's I need you to graduate bet I started to plan I said masters in to get a job in three I'll be out of mom and daddy's house everyone's happy about that but along the way you know it's gonna be so great I'm gonna get my education I meet the man of my dreams I start my family it's gonna go great nothing it's gone according to plan but this was the only plan I had I had nothing else but in an email and a simple five-minute phone call it was all gone there were times where I Lord what are you doing Lord I know what you have spoken over me you said whom shall I send and I said me you gave me that scholarship why was it taken in a way distraught devastated laying on my kitchen floor I heard God say but do you still trust me in my room there's a painting I did a few years ago not Picasso but it's a painting and it's of a light a lamppost and it references Psalms 119 105 your word is a lamp to my feet and the light to my path to me the scripture asked me a few things will you trust me will you believe the Lord when he speaks and will you believe in me if you don't see the whole plan reading this passage I just said God why didn't you allow us to walk in the light of the day. Why would you not give us a flashlight? Why would you not illuminate our path in general? And he said, because if I did, you would walk ahead of me and you would not trust me if you saw what I had in store for you. Jeremiah 29, verse 11, in the message, the scripture says, I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out, plans to take care of you, not to abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Many of us are hoping today.

For some, it might be a job, a degree. Some of us are still hoping and planning for that picture-perfect multifamily dynamic where grandma and grandpa are there, nieces and nephews, but some people just aren't acting right. We hope that instead of a text or a photo, our loved ones were in the same pew as us. There was still love, even sometimes when present stops. To those who are struggling or heartbroken, take solace today in these two Psalms. God is our refuge and our strength, very present in times of trouble. Psalms 46 and one. Psalms 27 and 10. My father and mother have walked out and left me, but God took me in. So, E, I was instructed that it was ever watching over you. E, ever, is defined as at any time, at all times, always, increasingly, constantly. This to me means unchanging, eternal, steadfast, and continual. This is a describing both who God is and what he is to his children. What are you needing God to ever be in your life today? I believe God is saying to many, I see your need. I see your heart. Your planning was not for naught. I am an ever watchful God. Trust me. ern

Have you Moms Day, everyone. I'm not quite tall enough for this. Today is such a beautiful day for so many of you guys here. But for some, it may have taken absolutely everything you had to walk through these doors today. And maybe no one sees it. Maybe you got ready and you put on your favorite dress and you did your hair just right and came through the door smiling. Maybe you sat down and hoped no one noticed, but you feel it. And part of you, part of you walks every moment in feeling it. So before I move to my message today, I just want you to know that we see you. I see you. But most importantly, God sees you. I was asked to speak on right till the end and praying about that and pondering on that message. It brought me to something I'm very familiar with, and that's God's faithfulness. And God's faithfulness. It's not what I always thought it was. It's not something that is revealed in those easy moments. But it's revealed in the moments that break you. In moments where things don't go the way that you thought that they would. When prayers, they don't get answered the way that you begged for them to. In those moments that life just doesn't go as planned. That's where the faithfulness truly takes you all the way through. In Psalms 34, 18, it says, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted. A lot of us are familiar with that verse. It's a verse we share, you know, we send for comfort

and it's something I had read many, many times. And ultimately thought it was a nice scripture. That is until I needed it to be true. I needed to know that God was close. Because when your heart is actually broken, and all you can feel is pain, you don't need a good message. You don't need a nice scripture. You need to know, is God actually close? Isaiah 43, two, it says, when you will pass through it, I will be with you. I find it interesting that it does not say if, it doesn't say if you go through the hard things, if you have a moment of pain. No, it says when. It tells us, it prepares us. You will go through it. It may look different than mine, but you will go through it. But you will not be alone. He gives us that guarantee that in that moment, in your darkest, lowest moments, that he will be with you. Many of you, you know, part of my story, and that in the last few months, we lost our little boy. And there's really no words. There's nothing as a mother, there's nothing as a mother

that could prepare you for that type of loss. Because that type of pain, it doesn't just hurt, it changes you. It changes the way that you look at the world. It changes the way that you see yourself. And it even changes the way that you see God. And I'd like to say that I went through it and I had the strength, and that I had all the answers. But most days it felt like all I really did have was pain. And even here today, I'd like to tell you that I sat here and I went through it, and I understand it, and it makes sense. But it doesn't. Because grief, grief is not something that is fixed. It's something that you carry. There's a verse that likely everyone in this room knows. In John 35, it's two simple words, and it says, Jesus wept. Admittedly, through the years in Sunday school, I never put much thought behind those two words. It isn't till now. And I find it interesting that Jesus, he knew the miracle that was to come. He knew exactly how the story was going to end. And he stood there and he cried. Jesus, He cried. And what that tells me is that God is not uncomfortable with our grief.

He does not wait for you to be done or rush you out of it. He doesn't stand at a distance, not wanting to be a part of it. No, He wants to step into it with you, if you let Him. So to the mom who is here today grieving, and you woke up and you had that ache in your chest, and maybe you have a love that you feel like it has nowhere to go. And you wonder if anyone even remembers, if you're the only one still holding on. I wanna say this to you as gently as possible. You are still a mother. Even if you walked in this room today and your arms are empty, you are still a mother. Even if you feel like no one still says their name and the whole world is moving on, you are still a mother. And your child, they matter. Your love matters. And your grief, it's seen by God. What I've learned through my own journey is that God's faithfulness, it doesn't look exactly like what I always plan. It doesn't look like where things turn out exactly how I hope for. But instead, it's when God doesn't leave when it doesn't. In Lamentations 3.22, it says,

his mercies never come to an end. I have held on to that. Because in moments where it may feel like everything else has ended, his presence doesn't. His mercy doesn't. And his faithfulness, it doesn't. So whatever today looks like for you, whether it be full or maybe it feels empty, joyful, or maybe it's painful. And likely it's somewhere in between. I want you to know, if you take nothing else that I said and nothing else that I said, that you are not alone. God sees you in your grief. He sees you in your questions. He sees you in your story. And he is with you in the middle of it. But he stays with you right till the end. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Hey mom, it's me. Thank you. Thank you. I know you weren't expecting this call, but I needed you to hear my voice, cause I know that today can be heavy, while others celebrate, your heart remembers, well, me, but I'm okay. I'm more than okay, I'm safe, I'm whole, I'm held, and mom, you did everything right. You loved me, you carried me, you chose me even when it was hard. Please don't let guilt speak louder than truth. Please don't let sorrow tell you a story that heaven isn't telling. There's no condemnation here, mom, only peace, and I'm not alone, I'm finally in the arms of Jesus, and mom, if you could see his smile, if you could feel his love, you would know There was never a moment I'm not cared for here, he's holding me now, the only one who could ever love me more than you, and one day, when the time is right, you'll finally hold me too, so breathe, let his peace find you, I love you, and I'll see you again, mom. And I would like for our prayer teams to come. Prayer Venture, you're in this room today, and it's been a tough day. Maybe you're in a complicated season.

Maybe you're in a longing season. We wanted to give an opportunity first to pray for any ladies in the house that would need prayer over any aspect of their life, but especially if you're in a complicated situation or if you're in a longing situation, or you're in grieving, and just so for them, would we just bow our heads right now, Heavenly Father, on this day, this is your day, and your word says that we should rejoice and we should be glad in it, so Lord, today, would you take the pain, take the sorrow, the wounds, the hurts, would you take those, and for that sadness, would you give them joy, so that they could rejoice and be glad in this day that you have made? I pray, Lord, that you would be the author and you would be the finisher, Lord, of their faith. And as Nicole said, that they would realize that you're with them right to the end. You've never left us, that you are an ever-present help in times of trouble, and our faith rests only in you. So as Pastor Melissa is in just a moment going to sing, this altar area is open. If you have to go, we say the Lord bless you, but please be respectful of those that may be having a moment. Life isn't always what social media says it is. Sometimes there's a lot of pain and a lot of sorrow and a lot of hurt and a lot of wounds, but you are not alone. For the Lord is very near to them of a broken heart, and he saves the such that is of a contrite spirit. As Nicole was going through talking about Briggs, a song that my wife wrote came back to my mind, and the song was written about a young lady who had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. She was dying. down in the front of the church and she was praying and she was asking God, are you close enough to hear me? Are you close enough to see my tears? Are you close enough?

My friend, he is. He is an ever present help. And he is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. So our altars are open to whoever might need prayer. And as Pastor Melissa sings, may this song minister to you as it has all these years. ♪ And I'm oppressed to think I'm alone ♪ ♪ That I'm walking through this trial on my own ♪ ♪ And the tears I've cried will never leave my eyes ♪ ♪ I lie awake at night in my bed trying so hard to think ♪ ♪ Clearly in my head there's just one thing that I need to know ♪ ♪ One thing that I need to know ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to know me? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to hold me? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to see my rain and feel my pain? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to want me? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to love me? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough for me to know you're there? ♪ ♪ I try so hard to trust in you, but it's not easy when it's pain you go through ♪ ♪ And sometimes Lord, I wonder if you care ♪ ♪ I try to lean upon your word and believe that everything is sure ♪ ♪ But there's just some things Lord, that I have to know ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to love me? Are you close enough to hold me? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to see my rain and feel my pain? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to want me? Are you close enough to love me? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough for me to know you're there? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to know me? Are you close enough to hold me? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to see my rain and feel my pain? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to want me? Are you close enough to love me? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to love me? Are you close enough for me to know you're there? ♪

♪ Are you close enough for me to know you're there? ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. ♪ ♪ Are you close? Are you close enough to hold me? Are you close enough to want me? ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to see my rain and feel my pain? Are you close enough to love me? Are you close enough to want me? Are you close enough for me to know your pain? ♪ ♪ ♪ Are you close enough to love me? Are you close enough for me? Are you close enough to see my rain? ♪ Are you close enough to love me? Are you close enough to want me? Are you close enough for me to know you're there? Are you close? Are you close enough to know me? Are you close enough to hold me? Are you close enough to see my rage and feel my pain? Are you close enough to love me? Are you close enough to want me? Are you close enough for me to know you're there? Are you close enough to know me? Are you close enough to hold me? Are you close enough to see my rage and feel my pain? Are you close enough to love me? Are you close enough to want me?