Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
Through the weekly and daily devotionals you can be constantly encouraged in your great role of parenting, the highest career in the nation. You can also stay updated on what's happening with the Above Rubies ministry.
THE POWER AND INFLUENCE OF A MOTHER
Molly Lilja tells the story of the funeral of an Above rubies mother.Recently I attended my friend Nicole’s memorial service. Wow, I have never experienced anything like it. It was incredible to see the body of Christ come together to bless this family and help them pull off what was truly the most extraordinary memorial service most of us will ever witness. Our large family friends do everything big!
The service was held at the Yakima Valley Sundome, the only venue in the area large enough to accommodate the gathering. For two days, people voluntarily worked tirelessly to set up, serve, and clean up after an unforgettable event. It began with a two-hour service where her children rose up and called her blessed, followed by a beautiful lunch, rich fellowship, and thoughtful activities for the children—gaga ball, coloring pages, ride-on bikes, big wheels, pickleball, arts and crafts, and even a dedicated space for nursing moms.
Later, they served pizza and ice cream, and the evening closed with hymn singing and prayer. Nine hours of celebrating Nicole’s life!
Nicole was a dear friend, though I didn’t see her often. She and her family lived in the middle of nowhere. We connected at family camp and prayer nights, attended Above Rubies retreats together, and shared sweet fellowship whenever our families met up.
She poured her life into her family of 10 children, supporting her husband and his business, homeschooling her children, and caring for her aging parents. Her hospitality was unmatched. She didn’t have a lot of time to reach out to friends, yet do you know how many people attended her memorial service?
One thousand! Yes, one thousand people gathered, not to honor a celebrity, a millionaire, or a high-powered executive—but a homeschool mom. A woman who gave one hundred percent of her time to her family. The world might tell us that this kind of life is small, insular, and insignificant, but that is simply not true.
Many people close to Nicole gave her a hard time for trusting God with her family size and homeschooling, but the fruit of her faith is truly inspiring. God’s design is perfect, and in Nicole’s life, we see proof of that—a woman who quietly devoted herself to her family made a lasting impact on so many.
One thousand people spent nine hours celebrating her life—a powerful testimony to the influence of a mother who walked in obedience to God’s calling.
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all’” (Proverbs 31:25-29).
Ladies, keep on keeping on. We are changing the world, one home school lesson at a time.
MOLLY LILJA
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Read also Hebrews 12:1-3.
