Tribute God Gave Me To Be Read at Mom's Home Going Celebration Service

MY MOTHER MARY
"SOUL WINNER"


The Bible says in Proverbs 11:30

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he (or she) that winneth souls is wise."

Those two words alone could describe my Mother Mary Lanham. She found the Lord at the age of thirty and her first convert was her father just before he died and she never stopped winning souls!

I want to take Mothers Name Mary letter by letter to describe who My Mother Mary the soul winner was the way I saw her.

M- Mother was a mighty woman of God, a mighty woman of Faith!

A- Always telling others about Jesus no matter where she was or no matter who that person would be. Her first question to everyone she met was "Do you know Jesus and are you ready to go to Heaven if He should come today?"

R- Ready- She was always ready to pray with or for others. She was an Intercessor nd seen the Lord save, deliver and heal many people in her lifetime. Many today would not know and prayer warrior. I truly believe many would not have met Jesus if it had not been for Mary Lanham.

Y- Youngest to the oldest everyone they all seemed to love her. It was not because of who she was, had or could do for them, but because when they saw her they saw her Jesus! Christ in her- her hope of Glory!

Mom was a member of the A/G since she was about 30 years young. She was always actively served the Lord at church.

She taught Sunday School, worked in Children's Church. and she would come to her many times to pray for them. Maybe a headache or just prayer for an unsaved Mom or Dad, etc. She stopped everything and prayed with them right then!

She loved helping with Vacation Bible School each year always helping me to win the "Bring the most" contest but she really helped me to get them there every year!

Just a quick story about Mary "Soul Winner". I remember one time when Mom was witnessing to one family where the Mom and Dad where alcoholics and she would take them things and show love no matter how poor or lost they may have been,

She did not get the parent to church as they would be sleeping it off as they say. However, every Sunday morning we would leave early and on our way to church she would stop at there house to invite them all. When the Mom & Dad did not answer the door the children would let her in the house.

She would lift them one by one up on the kitchen sink. She would wash them off the best she could. She hunted for clothes clean enough and dress them. Feed them something if she could or give them a drink.

Then off we'd go walking like we always did about 8 blocks to the Kingston A/G for Sunday School and church. Then walk home when church was over usually about one o'clock in the afternoon by time we got the children back home first.

The parents maybe up by then and sometimes still asleep. Needless to say those children met Jesus as Savior and the parents we never stopped witnessing to and praying for and trusted God to save them.

Just one other short soul winning story in Mom's life as there where too many to tell her. Our next door neighbors had two daughters that went to school with me, Mom became friends with her parents and begin to tell them as she always did about the Lord.

They all became close friends after they came to Christ at our church soon after we became friends first. Jesus did the same. He won all by love, (quote John 3:16) Long story shout the Dad of that family became a pastor himself and his eldest daughter my best friends grew up married a minister and is still a good friend to me and still ministering today!

So, in closing, What would my Mother Mary Lanham "Soul Winner" say if she was still on earth today? What would she say to everyone here at this service if she could? Well, I know, so let me ask you for her. "Do you know Jesus?" If He would come today would you be ready to go to Heaven?" Can you say as the song says that she sang many times. "It is Well With My Soul".