Some of my first memories of my Mother’s relationship with Jesus were:

• That night we were driving back from Carlisle. I was in the front seat with mom & dad as she began to sing, “I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses…” I must have been 4 or 5 years old then, but even in the dark she seemed to glow when she sang, “And He walks with me and talks with me and tells me He is my own…” These were words of a longing.

• I remember in times of uncertainty, I would see her quietly saying, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23 (KJV). These were personal words of encouragement she repeated all her life.

• But the memory that burned into my heart…the memory God recalled to me the day my life fell apart. It was His whisper…His confrontation with me when He asked, “Have you had enough of do you want some more of this?’ It was at that moment I recalled mother sitting peacefully in her swivel rocker with her Bible in her lap. I knew she had what I needed. She had Jesus.

Yesterday, as I read 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 I knew my assignment. He wanted me, this weekend of Resurrection, to write about the evidence of His Confidence… His Peace.

We had gone to Dallas to celebrate mother’s 92^nd Birthday. I’m sitting in the back seat as my brother is driving mother back to the nursing home. When we came to the stoplight mother oddly said, “I’m ready to go anytime He is ready. This arthritis is terrible.” I sensed in my heart she was telling my brother & me she was ready. Little did we know it would be in 3 weeks.

I was in a business meeting the afternoon my brother called to tell me mother was in ICU with pneumonia. The next day two of her grandchildren stood beside her bed as she smiled behind the oxygen mask that was forcing air into her lungs.

But it was walking down the hospital hall to her room when I heard her… the groan that I recognized as mother’s… things had changed. She was unresponsive when I walked into the room. I learned later she had not spoken in over a day. I stood over her, kissing her forehead, telling her I loved her, thanking her for all she had when she popped her little eyes open looking intently at me when she said, “Let me go!” “Let me GO!” When I said, “Ok mom, I’ll see you on the other side,” she closed her eyes. She went home to walk with Jesus.

Mother saw & experienced the confidence that only comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus. We learn from 2 Corinthians 5:6-9, “Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So, we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.”

It’s the confidence of the resurrection. Jesus speaks directly to us in John 11:25-26, “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Do you believe this?” I witnessed it. There is no doubt in my heart, my mother, who yearned to be with Her Savior, Jesus, walks with Him today. I know without any doubt I too will see her on the other side.

Maybe you have doubts. Only Jesus can give you the Hope, The Peace, the Confidence. Don’t wait another second. Call out, “Jesus, I need you.”