Rebecca Barlow Jordan - Day-votions for Grandmothers: Heart to Heart Encouragement

Jordans delightful Day-Votions for Grandmothers touched my heart as a grandmother of sixteen and brought many smiles of recognition. This sweet collection of grandma stories will warm your spirit. I especially enjoyed the story about Beanie Babiessince I have four such babies of my own!

Karen OConnor, speaker and author of Bein A Grandparent Aint For Wimps

Rebeccas book is filled with sage wisdom, enlightening advice, and delightful stories. As a fairly new grandma, Im eager to be encouraged by reading it often. You will be too.

Kathy Collard Miller, speaker and author of Why Do I Put So Much Pressure on Myself and Others?

Whether youre a Mimi, Nana, or Grams, this book is a mustread for grandmothers of all ages. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, sit down in your favorite chair, and take a moment to refresh your life with a Day-Votion each morning. Jordans book is full of heartwarming stories all grandmothers will love.

Edna Ellison, PhD, Christian mentoring guru (www.ednaellison.com) and author of A Passion for Purpose: 365 Devotions for Missional Living

ZONDERVAN

Day-votions for Grandmothers

Copyright 2010 by Rebecca Barlow Jordan

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition FEBRUARY 2010 ISBN: 978-0-310-39569-0

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Jordan, Rebecca.

Day-votions for grandmothers : heart-to-heart encouragement / Rebecca Barlow Jordan.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-310-32205-4 (hardcover, jacketed)

1. Grandmothers Prayers and devotions I. Title.

BV4847.J68 2009

242.645 dc22

2009040172

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, Todays New International Version, TNIV. Copyright 2001, 2005 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers printed in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

To Haley, Jordan, Lauren, and Cadenmy very special grandchildren

Grandmother opens up a new world of change, challenge, and celebration in a womans life. Grandmoms come in all shapes and sizes, but God stamps original on each of our lives. Our needsand agesvary. Whether were young Nanas, boomer-grams, or great-grams, we all crave understanding and companionshipother grandmoms, friends, and family members who will share our load and celebrate our joys.

And though we are unique individuals, every grandmother needsand wantsencouragement and deeper, more meaningful relationships with her grandchildren, family, God, and others. Every grandmother longs to leave a legacy that will pass on from one generation to the next.

For years Ive tried to write devotions that would encourage readers to connect on a deeper, more intimate level with God and others: to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and to love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27).

But sometimes life happens, and we grandmothers forget how to do that. We realize that love hurts and relationships take work. Growing older can zap our energy, change our perspective, and challenge our stability. Yet the longing to make a difference in the ones we love lingers, like the fragrance in a home when a sweet candles flame has been extinguished.

In this new series of Day-votions, Ive tried to say to you as grandmothers, You are not alone. None of us is. Our very existence depends on strong relationships. In bite-sized, day-votions for everyday living, Ive written some nuggets of spiritual encouragement that I hope will help you strengthen your relationship with God, with your grandchildren and other family members, and with others. I pray these stories, insights, and biblical truths will direct you to the only One who can meet all of your needs. As you draw close to Jesus, I believe he will connect the dots to more meaningful relationships with others as well.

Whether youre struggling with aging, inadequacy, or fears, or celebrating with new beginnings, smiles, and tears, you are not alone. Other women haveand arewalking the same path as you. It doesnt matter if youre a single grandmother, married, middle-aged, or a senior, God is by your side, applauding your work, extending fresh hope, and drawing you close to himself so he can whisper, You are making a difference. Im here to help you, and I will take care of you. I love you. I always will.

Through these pages, I hope youll laugh a little and maybe cry a little, but more than anything, my hearts desire is that you will be encouraged to keep on loving, laughing, serving, and sharingand that you will gain a new sense of joy and purpose as you celebrate this beautiful God-ordained role of being a grandmother.

May our Lord Jesus himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word (2 Thessalonians 2:16 17).

Rebecca

The kids may call her Nana,

Gram, or even Meems.

Her role is always changing

Thats the way it seems.

But one thing always stays the same:

Grandmother is a name called love.

She may dream of yesterday

and sigh in resignation;

or she may try to reinvent

her life and occupation.

But one thing always stays the same:

Grandmother is a name called love.

-RBJ