Grandma's Prayers
Grandma’s prayers...including great, great, grandmother's...and even great great great grandmother's who prayed for us...matter more than we realize.
Spring is a time for renewal as buds begin to appear on flowers and trees, rain waters the earth, iced over lakes thaw out, grass turns green, and birds chirp in the spring breeze. In my heart, every spring I visit Green Valley, Arizona and remember the renewal I found at the base of my grandmother's mountain.
My grandmother, Millie McKeever (who our shop is named after) loved the magnificent mountains in Green Valley, Arizona. For many years my grandparents would leave the cold Midwest Iowa winters behind and head for their beloved destination of Green Valley, Arizona. Often times my grandmother's phone calls from Arizona would start off with her description of how the mountains looked from her window. She would report if the mountains were snowcapped, hidden by clouds, or blazing in sunlight. It was obvious she spent a lot of time looking at the beauty of the mountains and I would suspect by the notes in her Bible...praying there.
In 2004, my grandmother went home to be with the Lord. A few years after she passed, I returned to Green Valley to visit my parents who had started the same tradition as my grandparents of wintering in Arizona. One beautiful clear day I was enjoying walking along the base of the mountains my grandmother loved so much. I was soaking in the brilliant rays of sunshine as they glistened on the tall peaks of the mountains. In the complete peace and stillness I remember hearing the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit waft over me saying, “I am answering the prayers of your grandmother.” My journey with the Lord had been rocky for a long season. I questioned His power and presence in my life. After hearing the revelation of the gentle whisper, I remember lifting my eyes from the mountains to the sky, where I knew my Grandmother and God resided together, I also knew the strength of my grandmother’s faith and her frequent prayers...I found myself wondering in my stern thinking voice...”Grandma, WHAT did you pray for?” There was only silence from the sky that day. But many times as my life would change course and doors would open and close...I remembered the whisper from that day 'I am answering the prayers of your grandmother'. I knew deep in my heart everything was part of God’s plan. But somehow, in the unseen realm, my grandmother’s prayers whispered on earth still had power...a power I would not ever fully understand.
In the sitting room of our historic 1875 bank building where we host ‘The Cafe’ events, there is a 6' hand tatted tablecloth draped over an early 1900’s railroad bench. It’s not just any tablecloth. It was given to me by Grandma, Millie McKeever. It was given to her by my great grandmother. It was given to her by my great great grandmother... as a wedding gift. The hands of my great great grandmother made that beautiful 6' tablecloth pictured way back in the 1800's. I am sure these were the same hands that were often clasped in prayer for her daughter and her legacy. I have been blessed to know that those before me in my family prayed...for those here at the time and those far off (Acts 2:29). I’ve been the recipient of a legacy of prayers, that like the hand tatted tablecloth, have been passed down for generations.
Though my sweet Grandma Millie McKeever went home, even after she was gone there have been many times her prayers were answered in my life. As I’ve watched ‘The Notebook Cafe’ grow over the past nine years, I have no doubt it’s part of the answers to her powerful prayers...and those prayers even before hers by my great great grandmother.
How beautiful...a legacy of prayers. A covering of something so sacred...it will not die because we leave this earth, BUT GOD will answer in His timing in the way He knows is best. We will leave this earth...but our prayers will still be answered here. Pray for your family and for those who are far off. Those you will never meet here. Those whose arrival will follow our departure. Pray that God would hold them safe until you are reunited in His Kingdom and receive His promised inheritance through Jesus Christ.
God honors the prayers of His children. God’s heart is touched by praying parents, grandparents, great grandparents, through all generations. Cover your legacy with something that can never be taken...a legacy of prayer whispered into eternity.
A praying Grandmother,
Shelly Thompson
Publisher, The Notebook Cafe
The Notebook Café
Millie McKeever’s Vintage & Home Decor
Spring is a time for renewal as buds begin to appear on flowers and trees, rain waters the earth, iced over lakes thaw out, grass turns green, and birds chirp in the spring breeze. In my heart, every spring I visit Green Valley, Arizona and remember the renewal I found at the base of my grandmother's mountain.
My grandmother, Millie McKeever (who our shop is named after) loved the magnificent mountains in Green Valley, Arizona. For many years my grandparents would leave the cold Midwest Iowa winters behind and head for their beloved destination of Green Valley, Arizona. Often times my grandmother's phone calls from Arizona would start off with her description of how the mountains looked from her window. She would report if the mountains were snowcapped, hidden by clouds, or blazing in sunlight. It was obvious she spent a lot of time looking at the beauty of the mountains and I would suspect by the notes in her Bible...praying there.
In 2004, my grandmother went home to be with the Lord. A few years after she passed, I returned to Green Valley to visit my parents who had started the same tradition as my grandparents of wintering in Arizona. One beautiful clear day I was enjoying walking along the base of the mountains my grandmother loved so much. I was soaking in the brilliant rays of sunshine as they glistened on the tall peaks of the mountains. In the complete peace and stillness I remember hearing the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit waft over me saying, “I am answering the prayers of your grandmother.” My journey with the Lord had been rocky for a long season. I questioned His power and presence in my life. After hearing the revelation of the gentle whisper, I remember lifting my eyes from the mountains to the sky, where I knew my Grandmother and God resided together, I also knew the strength of my grandmother’s faith and her frequent prayers...I found myself wondering in my stern thinking voice...”Grandma, WHAT did you pray for?” There was only silence from the sky that day. But many times as my life would change course and doors would open and close...I remembered the whisper from that day 'I am answering the prayers of your grandmother'. I knew deep in my heart everything was part of God’s plan. But somehow, in the unseen realm, my grandmother’s prayers whispered on earth still had power...a power I would not ever fully understand.
In the sitting room of our historic 1875 bank building where we host ‘The Cafe’ events, there is a 6' hand tatted tablecloth draped over an early 1900’s railroad bench. It’s not just any tablecloth. It was given to me by Grandma, Millie McKeever. It was given to her by my great grandmother. It was given to her by my great great grandmother... as a wedding gift. The hands of my great great grandmother made that beautiful 6' tablecloth pictured way back in the 1800's. I am sure these were the same hands that were often clasped in prayer for her daughter and her legacy. I have been blessed to know that those before me in my family prayed...for those here at the time and those far off (Acts 2:29). I’ve been the recipient of a legacy of prayers, that like the hand tatted tablecloth, have been passed down for generations.
Though my sweet Grandma Millie McKeever went home, even after she was gone there have been many times her prayers were answered in my life. As I’ve watched ‘The Notebook Cafe’ grow over the past nine years, I have no doubt it’s part of the answers to her powerful prayers...and those prayers even before hers by my great great grandmother.
How beautiful...a legacy of prayers. A covering of something so sacred...it will not die because we leave this earth, BUT GOD will answer in His timing in the way He knows is best. We will leave this earth...but our prayers will still be answered here. Pray for your family and for those who are far off. Those you will never meet here. Those whose arrival will follow our departure. Pray that God would hold them safe until you are reunited in His Kingdom and receive His promised inheritance through Jesus Christ.
God honors the prayers of His children. God’s heart is touched by praying parents, grandparents, great grandparents, through all generations. Cover your legacy with something that can never be taken...a legacy of prayer whispered into eternity.
A praying Grandmother,
Shelly Thompson
Publisher, The Notebook Cafe
The Notebook Café
Millie McKeever’s Vintage & Home Decor
Shelly Thompson is the Publisher for The Notebook Cafe -- Inspired Words for the Journey, and owner of Millie McKeever's Vintage & Home Decor with 201 Coffee located in the quaint historic town of Walnut, Iowa. 'The Cafe' offers a place where women gather to share a time of fellowship, devotion, and a tour the circa 1875 historical bank building restored by Shelly and her husband. Shelly is the author of two books. Entwined; now in its fourth printing; and Heart of a Warrior; in its sixth printing. Taking a giant leap of faith Shelly left the corporate world in 2015 to pursue a dream God gave her of developing a monthly inspirational faith based online reading café of words and encouragement. Today, The Notebook Café reaches over one million people each month. Shelly has also developed The Notebook Cafe Annual Woman's Conference and women's retreat held in Branson, Missouri each November. Shelly and her husband, Dave, spend time with their family and many weekends working on home renovation projects…that thankfully never seem to end.
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