Happy Mother's Day!

My mom had me at 17. I can’t even imagine becoming a parent that young, but that was the reality for many women then—marry, raise children, and keep a home while the men worked to provide. In so many ways, she was still a child herself, learning how to raise children.

And yet, she did the very best she could with what she had.

We never went without food. We always had clothes on our backs—even if they came from Goodwill or Kmart. She stretched every dollar, living within her means to make sure our needs were met. We didn’t have much in the way of money, but we had enough to get by, because she made sure of it.

She sacrificed more times than I can count, going without so that we wouldn’t have to. We didn’t hear “I love you” all the time, but she showed it—in her sacrifices, her consistency, and her care.

With her ongoing health issues, I’m reminded more than ever that time isn’t something we can take for granted. We don’t know how many more years we’ll have with her, and that reality makes me hold even tighter to the moments we do have.

I hope she knows how deeply she is loved and appreciated, especially on this Mother’s Day.

This sweet lady—our “Nan”—is missed more than words could ever express. This is our first Mother’s Day without her here to celebrate, and that absence is deeply felt. But we take comfort in knowing she’s exactly where she longed to be—back with Popsie in heaven.

Life threw us a curveball after Popsie passed. We never imagined our time with Nan would be so short—just a year and two months without him. It still doesn’t feel like enough.

That last year was especially hard, because we didn’t fully understand what she was going through. Nan wasn’t one to go to the doctor—she hadn’t been in decades. So when we finally learned near the end that she had lung cancer, it was devastating for all of us.

Nan was an incredible mom and grandmother. She always put her children and grandchildren before herself, cherishing every moment she had with them. The love she poured out when she was with her family spoke louder than words ever could. We knew how special she was, and we didn’t take that for granted. We made the time, we made the memories—and I’m so grateful we did. Those moments will stay with us forever.

We miss her deeply, but we also have peace in knowing she is no longer in pain—that she is whole, healed, and happy again. And that means everything.

Happy Heavenly Mother’s Day to the most amazing mom, grandmother, and mother-in-law the Neal family could have ever been blessed with.

Last but certainly not least, there’s this incredible woman—Anne. She has been like a second mom to me ever since I met her at just 8 years old.

She and her husband, John, moved from Georgia to pastor the church I was attending at the time—thanks to a sweet older neighbor who made sure we kids were there every Sunday. That year, they were leading VBS, and something in Anne’s love drew me in. She loved me in a way I had never experienced before, and I held onto that—honestly, I still do.

Anne has had an immeasurable impact on my life and my walk with Christ. Her love for the Lord radiates from every part of who she is, and it’s evident in the way she loves and pours into others.

The ways she has shaped my life are too many to count. Her influence has never left me—it’s something I carry with me every single day. I truly don’t know where I would be without her. My life would look very different if God hadn’t placed an “Anne” in it, and I’m forever grateful that He did.

God blessed me richly when He brought her into my life.

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In my life, there have been three women who have shaped me in a motherly way and left a lasting impact on who I am today. Because of them, I have been incredibly blessed. The value of that kind of influence in a person’s life can’t really be measured—it’s beyond what words are able to fully capture.

I hope and pray that you have had mothers or mother figures like that in your own life—women who have poured into you, guided you, and left a lasting imprint on your heart. And if you haven’t, I pray that God brings someone into your life who will. Someone who will love, shape, and impact you in a way that stays with you forever, just like these women have done for me.

Happy Mother's Day!

May All  Mom's Feel Loved & Appreciated 

Today & Always!