The book of Ruth talks about a lady named Naomi. Her husband and both of her sons died. Her heart was so heavy, she asked that she be called Mara, which means “bitter.”

And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. Ruth 1:20
Even though she was a Godly woman, she had to take time to grieve. And to those around her, she may have seemed a little melodramatic wanting to change her name and all. But that was her process, and God’s grace prevailed in her life. It wasn’t long before she was giving Ruth advice on how to catch Boaz.

My mama reminds me of Naomi. She has dealt with several life-altering events in the last few years that at times have left her in a Naomi state. She lost her mother, a job she loved of twenty-plus years, and almost lost my dad/her husband in an accident all within a few years. But I see God’s grace all over her in the middle of it all. Just when something else bad happened that I thought might push her over the edge, that grace kicked in and she displayed amazing strength.

That’s exactly how God works. My family used to sing a song called “He Knows Just How Much You Can Bear.” He is there to carry us through just when we think there’s no way we can go on. So, on this Mother’s Day, I celebrate my mama, Elaine Hughes, and the evident grace of God in her life.