Monday, May 4, 2015

Making A Deposit On A Promise


For years now I have seen how important it is to keep your word. I think we all know how important that really is, but sometimes it really comes home in a unique way.

Many years ago I met a wonderful women. She was not a typical woman. She was her own self and was not afraid to be who she was. You might say she was a little quirky, but it was a very good quirky. To give you an idea of what I mean, when she married her second husband she and her husband went on their honeymoon with two other people, my mother-in-law being one of them. Telling you the whys and all about that would take too long, but it was something she, her husband and everyone else enjoyed a lot. Oh and she was in her 60's when this honeymoon took place.

This sweet and unusual lady was named LaBerta! I love her name and when she got married again he last name became LaTurner. LaBerta LaTurner. Isn't that just the neatest name? And it fit her wonderful quirky personality too. But what was even more important and wonderful about her was her testimony. She was a powerful woman of God. She loved the Lord and had no fear in telling others about Him and all He had done in her life. I loved that about her and through that testimony she taught me a very important lesson.


I'm sure many of you (hopefully all of you) know the importance of prayer. In any Believer's life it is vital. It can make a huge difference in how we live our daily lives and with our relationships with other people. But LaBerta taught me something about prayer I had never thought about before and have never forgotten since.

I need to tell you that LaBerta was an amazing prayer warrior. If you wanted someone to faithfully pray for things going on in your life she was the person to go to. She was consistent in her prayer life and she followed up. If you asked her to pray for something she would come to you later to find out what the answer to that prayer was. She believed in and practiced the power of prayer! I learned a lot from her by that example, but the one small step she took that impressed me the most was what she would do when you asked her to pray.

This small step became very evident to me the first time I asked her to pray for me. We were standing in the foyer of a church. She noticed that I was not doing very well (long story) and asked if she could pray for me. I told her what was going on briefly and she said she would pray. That's when the most amazing thing happened. She stopped right there in the midst of a lot of other people, took my hand and started praying. It did not matter who else heard or saw, she just started praying. I can't tell you how special that was to me.


But it was not the only time she did that for me or my family. If we ran into her at the grocery store she would stop right there and pray for us. If we talked on the phone with her she would end the conversation with a prayer. If we met in the post office she would pray for anything and anyone. Wherever she was, if you needed prayer she would pray for you right then and there. She did not care who else saw what was going on or who heard, not that she prayed loudly. Her concern was to pray and pray immediately.

I had a chance one time to ask her about it. She kinda snickered and said she thought that telling someone you would pray for them was a promise. Promises were something to be taken very seriously, as seriously as God takes His promises to us. She told me that when she became a Christian she learned how important promises really are to God and since saying you would pray for someone was in her mind a promise (and I agree with her) she had to make sure she kept it. So when someone asked her to pray she was going to make a deposit on a promise and she did every single time.

I treasured that thought and mulled it over in my mind for quite a while. I had never heard of anyone thinking about praying for someone in that way before. It made a huge impact on me. LaBetra taught me something that to this day has stuck with me and has changed how I see prayer and my prayer life.


Do I do the same thing as boldly as LaBerta did? No, I wish I did. But I have done my best to keep the promise I make to people when I say I will pray for them? Yes! Prayer is a vital part of my life and it was forever changed by a small lesson from LaBerta LaTurner.

Thank you Berta!!

53 comments:

  1. I always try to remember to pray for people when I say that I will. I think it's important to follow through.

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    1. It really is! I benefits both of you.

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    2. I'm Laberta's granddaughter and our family just came across this tribute. Thank you for this she was the best. How did you know grandma and are you local to Argos? If so we would like to meet you at the funeral. Me email is gmechlingsmith@gmail.com

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  2. I know I should pray more. It really is important.

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    1. The more I pray, the better i feel and the better I handle my life.

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  3. This world needs a whole lot more people like LaBerta! Such an inspiration! (:

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  4. What an inspirational post. I pray everyday and I think it helps me get through tough times as well.

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    1. It sure can help through tough times, but keeping it up when things go well is important too!

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  5. I strongly believe in the power of prayer, and I too have now learned a lesson from LaBerta. Thank you for sharing this Lois!

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    1. My pleasure and I know you believe in the power pf prayer!!

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  6. I have a friend who prays like this. He prays for people right then and there.

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    1. I am trying to be a lot more bold like that and wish there were more who were.

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  7. LaBerta sounds like a wonderful person, very thoughtful.

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  8. Yes, it's important to keep your promises.

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  9. I have a friend just like this! I'm not quite brave enough to follow her example yet, but I'm practicing with typed prayers. When someone texts or emails or FB's a prayer request to me, I'll write out a prayer for them right then and there and send it back asap. I like the idea that then they'll have that prayer to look back at when they need encouragement :-)

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  10. I always hated when promises were broken that people had promised me. Now I don't ever promise something unless I know I can follow through. -Jillian Fisher

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    1. I'm like you. Promises are very serious and I don't make them lightly.

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  11. No comment on this as I have my own issues with this. That said I always try to send out positive thoughts for everyone.

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    1. It's good to be positive and it's okay to not agree with me.

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  12. I have had trouble in the past when it came to keeping promises I would make. As I gotten older, I hold keeping my word dear to my heart.

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    1. I think that is something many of us learn as we age.

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  13. I need to start praying more too. Thank you for this uplifting post. :)

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    1. I'm glad I could share it! She was a pretty nifty lady!

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  14. I LOVE this! What a special lady and it really gives you something to think about. So often people promise prayers on social media and I always responded and thought of it as my way of actually praying because I figured God knew, but I am going to make a very conscious effort to stop where I am and spend a little more time on it. Thanks for this!

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    1. I do that. When someone asks for prayer online I stop right then and pray!

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  15. I pray every night for my family and try to remember everyone I promised to pray for.

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    1. I love to fall asleep praying! A great way to end the day!

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  16. I love this post! Thank you for the reminder. Prayer is certainly powerful and I'm a firm believer in that. However, all too often we say we will pray for someone and don't do it. Love the idea of doing it in that moment with them there.

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    1. I wish I could say I have been as consistent as LaBerta was, but i have been getting much bolder as the years go by!

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  17. Since I am not much of a prayer, I do tell people I will keep them in my thoughts. And I do keep that promise.

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    1. It's great to be reminded in though of people and to keep promises.

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  18. I love this post! With everything on my plate it is all too easy to say the Christian "Ill be praying" and not follow through. This is a great reminder, and a wonderful way to look at it as a "deposit on a promise". Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks! I keep several little reminders in my home to hold people up in prayer.

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  19. It seems like the thing to say, cuz everyone else says it. It's so easy to want to look the part of super intense/faithful/dedicated Christian, and sadly so many fall into that. I'd much rather see more authenticity within the Body of Christ! Thanks for shedding some light on this subject!

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    1. My husband and I call those kind of people Pew Fillers. They just play the role and show up when they are supposed to, almost roboticaly. Transparency as a Believe is so much better!

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  20. My word is my bond and I take it very seriously. I try not to open my mouth unless it is set to happen.

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  21. God convicted me of saying I would pray for others and not following through a while ago. Now I make a point of either praying right there when I say I will pray for someone, even if it is just in my spirit. Thanks for the beautiful post.

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    1. I know just how you feel. The Lord used LaBerta to gently remind me of following through!

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  22. Prayer is so powerful and too often we get embarrassed by it when we should be doing it in public! She sounds like a wonderful lady who has made an important impact on your life!

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    1. She was a wonderful lady and is very much missed now.

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  23. What a beautiful example. Love her name! I try my best to remember to pray for people when I say I will and to do so even when I don't say anything.

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    1. I do the same. I'm working on being bolder to pray more often in public outside of just for meals. I'm getting better!

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  24. I really like this post and it seems La Berta has made an huge impact in your life. She has really inspired me as well a lot. I pray everyday and I surely believe the power of prayer and I think it helps me to handle tough times as well.

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    1. Prayer is very powerful! It helps me handle tough times and good times!

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  25. You're not kidding about her being a prayer warrior. I love how she stuck with that no matter what.

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  26. Thank you for this post. I met Berta several years ago during a phone call. She was insured with our company and called to ask about a rate increase. After I answered her questions I asked if there was anything else I could do for her. She said I could accept a prayer from her. I told her I would be delighted. She prayed for me and we ended our call. The next day I wrote to her to thank her for the prayer. After 35 years in insurance, no one had ever offered to pray for me during a business call. She wrote back and we have been exchanging letters and phone calls ever since. I am blessed that she entered my life. She is truly unique!
    Gregg Huey, Fishers, Indiana

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