Grandma Warriors

It was a short text but the moment we read it, we knew our lives would be forever different. It read, “Sorry to do this in a text, mom passed away this morning!” Sometime in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 21, 2018, my mother-in-law, Agnes’ mom, passed into the presence of Jesus. She was an amazing woman of faith, courage, and grace. But more than that she was a warrior. Every day she prayed faithfully for all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She battled for every one of us, stormed the gates of hell and claimed her family for the kingdom of God. Her warrior prayers broke bondages, healed brokenness, and declared freedom.

On one occasion, my daughter Alysha was working on an assignment for school. She was trying to print it off on the printer at home but nothing was coming out. Her frustration grew as nothing seemed to work. Then came grandma, who calmly approached the printer, laid her hands on it and declared, “In Jesus’ name, print!” The printer immediately came to life and out came the assignment. Alysha was astonished and never forgot the power of a true warrior!

In the Bible, we read of Timothy, a young preacher, who knew what it was to have a warrior mom and grandma. Paul declares, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (2 Timothy 1:5) Without these amazing women of radical faith and powerful prayers, how many young leaders would be disqualified, discouraged or lost? Heaven will reveal one day how many lives have been changed, spiritual battles won, and spiritual darkness defeated by the humble prayers of mothers and grandmothers around the globe who carried the mantle of a warrior.

Agnes and I just returned from a two-day trip to North Battleford, where we visited several First Nations communities. The suicide rate of teens in many of these villages is at an all-time high. Deep depression, hopelessness, and despair have ravaged the youth of our First Nations people. Yet, in the midst of tragic suffering and deep brokenness, we found warriors. We found grandmothers who would not give in and refused to give up. They were praying down heaven into the hell of their families and God is bringing deliverance. We are seeing the beginnings of a fresh work of God in many of our First Nations communities. I am convinced that warrior moms and grandmas are breaking down the walls of darkness and opening the way for an in-breaking of the Kingdom of God.

At the funeral of Agnes’ mom, our whole family stood together and sang a Christianized version of the old song “Will the Circle be Unbroken?” Seventy of us joined together including sisters and brothers from Mexico and Belize, nineteen grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren. We passionately sang…

“My dear children and grandchildren, now my great-grandchildren too. Trust in Jesus, my Redeemer, I have prayed for each of you. No, that circle won’t be broken, by and by, Lord, by and by. We will meet you, my dear grandmother, in the sky, Lord, in the sky.”

Perhaps today, I am speaking to some grandma warriors who are battling for their families and calling down a fresh in-breaking of God’s kingdom. Please do not give up! Please stay on your knees and battle strong! One more warrior has gone on but the war still continues…thanks mom!

Comments 5

  1. Thanks so much Dave for this great blog. Such encouragement for us grandmothers! I admit I cried my way through it, but that’s just because it was touching me deeply.

  2. This is the kind of grandma I want to be daily praying for my children and grandchildren and great grand children and claim them all for Jesus

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