Twenty seven years ago I met a woman who would drastically influence my views about many areas of life.  Last week she passed from death to life and now abides in heaven.   “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)  She was an excellent writer and a public speaker that excluded the fluffy stuff and got straight to the point of her message.  Here are the 7 wise principles that I learned from this woman who influenced my life for good.

1. First, she taught me about purity in a relationship between a man and a woman.  Her mother taught her not to chase boys and to establish healthy physical and emotional  boundaries.   These are wise ideas that prepared me to meet and marry a quality man.

2.  She comforted me in my insecurity about being single and gave me confidence to believe that if God desired a marriage for me that I would not miss meeting that man.

3.  This woman helped me to be patient in suffering and to trust God. “In acceptance lies peace”. (Amy Carmichael)

4.  The blessings and joys of obedience to God’s word were modeled to me through her many writings and personal life.

5.   Her gracious hospitality and openness about troubling times in her life as well as life’s blessings have given me much encouragement and strength.

6.  Her value for a functioning family life helped me to enjoy and accept my role as a woman and to help my husband be the man of the family.  Her wisdom gave me the foundation for a productive household and staying focused in doing the spectrum of menial duties to the more meaningful ones.

7.  Lastly, this wise older woman taught me the importance of ordering my life according to God’s word by living for Christ and dying to my selfish desires with the Holy Spirit’s help.

In conclusion, I chose not to mention the name of this woman as it is easy to want to make an idol out of someone whom God has gifted.  This person was a sinner like all men and women and is in heaven because of the work of Christ and His grace towards her.