Day 267 - Deborah Martin

This is another beautiful person.  Now, I highlighted her on Mother’s Day, but now that it is her birthday, I figured I should honor her again.  The beauty of relationship is that it is forever changing, and in those 7 months, I have learned more about love and about her.

She is a beautiful person for a number of reasons.  Her strength is one.  Since I have known her, I have seen her exhibit strength in situations that have driven other people crazy.  She has rediscovered herself and pushed to live authentically in the face of enormous obstacles.  This strength and power is also visible in her preaching.  Because she has been through some things and remains connected to God, it comes out in what she was called to do – stand in a pulpit and proclaim the Gospel.  She embodies that thing and lets the glory of God be seen, which is indeed a beautiful thing.  Not gonna lie, I’d like to preach like her when I grow up… but she has also taught me that being myself is more important than emulating her.  She always encourages me not to be like her but to be better than her.

Another is her heart.  She is one of the most giving people I know.  From the way she takes care of her lovely daughters to the way she takes care of her friends and even when she is ministering, she has a heart of gold that will let anyone know that they are loved.  She loves deeply and completely, and it shows in her actions.  She takes the time to listen to people and help them through their issues.  Yet, one of the things that makes her giving that much better is that she is not afraid to challenge you.  There have been a few occasions where her care and concern for me caused her to push me to face myself and my fears in order to make me grow.  She has a foot to @$$ ministry that is like no other.  There have been several times where I was left a little sore from the lashings she gave me, but I knew that it was always out of love. 

So to my boss, mother, mentor, friend, sister Deborah Martin, I love you.  Happy birthday, and thank you for being an absolutely beautiful you.