Susan Seymore lives in Damascus, VA with her husband, John. She is mother to four and grandmother to seven. As prayer coordinator, she strives to lead women at First Baptist Church Damascus into a deeper spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. With a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in career and technical education, she served as program manager for the Mount Rogers Regional Adult Education Program for seven counties in Southwest Virginia before retiring in 2011. Because of God’s amazing provision, compassion, and presence during the recent tragic death of her son, Susan’s focus is now directed toward encouraging women of every age to draw closer to the abiding love of Christ—the only glue we can count on to hold us together when the world comes crashing down.
My mom was a hard worker. As I look back, I honestly don’t know how she managed the load! As the wife of a tobacco farmer, she arose early to milk cows, to make breakfast, and to see that her five children made it to the bus on time. Gardening, canning, cooking, sewing, working in the fields–to think about all of that now is mindboggling! But she saw it as her purpose. Once my siblings and I left home, my dad sold the farm and enjoyed a simpler, less demanding lifestyle. Not so my mom! She applied for a job at a local textile factory and worked for several more years. As an inspector, meeting the quota was never an obstacle for her. She derived great satisfaction from meeting it every day and was often commended for her good work. She saw it as her purpose, and she gave it her all!
1 Peter 2:9 speaks about our purpose: “…you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” As children of the Most high God, we have a purpose: we are to declare His praise! To “declare” means “to make known or state clearly, especially in explicit or formal terms: to declare one’s position.” Are we declaring our praises? Are we sharing our journey from darkness into light? Are we pointing the way for others to be able to see their way out of hopelessness and misery into glorious hope? As we look around, the job demands are daunting. So many flail about in the darkness thinking there is no hope – no way out. Many, including myself, believe that Jesus’ return is imminent. With that in mind, are we declaring our position in Christ?
My mom’s pension was a little over $900 a year after her few years in the textile plant. It doesn’t sound like much, but that wasn’t important to her. She had done her best, and that brought her great satisfaction. In the short time we have to build God’s kingdom, can we say we are doing our best? What will bring us satisfaction when we stand before Christ? Might we hear “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come share your Master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21) Oh, to hear those words and to know we have fulfilled our purpose! There will never be anything more satisfying and endearing than that!
I have so much to declare! How about you? Well, you know what they say…. “Time’s a-wastin’!”
“Yes, the time has come; the day draws near. There will be nothing to buy or sell, for the wrath of God is on the land.” Ezekiel 7:12
