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Encouraging Words for Liz

Encouraging Words for Liz

Dear Liz, I have been away at the birth of my first grandchild. Danielle and David had a boy on January 2nd. Courtney is due in May and it is women like you that have walked in the truth and have been a godly example for our family. I was always blessed when we would hear of you at the national events and you had another arrow for you quiver. I was blessed by the names of your children and the obedience that you and Rusty walked in. I would often lift you up in prayer for the strength and wisdom that it takes to raise Godly seed. When I first met you I was blessed by your sweet and tender spirit. Your Children are an example of time well spent in training them up in the way they should go. You truly are a blessed woman. We don't always know why the Lord allows thing to happen but we can trust in His holiness, righteousness, truth, justice, and tender mercies. He will work out all things for good even in our darkest hour for it was in Christ's darkest hour that our greatest need was accomplished. Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers as we cry out on your behalf.

The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. Grant thee according to Thine own heart, and fulfill all thy counsel. We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: The Lord fulfill all thy petitions. Now I know that the Lord saveth his anointed; He will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen: But we are risen, and stand upright. Save, Lord: Let the King hear us when we call. Psalm 20

Amen

Love,

Mary Beth Powley


My Dearest Liz,

There is no hope and praise greater than that which our Lord Himself gives.

“Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” Proverbs 31:25-31

Precious sister your works praise you in the gates as is evident through the love and affection expressed by so many during this time of struggle. Be encouraged and strengthened our Lord Jesus is very near. Eat of the fruit of your hands! God is establishing the work of your hands. We will rejoice in the future. My words falter at such a time but the Word of God abides forever. Liz, I am always humbled in your presence because of the blessing and encouragement our Lord pours out through you on my life and many others. “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” Phil. 3:10-11. Lay hold of that for which also you were laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. I love you, sister.

Becky Puckett

   

January 18, 2005

Dear Liz,

Psalm 41:1-3 says, “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak. The Lord delivers him in time of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life…..The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.”

Our confidence is in our precious Savior who will accomplish what He has declared in His word. He is a God of great mercy, bringing hope and healing to you.

Liz, do not think it strange that such trials and crosses come upon us. It has always been through these trials that God has done His greatest work. It has always been that in sharing in the sufferings of Christ, we share in his glory! We know that God has chosen you to show his glory through this cross to others.

As you have embraced this cross, now Christ himself has embraced you. He will use you in greater measure than ever before. God will now use a revelation of His power through you to bring hope to the hurting, freedom to those who are captive and faith to those who are faltering.

Liz, we thank you for the inspiration and strength that you have shown to us and many others by living as a godly woman, wife and mother. We love you and thank God for you and your family.

May God's merciful grace abound in you and may He fill you with His peace.

Prayerfully,

Tom and Jeannie Raddell


My Dear Friend,

It has been said that it is doubtful that God doesn't use anyone greatly that hasn't been hurt deeply. When I was at my sickest (not that I ever walked through the depths of illness that you are in now) I held on to that thought. It seemed that I was confronted not only with physical weakness during my battle with my illness, but also with my own nature. What I thought was something external that had a hold of me became apparent that through it all, God was going to deal with the “monster within.”

I know that many may not think that is encouraging, but for me it meant that even though doctors said there was nothing they could do, God was not done with me. It meant that the Lord of Lords had His hands on me. It meant that the Ruler of the Universe deemed me worthy of being able, by His grace, to walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

When you peer into that valley, you come out changed. We all look to you as someone who exemplifies Biblical womanhood with the way you help your husband and love your children. There is such a sweet gentleness about you. There is a softness in your spirit that always convicts me in my driven personality to want to be more like you. You walk into a room and without a word that conviction is there. Those things will not change, but you will have fought and won a battle that no one enters into willingly. You will know beyond just theory of how precious life is and you are one who has already understood more than most.

1 Peter 4:1-2 says this, “Therefore since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lust of men, but for the will of God.”

Hold on my sweet Sister! You have been chosen as one who is blessed by God to raise up godly offspring. They will contend with their enemies at the gates! They will understand the times in which they have been born! They will serve the Lord their God with all their heart, mind, and strength and they will remember the strength of their mother and all her self-sacrificing so that they may be mighty in the land!

I love you – Kristene



Precious Liz,

All of us who love you so dearly have been joined in the Spirit battling for you in prayer (Eph.6:12). You are very important to all of us, more than you may realize.

In my mind's eye, despite the present seriousness of you condition, I can only see you as I've always known you to be; youthful, radiant, and full of the peace and joy of our Lord.

I remember the many times I saw you at our national events, how impressed I was with your sweet spirit, your godly behavior and your calm in the midst of pressure, business, and confusion. The strength and commitment you exhibited during Rusty's long and grueling walk across our country filled me with amazement. What an example you have been all these years to our young women (and also to an old one like myself)! How blessed you are with God's grace upon you, and what a blessing you still are as we are watching you endure the unimaginable hardships caused by your illness!

Liz, I know without a shadow of doubt that our Lord Jesus wants you to be healed (John 10:10; Is. 53:5). Therefore I'll continue to persevere with confidence in my prayers on your behalf till we see our Lord's will accomplished.

I love you and your dear family with all of my heart.

Eva



We have just spent three days with the Thomas Tribe. We are so impressed with the Thomas children. They are always very respectful, obedient and very willing to obey. This sounds almost abnormal, but they are all very normal, just well trained and disciplined. Liz is an inspiration to women and mothers. Her sweet, quiet, loving ways make her someone to be completely admired. You can see in her children a sensitivity to others and God and a willingness to obey God in each of their lives. Liz is very stable and effective in her parenting. She should give classes to other women on how to raise Godly children. The kids were all telling us how much fun their mother is. She tells stories that make them laugh and much of their learning is because of the joy in which it is presented. Thank you Liz for being such a blessing to me and others. Ruth Darr


Liz Thomas....A total reflection of what God wants a wife to be… I see Liz as the helper that God wanted for Adam as He created the woman in the garden so long ago. Liz is so sweet and I see the smile that has always been on her beautiful face.....I see Liz as the mother that God would like all moms to be… I have stood back so many times and watched her with her children. She has shown the love, concern and care for her children that God has for His children.. I have seen her children return that love to her by their little hands touching her back or her arm or the little kiss on her cheek… Liz is and has been that example of what womanhood, motherhood and wife should be..... To you Liz; Jesus said I am the Way, the Truth and the Light.....This has to be true because God said so therefore when He said that" I took all your diseases" He meant just that. When He said" by My stripes you are healed" He meant that.....When He said "I want you to have a full and abundant life" He meant that ....God loves you and so do I..A very gentle hug to my sister in the Lord.... Love Bonnie


Dearest Liz,
You're sweet words to me last week ring in my mind and heart. In the midst of your own battle you wanted to know how I was. That's so true of you. You have the most precious spirit. I love you and just wish I could hold you now. Your example of selflessness has always amazed me. Yet, you exemplify such joy while serving. I've never heard you complain in the midst of so much work. Be encouraged my sister. God is on the throne. Your life has touched so many and still is.
Your sister in Christ,
Donna Lippoldt - OSA Wichita


When I think of godly womanhood, I think of Liz Thomas. Liz is one who understands what her role as a wife and a mother is and takes very seriously the task of teaching her children the importance of character and virtue. I remember spending a few days at the Thomas house this past summer to help mentor the Thomas boys. On night Liz was reading a book entitled "Personal Help for Boys". In one of the chapters, the book speaks of kissing one's mother. Liz sat in her favorite recliner with little Torah in her arms and read this paragraph: One way love can show itself is in a son's affectionate kiss on the cheek. When a boy thinks it is manly to quit kissing his mother he has made one of the grave mistakes of his life. Often that tender good-bye kiss is the cord which binds a boy to his mother. Mother will miss that kiss with an arrow stuck deep in her heart, if you quit kissing her - don't do it! Go nowhere you would not take your mother. She is a godly woman - she is entitled to a godly son." At the end of the reading of the paragraph, Liz, with a gentle smile and with the twinkle of a mother's eye, looked at all of her five sons (Elijah, Micah, Josiah, Valiant, & Jeremiah) and smiled at them. "How would you like to kiss your mother on the cheek boys?" she asked with a smile, placing her left hand index finger on her left cheek. At her request, not one of her boys hesitated! All ran for mom to give her that special kiss. I will never forget Liz's face as she smiled from ear to ear, receiving kisses, one after another from her boys. How she loves and adores her children!

The next day, when all the boys got up from bed and entered the living room, there was Liz in the kitchen by the sink. Each son rushed over to their mom and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Liz again smiled with such joy, deeply encouraged that what her sons heard the night before stuck with them. The boys had now known that "love shows itself in a son's affectionate kiss on his mother's cheek and that a Godly woman is entitled Godly sons."

John Reyes