Meet These Three Widows

The Bible tells us that, if we are watchful and prayerful, nothing comes upon us unawares.  I know this from personal experience.

In January 2004, before I became a widow, I began to meet some very interesting widows.  They were older women with great wisdom.  One of them was Mother Melissa Davis, aka Mother Ruth. Mother Ruth was 93 years old at the time we met.  I met Mother Ruth in a nail salon where she had a standing, that’s right, standing appointment for every two weeks to get her fingers and toes groomed.  Mother and I hit it off right away.  I told her, “Mother when I grow up I want to be just like you.”  From that day to this, she calls me “Baby Ruth.” Mother Ruth travels a great deal.  Much of her travel is because she is sent for by large churches that want her to minister to them.  Mother Ruth has outlived two husbands.  The last time she got married she was 80 years old.

The second widow I met was Mother Ennis Byrdsong.  Mother Byrdsong, age 85, has a perfect size 10 figure.  She also has a personal fitness trainer and attends the fitness center at least twice a week.  Mother Byrdsong is a nutrition specialist and takes absolutely no prescription medicines.   She has written two books: her autobiography and a wonderful book on nutrition.  Mother Byrdsong has a beau.  He’s 90 years old and she says he has perfect vision.  Doesn’t even need reading glasses, so she says.

The third widow I met was Mother Ruthie Tate.  Mother Tate came to me because she wanted to write a book.  She was 79 at the time.  Her birthday was coming up and she wanted to release her book by her 80th birthday, which she did.  The title of her book is God Made Morning Just For Me.  She had her book signing at her 80th birthday party.

Needless to say, I found these widows to be intriguing. I was learning so much from them. So much so that in February of 2004 I came home one day from visiting one of them and said to my husband, “Somebody needs to start a ministry and name it Widows With Wisdom.”  My husband and I laughed when he said, “Well it won’t be you.  You’re not a widow.”  Needless to say, one month later he was diagnosed with fourth stage cancer. That was in March.  In July he left for his heavenly home.  And look at me now.

As I said in the beginning, God prepares us for the future. If we are tuned into His voice, nothing will surprise us.

In August, one month after Rev. Edwards’ departure, I had a support group meeting in my living room with about 15 widows present.  It was easy to see that we needed a bigger place.  Thus, we started meeting in the backroom of a local restaurant.  In a short time, we outgrew that space as well.  We now meet in a Southfield, Michigan community center.

God has already begun to enlarge our territory.  In January we will help establish a sister group in Flint, Michigan.

For more information, please call (313) 744-MARY, or email Minister Mary Edwards at  mary@leavesofgoldconsulting.com