I came across several sheets of paper torn off a table that were written in my mother's hand. I'm guessing this was something she was planning to share with some group of ladies in a speaking engagement. Unfortunately, she never finished writing it out and it ends with just some thoughts that would have completed what she wanted to say. But I thought this was a valuable find since she gives her testimony of salvation.
When is it my time, Lord?
As a wife and/or mother, a woman in today’s world, have you
ever wondered, When is it my time, Lord?
I have been so busy caring for and helping others all my life – now when can I
just sit back, relax, and ask someone to bring me my coffee?
Well, there have been times in my life when I have asked God
that very thing – When is it my time,
Lord?
Now I was born in the midst of the Great Depression, but my
parents were not aware that there was a depression because we were a poor
tenant farmer family. I was the 7th child of a family of ten. My
oldest brother always told me that he remembered the day I was born because his
cow had a calf that day and he was more excited about the calf than another
baby.
But that soon changed because in that family of seven
brothers and two older sisters, I was pampered and spoiled. What my family
lacked in money, they made up for in love. I grew up knowing I was loved and
cared for.
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| Ruby Johnson with her 9th baby. |
My family was a church-going family and I was taken to
church from the time I was a baby. I had heard from little on that God loved me
and sent His son to die on the cross for my sins. This was a part of my life.
But when I was about 10 years old I realized that God did this for me
personally and as I heard the verse in the Bible from John 3:16 (For God so
loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on
Him should not perish but have everlasting life.) I knew that this meant me.
So, I prayed and thanked God for this and asked Him to forgive my sins and give
me eternal life.
Well, life in a household of seven boys is never easy – and
mine was no exception. By the time I was seven or eight, we moved to town and my
broth4r said it seemed there wasn’t much for young boys to do in town except
play basketball, read comic books, and bring their friends over for food. But
my sister and I had to iron the shirts and help with the cooking. So, in a
household like this, there wasn’t even time to stop and think, When is it my time, Lord?
When I was twelve years old, I went to Chicago for six weeks
to visit my oldest sister. From that day on I said that I was going to live in
Chicago someday. Now, for a little girl from a little town of 500 people, this
was a big dream.
Mom and Dad always told us kids that because we were a big
family – and especially seven boys – that if there was any trouble in town, we
would be the first ones they would look for so we must be above reproach and be
good students, etc. So it was instilled in us to use our time wise – study
hard, and steer clear of trouble. As a result of this, we were all top notch
students. As you can imagine, there was not money for college. But in 1948 when
I graduated from high school with high ambitions of going to Chicago to work in
a restaurant, God – whom I had asked to give me this eternal life some time ago
– had other plans. Through a strange set of circumstances, I was able to go to
college on a scholarship. And it was at college that I came to see that the
Lord that I had known died on the cross for my sins also said, “I have come
that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.” At that time, I
realized that He wanted to be the Lord of my life – as well as my Savior. I had
good years at college and it was during a summer that I worked in Chicago (in a
restaurant) that I met the man of my dreams. He was tall, he was handsome, he
was rich (I thought – because he was an only child), and I met him in church.
What more could I want?
Well, nothing much happened that summer except a friendship
and when I returned the following summer, sparks flew and the friendship that
we had developed into love. So we were married in April of the following year.
Life was wonderful. I worked for a few years, we built a
home, we had two beautiful daughters, and everything was great. Those two girls
were the joy of my life and I did not want anything more.
When we were in our 30’s Jack was a successful plumbing
contractor and did work for some of the grandest buildings in Chicago.
Church Lord not real –
Grandmother died – pastor out of town – circumstances led us
to – Jack realized – take out garbage without murmuring.
He completely turned his life over to the Lord. He told the
Lord that he would serve him in whatever way He wanted. Well, I thought
No Bible School, masters, doctorate
Go into mission work – hospital chaplain
Then in 1983, he started to get restless. Now he had always
thought
Looked for property
Huntington
Plymouth
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