IF

IF—even though it is such a small word, I recently learned how powerful it can be.

IF it doesn’t rain, your son’s baseball game will go on as scheduled. IF we save enough money over the winter, we can go on a beautiful vacation in the summer. IF we eat healthy and exercise, this will increase our chances of a healthy life.

These are some light-hearted examples. What do you do when your IF carries more weight? What if your IF today has everything riding on it? This past week, my IF carried the weight of the world. I almost lost my mother. 

My mother has been through a lot of heavy “IFS” in her life.  At the young age of 12, she lost her mother, Hazel at the young age of 36 to breast cancer. My grandfather uprooted my mom and her three siblings from Georgia to Rhode Island. In addition to her deep grief, this move was difficult on her young heart. Less than one year later, her sister Carol died of heart failure. At the young age of 13, my mother did all of the cooking, cleaning, and laundry. She became everything to everyone in the family for many years. Several years later, my grandfather re-married an Italian woman named Grace and they had a beautiful daughter named Lori. Two years later, Grace died as well, and once again, my grandfather was a widow. 

My mother married my father in her early 20s. My parents took Lori into their home to raise her at the young age of five, just before I was born. When my mother became pregnant with my sister Cathy, her brother Wayne died in a car accident. A few years later, Her father died of a heart attack. My mother lost 5 people over 15 years. 

IF my grandfather had not uprooted the entire family, my mother would’ve never met my father, Ron. IF my parents did not take Lori in, I would’ve missed out on having an incredible big sister in my house.

Most people who endure this kind of tragedy fall apart. IF my mother had fallen apart, I wouldn’t be here. IF my mother had not stood strong on the Word of God and told us about the amazing love of JESUS, we would not be saved. She introduced my father to Jesus, and he became radically on fire for Christ. The two of them together poured 100’s of thousands of dollars into God’s kingdom, helping to build many churches in New England, still operating today, pouring into thousands of lives every week. 

The strongest woman in the world, my best friend Cheryl Paliotta, needs your help. This past week, my mother had a blood clot that almost took her life. The doctors performed several emergency surgeries on my mother. They said “We did everything we could. This will be a long recovery IF she makes it.”

I have been stuck on that word IF ever since.

Will you please help my mother? John 14:13-14 says “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. IF you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

IF I can get as many people as possible to pray for my mom, I know she will defeat the enemy and live a long, happy, healthy life. Her story will be a testimony of God’s incredible faithfulness and healing power. 

IF you would like to send my beautiful mom a word of encouragement or a gift, please email info@cherieadams.com for more details. Thank you.