Some of Leora’s tears fell onto God's Holy Book before being collected into His bottle. In the latter years of her life, she put her trust in the Lord. But it was not always like that for her. Most of Leora’s young life was spent on rented farms in the countryside, where her father worked. One of these was a sheep farm with a rope swing, where she often fled after her father’s abusive outbursts. She learned to be stubborn like those sheep!
"Put my tears into your bottle: are they not in your book? When I cry unto you … this I know ... God is for me. In God will I praise His word: in the LORD will I praise His word. In God have I put my trust ..." — Psalms 56:8-11
Leora’s one bright spot was her mother, Estella, who tried to serve the Lord while navigating life with a cruel, ungodly husband. Estella shared her faith with her children, knowing it was the path to eternal life in Christ Jesus.
By 27, Leora had made some regrettable choices. She now had three young children and was married to an absentee, alcoholic husband. Her closeness to her mother was a blessing, especially as she cared for her in her final days. Estella’s presence was a godly influence not only on Leora but also on her grandchildren. She taught them about serving the Lord. Once, she gave little Billy, my future husband, a dollar, telling him that one dime belonged to God as tithe. That simple lesson remained with Billy, who paid tithe long before he understood its biblical significance.
Leora recognized that her home was deeply ungodly, and she saw the toll it took on her children—physically, mentally, and emotionally. She had become an angry, bitter young woman. She found hope when she heard about a preacher with a powerful testimony, one who wore a prison uniform and spoke about God’s deliverance from a life like hers.
Attending church and listening to that preacher, Leora knelt at the altar with her three children beside her, and together they prayed through tears. The next day, all four were baptized. For a time, things went well, but with no local pastor or congregation to support them, the initial joy faded. Yet young Billy never forgot the love of God he experienced as a six-year-old and sought that same connection as he grew up.
Years passed, and Leora turned from an angry young woman to a bitter old woman with failing health. But her story has a beautiful ending. Now a grown man, Billy married the love of his life—me—and together we had five children. We raised them in a God-fearing home where the children loved their grandmother despite her harshness. One special Sunday, "Gran Harding" (Leora) agreed to join us for worship. She knew she was a sick, broken-spirited woman. When the altar invitation came, she marched to the front to pray, just as she had done 32 years earlier, with her son, now a pastor, by her side. Once again, tears fell.
That morning, someone remarked that Leora looked ten years younger than her 65 years. We saw her transform into the sweetest mother and grandmother we could have wished for—what an amazing change! God granted her four more years of life before calling her home. Leora made a habit of giving each grandchild $5 on their birthdays, and though she passed on one of their birthdays, my husband—most know him as Pastor G. William Harding, but he's still Billy to me—gave him $5, knowing it was what she would have wanted.
Some of Leora's last words were to our youngest son, Nathan. She called him over as he passed by her bedroom door, gave him a goodnight kiss, and told him, “I love you!” It was the first time she had shown him any affection, and slightly taken aback, he replied, “I love you too, Grandma!” The Lord called her home about five minutes later. This was what four years of serving God had done for her.
Earlier, she’d been in the hospital on life support. As her vital signs dropped, my husband and a minister friend anointed her with oil and asked God to be merciful and spare her life. Later, she told us of a vision she had during that time: she was walking with the Lord. She hadn’t wanted to leave but knew God had answered Billy’s prayer to restore her to her family. She asked us not to pray that way again when her time was near but to let her be with the Lord. We honored her request.
Her Bible sat on her nightstand after she was gone. As we held it, we felt gratitude for the beautiful woman of God she had become. Leafing through the pages, we saw tear stains—marks left from four years of reading His Word. Tears of regret for the years she’d resisted Him, and tears of love and gratitude for His kindness and mercy.
Key Takeaway
Tears on the pages of her Bible—how precious they are! As the psalmist said, “Put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?” God held each of Leora’s tears, marking her journey from heartache to redemption. Now, we hold her Bible, with its tear-stained pages, as a reminder of the life she poured out to God. Her tears of regret and gratitude are precious in His sight, each one a testament to His unfailing love.
If you, like Leora, feel beaten down and broken, longing for happiness and peace, remember that God is ready to receive your tears. He holds every sorrow, every prayer, and every hope. Just as He transformed Leora’s life, He offers that same healing and peace to you. Lay your heart before Him—your tears are precious to Him, and in His Good Book, you’ll find what is missing.
Leora's final act of gentleness changed my perspective of her for the rest of my life. It's never too late to change. This story reminds me of how a single single choice can alter the direction of future generations.