Called to be His Royal Bride by Jenna Vick Silliman

The train arrived in the Redwood City train station at 5:50 a.m. In a rush, as usual, and wearing a dress, nylons and heels, I climbed the three steps of the passenger car with my purse, my lunch sack, and my Bible. Men in black suits, with white shirts and ties, filled the seats all around me. They read the San Francisco Chronicle and I read my Bible.

For one year I commuted to my insurance office job in the city. I was twenty years old and my dad got me the job. I typed information on insurance forms all day—one of the most boring jobs you could ever have—but I grew a lot spiritually that year.

I was not happy at home. My dad had just gone through his second divorce and my three younger siblings and I were not good friends at this point. Most of my friends had gone away to college so I was floundering about who I was and what to do with myself. I didn’t have anyone to talk to—no one except the Lord Jesus that is.

My favorite was Psalms. My heart resonated with the poetic King David crying out to the living God. Each morning I read a page or two of the New Testament, a bit of the Old Testament, and a Psalm.

One day, it was a summer day, the Lord spoke to me through Psalm 45. I was stunned. Could it be true? Could the God of all creation speak to little ol’ me? Yes! There was NO denying it. This particular passage in Psalm 45, verses 10 to 17, jumped off the page and spoke directly to me.

In my New American Standard Bible the heading says “A Song Celebrating the King’s Marriage…A Song of Love.” This is the passage that spoke to me: “Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear; Forget your people and your father’s house: Then the King will desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him. And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; The rich among the people will entreat your favor. The King’s daughter is all glorious within. Her clothing is interwoven with gold. She will be led to the King in embroidered work; The virgins, her pure companions who follow her, will be brought to Thee. They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing; They will enter into the King’s palace. In place of Thy fathers will be Thy sons; Thou shalt make them princes in all the earth. I will cause Thy name to be remembered in all generations; therefore the peoples will give Thee thanks forever and ever.

My King Jesus spoke to me about being ready as a part of His royal bride, His chosen princess. Just as He called Peter to leave his nets and follow Him, He called me to leave my family and follow Him, day by day. The divine romance between my Lord and I began on the train that summer’s day. Reading now in my old Bible I see I marked down the date, “July 13, 1978.”

Shortly after that, I did leave my family. I rented an upstairs bedroom, for a hundred dollars a month, from a Christian family in a house called The Birch House—right down the street from the train station. Within a few short years I was married and began a family of my own—after twenty-three years of marriage we had one daughter and seven sons! The Lord truly has made them princes, and one princess, in all the earth for they belong to Him too, and they live all over the world. One son lives in Germany, my daughter is in Chicago, and another son is in Redding, California.

The Lord has given me spiritual children as well. I am privileged to help lead a youth group for our church, Deep River. I love those kids like they are my own! I take them with me folk dancing at the Sons of Norway every Sunday night too. We have such a good time together. I tell them I am the biggest kid--after all, I am the tallest at 5’ 8”. Hahaha! I have enjoyed their company in my travels to hear speakers, go shopping, and once we drove to California together to go to Bethel Church for the Open Heavens Conference.

One of the highlights of my Bethel experience was receiving a prophetic word in the healing rooms on Saturday morning. I was stunned to receive Psalm 45—again emphasizing my identity as a part of His beloved royal bride. Whoohoo!

I am good friends with my pastor’s oldest daughter, Camille, age 15. She and I are both the oldest of our siblings, we share a love of dance and colorful, twirly skirts for dancing, and she is also a teacher/leader type, a writer, and a devoted follower of King Jesus. We both love the colors purple and turquoise. One day last summer she told me she was going to paint her bedroom these colors and then paint a rose and a Scripture verse. When I saw her gorgeous art work I shrieked. She inscribed Psalm 45 on her wall!!! I realized another part of Psalm 45 has come true. The Lord has given me these awesome “pure companions.”

For over thirty years I have kept going back to my favorite Psalm, Psalm 45. I also, spiritually, continue to be led forth with gladness and rejoicing to enter into the King’s palace—His very presence! The Lord Jesus loves me and desires my company!

Mrs. Claus

~

I climb a lot of ladders for my job. Kids must think it’s cool, because whenever they’re around, and I’m up on a roof-top, they point and stare. I usually ask their names, and then say “Nice to meet you, what’s my name?”

They giggle and say, “I don’t know.”

“My name’s Santa,” I tell them.

They giggle a little more, and before they can say anything, I say, “No, just kidding…BUT I do work for him.”

“Huh?” Wide eyes get wider.

“Yeah, I check out the best places for the reindeer to land and stuff so Santa doesn’t get hurt.”

“Wow!”

I was reminded of this while pondering what I’d share with you today. You see, this week we’ve been honoring our parents. And Mrs. Claus is my mother-in-law, or at least I think she is. Or, maybe, she just works for him – Santa Claus; Papá Noel.

At eighty-five (she’ll be eighty-six Feb. 4^th) she has limited mobility. She can use a walker for short distances, but other than that – she’s either in a wheel chair or her recliner-type chair that elevates at the seat, to help her get up. Her hands are starting to show signs of arthritis and her eye sight is growing dim, yet, even though her body is aging, she’s still a wide-eyed-child when it comes to her soul.

With over a hundred and some ought grand-kids she manages to keep track of them all. And all year she sits and knits, spins and weaves some kind of Christmas magic into hats and scarves and baby blankets. And somehow, at Christmas, without even leaving her chair, she manages to have gifts for everyone. She has spent more time making gifts for others than many folks have been alive. She MUST be Mrs. Claus – or related in some kind-of-way, right?

She watches, too. With dimming eyes and one finger at a time she taps at a lap top and – like a mother-hen – she watches her brood banter on face-book.  

Although confined physically, she’s a world traveler in her soul. Sit by her side and she’ll take you places decades from here, with her stories. Like the first time she met the love of her life at Coney Island: Santa. No, just kidding – Henry Joseph DeVlaeminck. She’ll walk you through the depression and wade through life on a pig farm. You’ll ride her words to school with horse and sleigh. She’ll tell of the trials and laughter of raising fourteen children – the birth of some…and the loss of others. 

With a twinkle in her eye and a never fading smile, she’ll tell of how she saw Jesus in a dream and how she prays for others.

Her house in nothing fancy, but her Home is a mansion. Each day her house fills with family, including ex-husbands, ex-wives, ex-this and ex-that, once in you're IN. I’ve said it’s easier to get out of the mob than out of this family.  She’s soft spoken, just above a whisper, but she can move an army of adoring children with a simple word.

Maybe my mother-in-law isn’t related in any way to Santa. BUT – she IS related to the Greatest Gift Giver of all. And she works for Him. And, maybe her family isn’t anything like being in the mob with the Godfather and all that stuff. BUT – she is tight with God The Father.

And I am honored to share her with you today. Her kids call her Ma, but everyone else – whether related or not – calls her Gramma Mary. So, if you need a family, you can join ours.

Thanks for stopping by and as Gramma Mary would say; “Gramma misses you, come back and see me again.”

If you think you don’t have a family or a parent to honor…think again, you do.

Jesus asked; Who are My brothers and sisters and mother? And then answered; “But those who do the will of My Father.” Mark 3:35

Come…and be part of the family.

~