Who has brought out the best in your character?

I thank God for you! You are here for a reason. Please know that.

My Grandmother taught me how to love. I did not know what is love. And to cry. Crying is not a weakness.

Walk in others shoes & never criticize.

She never had a meal until all of he family had eaten. She ate what was let over. That is on the small scale, but in all things, she serves her self last.

She gave of her self without annonimously. Never looking for reward.

She prayed without stopping.

She was a warrior.

I was blessed to have her as my mentor.And my Gramm. :)

What a great post :)

Jesus is the One that keeps pressing onwards with me.

Prior to Him entering my life, He was still present although veiled in the person of my mother as we were very close. She understood forgiveness and reconciliation like no other person I have known.

My parents are both deceased - one 9 years, the other 28 years. Many times, all these years later, I am blown away by the mercy shown me throughout my life

There were things that I encountered outside the family, that for reasons you'll understand, don't need to be divulged here.

Praise God for His deep and abiding love for you

Thanks, LeslieAnn for a great question in this trashheap.

Like you, I was raised with a lot of pain. I nearly died twice in my 30's. In all these years, the people I've been moved by, the people I've admired the most, the people I've learned from the most. . .have been Christians.

As for one person. . . I would have to say someone I spent a lot of time with while young. . . a sort of substitute parent, when I was living far from home. This person was strong as steel mentally, and kind, softspoken, humble, confident in themselves, laughed a lot. Prayed openly - but never ever pushed it on you. This person just was, and you could join them or not. They taught by example. Not by preaching. This had an enormous effect on me.

As for who has brought out the best in my character. . . it has honestly been God, through my prayers.

ANGAFAEBETA: My dogs have made me better too. There is a bumper sticker that says: God, lplease help me be the person my dog thinks I am.

Praise God that you found Christ!!! yes, I had two mentors who were both very helpful at different times in different ways. I needed them so much and God brought them into my life. They were Janice and Pat and were both filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. They had a lot of love and good advice. Janice introduced me to the Charismatic movement. I later joined a Pentecostal church which preaches the whole counsel of God. I was brought up in a church that had no answers and this church has answers.

Jesus as reflected in the love, spiritual beauty, kindness, grace, and peace of so many wonderful Christians.

"The Sisters of Mercy,

They are not departed or gone,

They were waiting for me,

When I thought that I just could not go on."

Leonard Cohen

Sue Watkins. She was wise. She was cynical. She was beautiful. And she was witty.

She was real. In every aspect that she approached life. Even when she gave birth to a child that ended up with severe health problems.

She's still beautiful.

My grandson, whom I call "the Hammer".

While rearing his mother, I was concerned with making a living, teaching, and providing. When she pulled the pots and pans from the cupboards, I was worried about the mess.

He was my reward. He was my chance to slow down, relax and see the creativity of playing with pots and pans.

By the time Hammer was born, I had learned how to be a mother! My children made me a mother, but it took my grandson to make me a........grand.....mother, when he has a child, I will be a 'great' and 'grand' mother!

For me, it's been every horse I've ever come into contact with. They've been true mirrors of my emotions and have shown me how to be a better human because of it.

My script writer

Jesus

He saved me when I lost all hope.Now I have

a real relationship with Jesus