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“The story of Mother Teresa’s childhood and youth is quite simply a demonstration of how God can take the life of any individual who is willing to offer it to Him and make of it something quite literally superhuman in its power and its effectiveness. This is the story of the making of a child of God.” ~David Porter
All of us have heard of Mother Teresa, perhaps even been touched by her work. Yet, there is still much mystery that surrounds her and her life, largely because she was so apprehensive about ever speaking about herself. Not surprisingly, however, just as in the lives of the Ten Boom family and many other Mission Driven men and women, her childhood was the perfect preparatory foundation for the work she later went on to do.
You’ll be amazed to discover how her parents paved the way – how the lives they lead, the opportunities they gave her and the skills they taught her, fashioned her into the woman of God she became. This is invaluable information for mothers like us and give us tremendous insight into how we can play a bigger role in the development of a principle centered and mission driven home of our own!
Best of all, you’ll see first-hand how Mother Teresa did in fact live the 7 Laws of Life Mission and how God magnified her humble offering to bless and influence the lives of millions throughout the world.
Listener’s Guide:
Use the time stamps below to skip to any part of the podcast.
1:15 Laws 1-4: Mother Theresa’s childhood and youth
3:09 Inspired by her father
10:46 Influenced by her mother
23:48 Law 5: Agnes hears the call
24:28 Law 6: Agnes executes her mission
34:13 Law 7: A call within a call
Quotes from this episode:
“She said that ‘She knew God would help her because she knew it was God’s work,’ and so she knew that it would be successful. She said, ‘What matters is that God calls each of us in a different way. It is no credit to us that he does so. What matters is that we should answer the call. In those difficult and dramatic days, I was certain that this was God’s doing and not mine, and I am still certain and it was the work of God. I knew the world would benefit from it. And so it has been. I think of Elizabeth’s words to Mary, ‘Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.’ That was her testimony. She knew when God was talking to her and she was determined to answer the call despite the opposition.” ~Audrey Rindlisbacher
“Many of the poor in and around Skopje knew our house, and none left it empty-handed. We had guests at table every day. At first I used to ask, ‘Who are they?’ and Mother would answer: ‘Some are relatives, but all of them are our people.’ When I was older, I realized that the strangers were poor people who had nothing and whom my mother was feeding” ~Mother Teresa
“She has described how she went to her Father Confessor one day. ‘How can I know whether God really is calling me,’ She asked him, ‘and if so, what is he calling me to?’ ‘You can know by how you feel about it,’ the priest replied. ‘If the thought that God may be calling you to serve him and your neighbor makes you happy, then that may be the very best proof of the genuineness of your vocation. Joy that comes from the depths of your being is like a compass, by which you can tell what direction your life should follow. That is the case even when the road you must take is a difficult one.’” ~from Mother Teresa, The Early Years
“As we went along the street we came across one family gathered around a dead relative, wrapped in worn red rags, strewn with yellow flowers, his face painted in colored stripes. It was a horrifying sight. If our people could only see all this, they would stop grumbling about their own misfortunes and offer up thanks to God for blessing them with such abundance.” ~Mother Teresa
“In the hospital pharmacy hangs a picture of the Redeemer surrounded by a throng of suffering people, on whose faces the torments of their lives have been engraved. Each morning, before I start work, I look at this picture. In it is concentrated everything that I feel. I think, ‘Jesus, it is for you and for these souls!’ Then I open the door. The tiny veranda is always full of the sick, the wretched and the miserable. All eyes are fixed, full of hope, on me. Mothers give me their sick children, their gestures mirroring those in the picture of the pharmacy. My heart beats in happiness: I can continue your work, dear Jesus. I can ease many sorrows. I console them and treat them, repeating the words of the best Friend of souls. Some of them I even take to church.” ~Mother Teresa
“Dear child, do not forget that you went out to India for the sake of the poor. Do you remember our File? She was covered in sores, but what made her suffer much more was the knowledge that she was alone in the world. We did what we could for her. But the worst thing was not the sores, it was the fact that she had been forgotten by her family.” ~Drana Bojaxhiu, Mother Teresa’s mother
“Do you know your own poor? My dear people, do you know that even here at home there are poor people. There are people who live alone in cellars. Did you know that?…Do you know and love the poor? If you do not know them, how can you love them? Well, start in your own homes. In your own families, at home, start there, and God will help you…” ~Mother Teresa
“We are called upon not to be successful but to be faithful.” ~Mother Teresa
“Our mission is to convey God’s love.” ~Mother Teresa
Watch Mother Teresa’s Receiving World Recognition:
Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1979/award-video/
Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CvKFKjjDdI
National Prayer Breakfast Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXn-wf5ylgo
Presidential Medal of Freedom Award and Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2KiKKs56w4
Books from this episode:
