Legacy of Hope
I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 2 Timothy 1:5
In my entire lifetime, I have attended only one family reunion. Even today at my old age, it was an event I will never, ever forget. There had been much discussion about the fact we were not staying long. Mother had made her point that she thought it was important that my sister and I know our relatives but my dad did not feel that way.
Upon arrival, (after traveling down this winding, dusty dirt road) we came to the assigned place. I was not at all comfortable climbing out of the back seat of the car. Let’s say that I felt like I had just stepped into the movie Deliverance (which had not been created yet.) Needless to say, we did not stay long. Mom and dad would not let us touch one morsel of food while there. The people were simply strange and scary.
Barbranda Lumpkins Walls (Mornings with Jesus) has thankfully taken her story in a more hopeful direction.
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My cousin, Sam, told me he and his daughter were researching the family to learn more about their heritage. Sam and I share maternal grandparents. We know the stories of how Madear and Papa met in Mississippi as children, got married as teenagers, and made their way to Missouri to settle there with their three daughters. With determination and faith, my grandparents made a good life for themselves and their family.
My conversation with Sam made me think about diving into the family genealogy too. Wouldn’t it be great to know more about past generations and how they connected to me today? While it would be nice to trace my roots and learn about my ancestors, I do know the most important thing. My grandparents knew and loved Jesus. They talked about how He often made a way for them and protected them. They loved and served the Lord and taught their children to do the same. My mother, who learned from her parents, passed that legacy of faith down to me and my siblings. We, too, decided to follow Jesus.
I don’t have to pore over Ancestry.com or take a DNA test to know that Jesus is a part of my heritage. He’s also prominent in my own story and the legacy of hope I’ll leave to future generations.
FAITH STEP: Who has influenced your faith journey and given you hope? How can you pay it forward during the Advent season and beyond?
Father, thank You for the teachers of faith; for those who taught us about Your birth, life, death and resurrection and the hope of eternal life. May we carry this candle into the world today. AMEN.