A Wonderful Godly Heritage

Here in South Africa we recently celebrated Heritage Day. It's celebrated annually to honor the country's rich cultural diversity, traditions, and history.  It's made me stop and think of my heritage.  I am exceedingly blessed with a rich heritage.

I think first of all of my mother.  She's not well known or famous, but I'm sure she'll be honored in heaven.  She was a powerful woman of prayer!  I'm so grateful for her prayers for Floyd and me.  Often when we would compare dates and times, we'd realize God had prompted her to pray for us in times of need.  Once when we were in a remote village in Kenya, I was ill and close to death.  God woke her in the middle of the night to pray for my life.  It was at the exact time I was fighting for my life.  She helped pray me through.  The doctors weren't sure I'd make it.

Her prayers for me started many years before.  I was very small when I was born.  I wore doll clothes and fit in a shoe box.  When I was a few days old, my mom and my Aunt Lillian took me to our Assembly of God church and laid me on the altar at the front of the church.  They dedicated me to the Lord, and dedicated themselves to pray for me every day of my growing up years - praying that I would love the Lord and become a missionary.  They didn't tell me anything about this - until my mom came to Floyd and me on our wedding day.  She said she had a "gift" for us - and she told us of all those years of those 2 dear ladies praying for us.  It was beyond priceless to hear that!  I'm sure that many of the things we have lived out are a result of their prayers.

Growing up we didn't have a lot of money.  My mom had a very strict amount for household needs and groceries - and yet she was always helping those less fortunate than us.  She cooked enough food in our kitchen to feed dozens of people.  I often thought of the widow in 2 Kings who had her meager amount of oil multiplied to be what she needed.  I'm sure God multiplied the food in my mom's kitchen!!  She taught me caring and generosity - a spirit of giving that wasn't dependent on what she had.  I'm forever grateful for that.

Growing up, my dad wasn't walking with the Lord.  He had become hurt and bitter over some things that happened in our church.  He was in a backslidden state.  When I wanted to go on an overseas missions trip when I was 16, he was totally against it.  I needed him to sign a release form for me to go.  I sat down to talk with him and shared how important it was to me - it was the first step in what I planned for my future.  He never said anything, but the next morning the paper was on the kitchen table - signed!  When I sent home reports from my outreach he would share them with anyone who would listen - he was so proud.  Many years later while we were working in Amsterdam, the Lord allowed me long distance to lead him back to Jesus!  So precious!

In the evenings, my dad would sit reading the HUGE dictionary we had.  It inspired in me a love of learning that I'm so grateful for.  It's part of my heritage.  I used that dictionary to help my kids look up words when they were growing up - and it's now in my daughter's home.  It's a family treasure.

Floyd's Mom and Dad are a big part of my/our heritage.  When we became engaged, Mom told me she had prayed for me for every day of Floyd's life.  She didn't know me or know who Floyd would someday marry, but she prayed for the right partner for him.  Mom and Dad were living examples to us of a Godly couple.  Their counsel through the decades was such a gift to us.  

There are so many others - my sister, 17 years older than me, was my friend and help countless times.  Growing up she helped me through many hard times.  A pastor in our church, Sam O'Toole, was the one who believed in me and introduced me to YWAM - telling me that God could use me at a young age.  A dear friend, Barbara Ruane, went to be with Jesus on Friday.  She was a support and encourager to me during our daughter's long illness, and when we decided to move to South Africa.  Her love and friendship is definitely part of my heritage.

I could go on and on.  I am richly blessed with a wonderful Godly heritage.  I don't take it for granted.  I know it's a gift - I know that each of the ones I've mentioned is a treasure.

I think it's good for us to think of the heritage we have.  It reminds us of God's involvement in our lives.  He's had His hand on each of us since our birth - even if we weren't aware of it.  He loves us, watches over us, and brings the right people into our lives.  

"The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yes, I have a goodly heritage."  Psalms 16:6