On my mother’s side, our legacy of faith in God has a rich history. Though deceased, she was baptized and buried at Salem Baptist Church in Stampley, Mississippi, along with many of our relatives. Established in 1791, this church is a Historical Landmark noted as the first Baptist church in the state of Mississippi—over 228 years ago!
When I think of my mother I think of faith—her faith was truly an expression of her daily life. Remarkably, I recall the most profound picture of this in a commonly uttered phrase, ”Be kind to your enemies” she'd say. “When you're kind to your enemies, it’s like heaping hot coals on their head.”
In real life I watched her exemplify this with genuine sincerity as she responded generously to those who smiled in her face while obviously stabbing her in the back. Her approach angered most of us, but she continued to extend unquestionable grace.
It would be many years later—when I was a real grownup, that I realized my mother’s words were not simply her words, but God’s. Proverbs 25:21-23 says,
"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you."
She actually lived those words and so many other biblical principles in the same manner. I'm not suggesting that she was perfect, but in my mind, she was definitely the closest to human perfection that I've ever witnessed.
My mother's faith was founded upon the realization that God is our Father and Creator of heaven and earth, accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior, and following the Holy Spirit as our Guide. When we demonstrate our faith, we build an everlasting relationship with God, we secure eternal life in heaven and we create a lasting legacy for our loved ones and friends.
A Legacy of Faith, Family and Fun
AWOGI posts for this week are dedicated to my mother, Paulanner Herring Reed Rivers. I truly thank God for blessing me with such a wonderful mom and for being her final act (child #10). Most importantly, I thank God that she has given me a legacy of Faith. As an added bonus, the memories of Family and Fun have resulted in exponential joy. Thanks MOM!
It's because of her that I am encouraged to leave something special for my family to remember.
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