Tom and I are shaking things up this week, and we are going to answer this question about each other. Although I think this is a great question to PONDER personally , it is often easier to share the cool things others have done/ are doing.
Ponder This: What kind of faith legacy are you building today that others will one day stand upon?
Scripture To Consider: One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works.They tell of the power of your awesome works—and I will proclaim your great deeds.They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. -Psalm 145:4-7
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Tom's Response:
My wife grew up in a one-blinking-light town in McIntosh, FL, and went to college to become a teacher. She is the quintessential girl next door. She raised pigs, shot guns with her dad, took ballet, and was a cheerleader all the way through college. She never intended to be an entrepreneur. In fact, she pushed back at the idea, not feeling equipped, and wanted to stay in her comfort zone of working with little ones. But God continued to whisper, and I continued to encourage, and she began to trust that God equips those He calls. 13 years later, tens of thousands of people have a prayer bowl in their homes. PrayerBowls became so popular that a company in China knocked off her bowls. Etsy sellers loved the idea too. Google search "prayer bowls." Go on Amazon, Walmart, eBay, or Etsy. Prayer bowls are everywhere. Karen said to me, "Well, at least more people will be praying." That is a Jesus-first attitude.
That mindset is what brought us the Pause & Pray, the PrayerBlog, and Ponder. Karen works every week to share scripture, prayer, life stories, thoughts, and praise music. I have witnessed so many people reach out to her with kind words or a thank you. She receives emails and handwritten notes, and to everyone's surprise, she answers the phone and returns calls personally. She enjoys hearing from the PrayerBowl community. Every day, she lifts up the name of Jesus to someone she has not met, which brings us full circle to how PrayerBowls began. As many of you know, a woman named Angie shared she had been praying for Karen for over a year. A woman Karen had never met.
Many people have shared they don't know how to pray and would like some guidance. Karen has helped them feel comfortable talking to Jesus. It's not just Karen's legacy; it's the entire PrayerBowl community. Thousands of you give PrayerBowls as sympathy, birthday, client, or baptism gifts. People use their PrayerBowl at weddings instead of a sign-in book. Many give PrayerBowls to people in the hospital instead of flowers. The reasons people gift PrayerBowls are endless. More people are praying and talking to Jesus because a woman prayed for the girl next door, whom she had not met. That is Karen's powerful faith legacy and I doubt she realizes it.
Karen's Response:
When thinking about the kind of faith legacy Tom is building, two things immediately come to mind.
The first is a Bible study that Tom was asked to begin and lead. This was about 12 years ago, and it was for a group of young adult men who were 15 or more years younger than him. Week after week, he faithfully opened God’s Word with them, encouraged them, challenged them, and enjoyed getting to really know them. He was a friend and mentor walking with them as they entered new seasons of life - marriage, babies, job transition, etc. Today, many of those men are leaders in our church. They are leading their own Bible studies, discipling others, and helping the next generation grow in faith. It is awesome to see how God uses one person’s “Yes” to make a rippling impact.
The second has been his investment in our church’s future. Our original church building was located in downtown Tampa. As the city landscape changed, parking and building use became extremely challenging. While Tom was a member of the session, the church was approached to sell. The church leaders and members turned to God seeking direction, and after a church vote, it was decided that selling was the best decision. This was a BIG and challenging decision for our church family, as we stepped “Forward in Faith”, trusting God was leading the way. Tom, as part of the leadership team, poured his heart into the decision and the move. From finding a new location to being part of the design team that helped shape the space where ministry could flourish for generations to come. Today, our church is filled with life not just on Sundays, but throughout the week - small groups, gatherings, prayer groups, children and teen ministry events, and more.
When I think about the men Tom invested in and the new church home he helped establish, I see a living picture of Psalm 145:4-7.
