In the weeks following our nation’s 250th birthday, I have found myself thinking about legacy - not only the legacy of this great nation, but also the quieter legacies that shape our daily lives. I began reflecting on the people whose faithful lives have made a lasting impact: those who built a place where faith could grow, those who served, and those who saw a need and courageously stepped forward to serve others. Their stories reminded me that none of us walks alone. We all stand on the faithful shoulders of those who came before us. Today, I’d love to share four reflections that came to my mind.
Grateful For Those Who Build/Built Places Where Faith Can Grow
One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts - Psalm 145:4
Some of the faithful shoulders I stand on belong to my own family. My grandfather, William Randolph (W.R.) Brown, and his family helped relocate and beautify McIntosh Presbyterian Church in the early 1900s after the first gathering space was destroyed by a fire. A few years later, he built the Brown House, where my parents still live today. The home and the church my great-grandfather built also became part of my own and my children’s stories. From the time I was four years old, I attended McIntosh Presbyterian Church. Memories of Wednesday night suppers, Sunday school, Confirmation class, Vacation Bible School, and many other gatherings surrounded by people who loved the LORD. Years later, it became the place where Tom and I exchanged our wedding vows, and today my parents continue to faithfully worship there. When I think about that special place, I am reminded that someone else’s faithfulness made room for mine. When I walked down the aisle of that little church in my little hometown, I was stepping into a story that God had been writing long before I was born. What a gift to realize that long before I was even born, God was using the faithful obedience of those who came before me to prepare a place where my faith could establish roots and grow.
Grateful For Those Who Serve/Served Our Nation
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:3
My son and I had the privilege of being part of an organization called The Young Men’s Service League. One of the philanthropies that we served was Wreaths Across America. We joined together with other community members to honor those who served. Upon arrival, you could see row after row after row of white tombstones. The weight of this was tangible. We were asked to take a wreath, say the soldier's name aloud, thank them for their service, and say a prayer(if we desired). As I placed the wreath down at the first tomb, I felt a tear run down my face with the realization that I was literally standing on the faithful shoulders of those who sacrificed their lives for my freedom. My prayers became words of gratitude for each and every person who has served, those who put others before themselves.
Grateful For Those Who Step Forward To Serve Others
Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, please the widow’s cause. Isaiah 1:17
I am in awe of people who see a need and get to work. We all know of incredible nonprofits created by people who stepped into the gap to make life better for others. Ronda Paulson has a heart for fostering children, and in less than a decade, she and those who have joined her have begun making a significant difference in the lives of many children across our country by bridging the gap between removal day and placement. While fostering in her hometown, Ronda saw that children were in limbo, often waiting in an office building for hours to days. God put it on her heart to improve the system, and she went to work. She created a nonprofit called Isaiah 117 House. It is a place where children can go when they enter foster care while awaiting placement. A spot with loving volunteers whose sole job is to focus on their needs and allow the case worker time to arrange the foster care placement. A place to clean up, get some fresh clothes and other necessities, have a meal cooked for them, a comfy bed for a rest, and lots of games and toys. A safe place for a child during one of the hardest days of their life. Ronda is a faithful servant, and many people are standing on her shoulders as they bring the concept to their own communities and change how foster care begins. Our daughter, Reagan, who has a heart for children and has worked in child advocacy since graduation from college, is now part of the Isaiah 117 House team in Tampa, which is expected to open its doors later this year. What began as one faithful act of obedience has become a movement of compassion, reminding us that God can do more than we ever imagined. (39 homes open with 20+ more in the construction or development stage)
Grateful For Those Who Shaped Who I Am
I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. Timothy 1:5
I am Josephine’s granddaughter, a spitting image of my mother, and when the day is done, my daddy’s still my biggest fan. - Those rewritten lyrics are inspired by a song Jessica Andrews recorded more than 25 years ago, and they have stayed with me ever since. The song reminds me that so much of who we become is shaped by the people God l places in our lives. I think of my parents, my sisters, and my grandmother who poured love, encouragement, and foundational faith into me daily. Then my thoughts stretch even further - teachers, Sunday school leaders, camp volunteers, pastors, mentors, faithful friends, employers…..Some I can thank personally, and others may never know the impact they had on my journey. Yet God used each faithful person to become another shoulder on which I stand. Looking back, I can see that who I am today is, in part, the beautiful result of countless other people that God used to help write my story.
My hope is that after reading these reflections, you’ll also spend a few moments thanking God for the faithful shoulders you’ve stood upon. Then, ask yourself one more question: Whose shoulders am I becoming? When we faithfully live the life God has entrusted to us, even the smallest acts of obedience can become part of someone else’s story.
Please pray with me
Father God, we thank You for the faithful men and women who have walked before us, whose courage, sacrifice, and devotion have helped prepare the path on which we stand. Let our hearts overflow with gratitude for their legacy, and give us the wisdom and desire to honor it by living faithfully, loving generously, and walking in the ways You call us to. May all we do point future generations to You.
Amen
