A Testimony of Seven Generations
Of those nine children, all but three went into the full time ministry planting and building churches throughout the Midwest Great Plains area. One passed away at a young age. A son of the daughter who did not enter the ministry or marry a minister became a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as did a grandson of the son who stayed in the home area and farmed. To this day the descendants of this woman pictured above remain in the ministry and live their lives for Jesus. If a family member is not yet saved or living for Jesus, as far as I know, they almost always accept Him as savior before leaving earth. I know they are prayed for by family members and dear family friends.
I am the daughter of the farmer's grandson. My father rededicated his life to the Lord when I was a seventh grader and entered the ministry when I was college age. God faithfully answered the prayers of many. While praying for my own grandchildren recently it came to me that they are the seventh generation of believer's in Jesus since my great-great grandmother was saved at that original tent revival. Their mother, one of my daughters, gave her heart to the Lord at a very young age. They have followed her example. When this revelation dawned on me, I was overwhelmed at the Lord's faithfulness, at His goodness. Decades ago, a family known for being mean fighters was transformed into a family where children are saved before reaching school age and know that whatever they do for an "occupation" they are ministers of the Gospel of Jesus.
When I became a parent, it never crossed my mind for one second that my children would not love the Lord and serve Him wherever they are in whatever they do through all the years of their lives. Because I am arrogant? No! Because God is faithful, and He promised in His Word. I had read His Words for myself and believed He would keep His promise, and He did. He always has.
Are my children perfect? No. Do they always speak and behave as if they know Jesus. No, they do not. Are they faithful followers of Jesus? Yes. They also continue to grow more and more like Him every year. I can see their growth and maturity. Some seasons their growth is more noticeable than in others, but it is always there.
God said in Proverbs 22:6 that if I train my children in the way they are to go that when they are old they will not depart from it. The word old there means when they start growing pubic hair. When I learned that, I grabbed hold of that promise in the scripture and I prayed that and believed that and I have NEVER let it go. And I humbly, with overwhelming gratefulness, testify that they have all remained true to Christ throughout their growing up years. There have been brief seasons in the learning times of young adulthood where their choices were not God's best for them, but the return to the Lord and His ways was quick. They learned God's ways and commands are loving and for our protection. They have experienced for themselves that life is better when we choose God and His ways, even if sin is more fun for a brief moment.
This is not what I sat down to share this afternoon. Yet somehow I sensed a need to testify to the goodness of God in the land of the living in yesteryear, today, and everyday. The story seemed to nudge me as if it were asking to be shared.
The years have not all been easy for the generations of family following that tent meeting all of those years ago, but they have been a beautiful testimony of the faithfulness of God and the accuracy of His Word. Philippians 1:6 is true. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Deuteronomy 7:9 is also true. The Lord is a faithful God who keeps His covenant and steadfast love to a thousand generations for those who love Him. I, my children, and grandchildren are living breathing proof of this. In 2 Corinthians 4:17 the apostle Paul says that our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So true, so very very true.
If I could encourage you with one thing today, it would be this: Stand fast in the Lord and the armor He provides. (Ephesians 6) Rest assured that He IS FAITHFUL, and He will keep you and those you love. If you need a promise to grab hold of for yourself, read His Word. Every promise He has made is available to claim and stand on in faith believing.
God is good, and He is faithful. He loves you. He loves those you love. He has a good plan for your lives. You can trust Him just like my great-great grandmother did so many years ago. He is true, and He deals truly. No matter what you have heard about Him, He is good. He is love. And nothing, no matter how awful, can even begin to compare with His goodness. His goodness far outweighs all of the trials and troubles of earthly living. This is the truth. I have experienced it to be so my entire life. This is my experience, and I testify it is true.
Please be encouraged and go with God throughout the rest of your time on earth. You will be glad you did.
Shalom, shalom
