confused when he called me to be a preacher. I just needed to stop looking at my failures and trust in God. She would remind me that the "Gifts and callings were irrevocable." She told prophetically before she passed that one day I would pastor a church that due to my past was impossible. I was blessed her last 18-24 months to help take care of her. She had her right mind all the way to the end. When she seemed overwhelmed she would have whoever was around to call me. They would say, "Richie, grandma needs you to come pray with her." With great pride and humbleness, a desire to repay knowing it could never really match what she had given, I would go and pray with her. I would post scriptures around her house for her to read for strength in knowing who she was. I would come and we would sit and pray and within a short time she was at peace and I would leave. God blessed me to be able to love on her, repaying just a small portion of the Love of God that she'd shown me my whole life.
Yesterday I was called and yet again grandma's prophetic voice called out even in death. I was offered and accepted the Pastorate of a church that according to man should never be mine. Once again, sitting in my home weeping as I was overwhelmed by God's love for me, I was reminded of her words. I would pastor. God would fulfill what he had said. He was ever faithful. My heart leaps at the opportunity to give away a portion of the love she shown me. My prayer is that God would help me to love like she did. That when I died, like her, my home going service would be attended by so many people the building couldn't contain them all. See, all those who were ruffians and rejects, misfits and sinners found love from the heart of my grandmother. I've learned many things from the authors of the Bible. God is surely great. But I thank Him that he loved me so much he gave me a legacy of AMAZING servants of God, but namely Mary D. Smith. See, it was through her I learned what it was to pray, intercede, travail, work and Love. My grandmother is my Hero of the Faith, a great example and guide on the True Love of Christ!
HEROES OF FAITH ARE GREAT EXAMPLES OF THE TRUE LOVE OF CHRIST!