My grandfather passed away on April 30th. Thanks to my parents, I got to fly home to be with my family and speak at his funeral. He left such a legacy in my life. I want to share it here, on my blog, so everyone knows what an impact he left on me.
“Hello, my name is Jessica. I flew here from Ecuador on Wednesday. I came because I want to share with you and honor the legacy my Papaw Frank left on my life.
I am here today to say goodbye. To my grandfather, one of my biggest cheereleaders, and the spiritual patriarch of our family.
He paved the way for my family to be a people who follow the heart of God.
He taught us what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
He prayed over me to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and told me confidently, “The Lord told me you’ll pray in tounges; You’ll get it.” Then he rejoiced with my when I started praying in tounges in Bangalore, India.
He lived missions as a lifestyle, serving the poor and homeless, telling them where their true home lies. As he showed us, nothing should stop us from answering the call to serve- not age, sickness, or even wealth.
I remember when I was about 10 years old, he went on a mission trip to Peru. As I listenend to him talk about helping in the villages, I felt the Lord light a fire in my heart to go there. I remember him showing me a picute of Machu Picchu, then I texted him one of me there about a month ago.
He once told me that he wanted to send up more materials for the Lord to use to build his mansion in paradise. On the day he died, my friends and I were doing ministry in a really poor part of Guayaquil, Ecuador. We visited a woman whose house was falling over because it had been ruined by rain and wind. My friend Lindsey and I were brainstorming how to fix it and I told her that I would call my dad and my papaw because they would know. He’d like to know that two people accepted Christ that night at church.
He knew the Lord and knew what it means to live in relationship with him, truest abiding.
And, when our work is tested by fire, the fruit of his life will stand, sturdy and strong. It will not rot or go bad, because it was laid on the cornerstone of Christ.
It will last, from generation to generation, as a spiritual inheritance for those to come.
Today, we don’t mourn as those who have no hope of eternity. We mourn as children of the King- knowing that the King is sitting with one He loves, one He knows, and one He is glad to receive into the kingdom.
Psalm 112:1-9
Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
Who greatly delights in His commandments!
His offspring will be mighty in the land;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
He is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
Who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
He will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news;
His heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid.
Until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely;
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever;
His horn is exalted in honor.”
Please pray for me and my family. It was a hard week, for sure, then adding culture shock into the mix didn’t make things easier. Thankful for my family at home and my World Race family 🙂
