Grandma didn't leave us with a legacy of wealth, she left us with a legacy of undeniable faith. In this photo are the "twins" (front left: my brother Joe who was 6. & me right beside him, 5. My mom is dressed in the denim blue; yea she kinda blew up after having my lil bro Jalen, & my sister Me-me is standing behind grandma, she was 10) My sister Me-Me has had the MOST impact from Grandma Mary. You know how it is, my mom had her young and grandma took over with the raising lol.
We were groomed on that same street for yeeeaarrss. It's a famous street of ours in the heart of North Memphis. My dad's parents lived across the street from Grandma Mary (still do) and my Great Grandparents also lived across the street. (still do) so it's a BIG acute triangle! Only now, the peak of the triangle is missing. Grandma Mary went on to be with the Lord July of 2011. That year was devastating, I was only in the 12th grade. I have had the privilege of growing up with SEVEN grandparents, and it is truly a BLESSING that I can say that.
All of my grandparents have played a special part in my life...but I will be honest, Grandma Mary took a stand that cannot be replaced. She laid the foundation of faith into our family and went on to do it even deeper individually. Living with her constantly due to homelessness was one of the greatest things for me and I truly believe it has shaped who I am today. She kept us going to the same church since I was 4yrs old, Church of God. She prayed for our family constantly, she took us in constantly, she rescued us from the enemy's attack on our parents. She was the Good Samaritan, well-known in the hood for her love, generosity, and kindness to those whom society frowns upon. She groomed me to be a Modest & Proper young lady.
Oh, how I miss those days she would rise early around 5am to cook breakfast for all of the cousins who stayed the night with her. Soon as we smelled the food, we already knew what to do: clean up your sleeping area, wash up, get dressed, girls come set the table, guys sit in the living room, have prayer around the table, be merry & eat quietly. Oh! And keep those elbows off the table! lol. Later that evening before dinner she would lead us in devotion, we would sing the songs we could remember from church, and then take turns reading a scripture. God bless this woman! It's the ideal family of faith though many storms were raging in each of our lives.
I witnessed true faith in God even more when her spirit began its transition. When she found out, she kept quiet. She kept her daily routine until she couldn't anymore. She kept spending time with God for 2hrs a night, she kept driving to church until she couldn't, and she kept quiet. She denied treatment, but trusted God til the very end. WE MUST REMEMBER, dear readers, that God is not a cancer causing, wreck or plane crashing God. He allows things to happen to us for a reason. Many of those reasons we won't know. Yes, our bodies will pass away on the account of our own transgressions (Romans 5:12) but the Word and our faith in it will not pass away. We are ALIVE IN CHRIST JESUS!
My question to you is: If you don't leave anything else, will you leave a legacy of faith to your heritage?
The first step in leaving a legacy that runs deep in your heritage is knowing your purpose here & knowing who you are. If you're unsure of yourself, fill out my form here to be coached! Or if you wanna know how to leave a lasting legacy, subscribe to my TOPICS by putting in your email on the right side bar & I'll send you a FREE plan to help you!
The first step in leaving a legacy that runs deep in your heritage is knowing your purpose here & knowing who you are. If you're unsure of yourself, fill out my form here to be coached! Or if you wanna know how to leave a lasting legacy, subscribe to my TOPICS by putting in your email on the right side bar & I'll send you a FREE plan to help you!
Joy, Peace, & Hugs... Jazz
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