Are you leaving a legacy for your loved ones? What long-lasting impact will you have on those who knew you? I’ve often thought about these questions, but recently I’ve been thinking about it a lot more. I heard someone say that everyone hopes to leave the world a little better than it was when they got here. However, if you ask multiple people how to do that I bet you get a lot of different answers. I’m convinced that the only way to make any difference in this world is to leave a legacy of faith in Jesus Christ.
It’s been over a month since I last posted and over a month since my mom went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I really miss her. Just the other day I was dealing with something difficult and thought, I wish I could call my mom. My birthday was the last time I got to see and speak to my mom. It was the last time she told me she loved me, her final birthday gift to me. The next day I saw her, but she struggled to breathe much less talk or open her eyes. She breathed her last breath the next morning on July 13, 2026.
I love this picture that was taken of me and my mom just before my wedding. This photo brings tears to my eyes because it captures who Mom was to me. She was always there for me, in the background, praying for me, encouraging me and shedding tears for me. When I needed someone to talk to, she was a phone call away. However, she would usually call me every day to check in. When I needed help, she was always ready and willing to offer. I am thankful to God that she was my mom.
Legacy of Family
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
My family has an interesting story. Mom and Dad dated one summer in high school. However, at the end of summer Mom broke it off with Dad because she said he was too nice. Dad says it’s because he was tall and skinny and looked like Ichabod Crane. Dad married and adopted a daughter. Mom married and had twin daughters. However, those marriages ended in divorce. Ten years after their summer of dating, Mom and Dad were reunited in a local restaurant and began dating again. They were married and their families were joined together two years later. They had me, their fourth daughter and final child, two years after that.
Growing up, our parents never taught me and my sisters words like stepsister or half sister. As far as we were concerned, the four of us were whole sisters. Today, we often talk about how different our lives would be if Mom and Dad hadn’t gotten back together. I truly believe our story shows God’s grace and faithfulness and that He had a plan for Mom and Dad and a purpose.
We were blessed to have a childhood filled with dinners around the dining room table, prayers as a family before bed, camping trips on the weekends, and vacations to Florida every summer. We shared a lot of laughter and made a lot of great memories, and we continue to do so today. God has blessed Mom and Dad with nine grandchildren and one great granddaughter, and we all gather on Sundays for what we like to call Family Day.
Legacy of Marriage
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, Ephesians 5:25
Growing up, Mom and Dad modeled for us girls what marriage, as designed by God, is supposed to look like. The majority of my memories as a child are of the two of them. They made a great team. They were always there when we needed them. Together they made every holiday and event special for us girls. My parents made our house feel like home, not only to us but to everyone who walked through our door.
As adults, Mom and Dad demonstrated their vows, for better or worse and in sickness and in health. When my mom’s health declined over the last few years, my dad became her fulltime caregiver. My sisters and I, having families of our own, were blessed that Dad was willing to do all that he did. We couldn’t have cared for Mom without him. We often worried about Dad’s health because he always put Mom before himself.
I encourage you to read all of Ephesians 5:25-33. It always stood out to me how much Paul has to say to husbands compared to what he says to wives. I think it shows that the role of husband is a high calling and commitment from God. Thankfully, it was a commitment my dad didn’t take lightly. Even though we worried for my dad’s health, I realized that my dad was just modeling these verses from God’s Word. That was truly a blessing to not only my mom, but to me and my sisters as well.
Finishing Well
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7
I have sadly attended many funerals over the years for people of all ages. The ones that I’ve attended for adults all seem to fall into three categories. The first is the Void of God Funeral. This is the absolute hardest funeral to attend as a follower of Christ. It is clear that the deceased and everyone close to him/her does not know God. There is no pastor present, no Scripture read, and no prayer to God. It’s hours of memories, but no source of real hope.
The second is the Little Bit of God Funeral. These include a lot of memories and some prayer if a pastor is present. Scripture is strategically picked in order to offer comfort to the family, but no memory speaks of a person who knew God. I leave these two funerals with little comfort and pray for the salvation of this person and everyone there.
The third is the Saints Faithful in Christ Funeral. This was my mom’s funeral and the one I hope to have one day. I got to share memories of God’s faithfulness in my mom’s life and how He used her to point others to Him. Our pastor who has shepherded my mom for the last decade shared the Gospel, God’s Word and an invitation to follow Christ. I left praising God for a life well spent though I miss her terribly.
Legacy of Faith
We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. Psalm 78:4
Not all family members in attendance will understand the Saints Faithful in Christ Funeral, especially if they don’t personally know Christ as their Lord in Savior. My mom’s funeral was exactly as she would have wanted it. Mom loved the Lord. She knew that she had been forgiven of much, and that through Jesus Christ she had received salvation that she couldn’t earn. It was her heart’s desire that the ones she loved will also come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.
My mom left a legacy of faith in Jesus Christ. While her life was not always easy, she was able to see God’s faithfulness and blessings through all of it. She loved my dad, us girls, her grandchildren, extended family and friends with all she had and prayed for our salvation. She put her trust in the God of Scripture with her daily life and with eternal life.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8
I miss my mom. Sometimes it doesn’t seem real that she’s gone. However, I know God doesn’t want me to miss this opportunity to grow through my loss (James 1:2-4). My mom’s life has encouraged me to spend more time on the things that will have a real impact once I’m gone. This includes serving my local church, spending time in God’s Word and prayer, and investing in the relationships around me. Only then can I hope to have a long-lasting impact not only in this world, but in the Kingdom of God.
I encourage you to do the same. Be sure to check out my Resources Page for Bible study and prayer resources. I would love to hear from you. Email me through my Contact Page.
Leave a Reply