Tag Archives: legacy

Two candles

For the Sake of My Servant – a Legacy

Last night my mom and I attended a grief recovery meeting intended to help those of us who have recently lost loved ones to cope with the holidays. We were the only ones present who had two candles to light, representing loved ones recently lost.

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Thinking about our first Christmas without my dad, my mind went back to last Christmas Eve. I stayed withmy precious papa, so weakened with cancer, while my mom and the rest of the family went to church. I knew it would be my last Christmas Eve with him.

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I savoured every moment.

Today, I read these words in Isaiah 37:35. “For my own honour and the sake of my servant David, I will defend it (Jerusalem).”

I am certain I have been blessed “for the sake of God’s servant Gerry.” My dad loved the Lord with his whole heart. Everything he did was affected by his desire to be faithful to God. I can think of at least two times I was in grave danger of being sexually abused as a child. I believe that my parents’ and grandparents’ prayers were what kept those men from exploiting my weakness and naiveté. Who knows how many other dangers God protected me from for the sake of his servant Gerry.

cross_nightI am so grateful for the legacy my parents have provided of devotion to God, prayer for loved ones, and faithful obedience. My life is richer for it. I am challenged to pass on that beautiful heritage so that one day, my grandchildren think of me and realize they are blessed for the sake of “God’s servant Donna”.

What kind of legacy will you leave?

Do you ever wonder about what kind of legacy you will leave?

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You and I want to be remembered as lovers of people, changers of destinies, givers of hope.

So what’s stopping us?  For some people it’s the feeling of insignificance, of being void of the ability and personality to redemptively influence others.  It all feels so big and overwhelming.  We look at our little collection of gifts and knowledge and think, what can I possibly do to make a lasting difference?  For some people all that stops them is knowing how.

There is a strategy that every single person can do.  All you need to do is LIFT. Lift others up. Be a lifter!  It’s a simple acronym for a 4 part strategy you can use to become a restorer of the people in your world.  You have a unique sphere of influence.

LIFT (1)

L – look.  Simply look around you.  Look at who God has placed in your path.

I – intercede.  Pray daily for those God placed in your life.  Pray for the needs we know they have and ask God to use those needs to draw their attention to their greatest need: their need to know God.

F – friend.  Show your friendship to them in practical ways: bring meals, offer to host baby showers, help with a move.  It’s a choice to get involved, it’s not a short term project, but a long term commitment.

T – talk.  This isn’t about trying to shoehorn a memorized gospel presentation into a casual conversation about gardening.  It’s about honestly answering questions that arise out of the authentic quality of your life and your faith.

LIFT others.  It’s the most important thing you can ever do, and the only way to enter eternity with no regrets.