A Grandmother's Sincere Faith

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. (2 Timothy 1:5) ESV

This one simple sentence states one of the most influential aspects in a young man’s life, Godly women. Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice raised him, likely without a father, in a home with a sincere faith. These two Godly women provided instruction in Jewish scriptures and religious practices, prayed over him, and trained him with good moral character (2 Timothy 3:14-15). Timothy was blessed to have a strong foundation of faith that was built by a Godly mother and grandmother. When Timothy meets Paul, he is ready to be trained and nurtured to be one the most influential pastors in the Early Church.

How many of us today have a sincere faith because our mothers or grandmothers took us to Sunday School, read the Bible to us, prayed for us, encouraged us in our faith and disciplined us in moral behavior? As we look at the past 100 years of the American church, we can easily see that mothers and grandmothers have been instrumental in bringing their children to church and establishing a foundation of faith at home. If you have been privileged to have such a mother or grandmother, you are a blessed man. I am so blessed.

My Mother is one such Godly woman and I appreciate her prayers and encouragement to this day. My Grandmother, Florence, who we affectionately call Grammy, has greatly influenced my sincere faith from childhood to presently as an adult minister. Grammy passed away peacefully this last Saturday at the age of ninety-four. She lived a fully devoted life of worship and love to her savior, Jesus, and she lived out her faith in her roles at home and at church. As I reflect upon her influence on my life, I treasure the earliest childhood memories I have with her sitting at her dinning room table and in the pews.

Grammy was kind, gentle and caring all wonderful attributes that made her presence comforting. I don’t ever remember a harsh word from her, even though I know I was a tornado in her house, and at times a sassy, defiant little squirt. She was always concerned about my nutrition and made sure I had my vitamins and orange juice at her breakfast table, and if I needed a snack, she would pull out the Fig Newtons. She tried her best to coerce me into drinking a small cup of prune juice with her, but that was asking a lot for a picky five-year-old. I remember Grammy quietly and faithfully serving her family in the kitchen and reading her Bible at the table. I doubt there are too many people who have ever lived who read the Bible more than her. She has 80+ years of daily Bible reading. Years ago, she shared she’s read through the Bible in a year more times than she can remember.  She was a praying grandmother and she earnestly prayed for me throughout each stage of my life.

Grammy was the pianist in my childhood home church. I was so excited to see her up on stage every Sunday morning and evening playing the piano with her light and joyful style. I remember holding the hymnal, before I could read, and would snap to attention when one of my favorite hymns (the fun ones) would start. “Sunlight, Sunlight, in my soul today, Sunlight, Sunlight along the way, since the savior found me and took away my sin, I have had the sunlight of his love within” and “It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, full of glory, full of glory, It is joy unspeakable and full of glory oh the half has never yet been told”. She loved worship and served her church as a pianist for 50+ years. When she sat next to me during the pastor’s sermon, she would open her Bible and underline the key verses and write notes on the side margins. Like her, I would open my little Bible to a random page and start making lines with a red crayon.

As I write this, I can’t help but feel emotional and feel so blessed to be gifted with such a wonderful Godly Grandmother, whose full influence in my life is simply unknowable, but with certainty transforming. I am indebted to her gift of faith, and the best I hope to give in return is that others may say “the same sincere faith that dwelt in your grandmother, Florence, dwells in you as well”.

In remembrance of my beloved Grammy,

Her #1 Grandson