Part I: Leaving a Legacy of Prayer

A friend of mine recently shared a photo with me that I had no idea even existed. This one image brought tears to my eyes and became a light bulb moment awakening my mind to an amazing realization; I am the first in my family to leave a legacy. No, this legacy has nothing to do with setting or breaking records unless you count the number of hours I have spent on my knees. It also does not involve the ability to be agile or physically fit. The only strength that is required is that of a sound, spiritual mind willing to be obedient. This legacy that I am referring to is a life of prayer and obedience to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Let me put in a quick disclaimer. I am not perfect by any means. Actually, I fail at something at least once everyday. However, I have learned over the years that the remedy to my failures comes in the form of prayer and forgiveness. As a Christian, I am called to “pray without ceasing” (1Thessalonians 5:17). For me it took a long time to grasp this concept. Just like a phone line always open for communication, God wants us to be in a constant relationship with Him. He also wants us to speak to Him from our hearts and “not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men.” (Matthew 6:5).  By sharing with God what is on our hearts instead of repeating memorized prayers we are not sending “up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7).

Some people may think I am crazy when I tell them that I pray for things like finding great deals, the perfect outfit, or finding necessities within our budget.  I guess my response is simple. How else can I explain finding the perfect pair of tennis shoes that were my daughter’s exact size, desired color, and a specific price that was the exact amount of our budget? The shoes by the way just so happened to be in a location we did not find until we were running out of time and they were the only pair of that kind!

Other times I have noticed my legacy being woven into my children’s lives when I hear my son offer to his dad to pray for a healing in his hand, back, a headache, or any other type of ailment.

One of my favorite memories is when my son who was three at the time was helping bathe our puppies at the time.  As one puppy was getting restless, I heard my son reply “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid little puppy. God is with you.” My brother-in-law just so happened to be visiting at the time, and I know a seed of hope was planted that day.

There are so many other reflections to show that my legacy is being built before my eyes, and until my friend sent out the picture, I didn’t make the connection between my daily walk with God and what my children are seeing as an example of a legacy to leave.

So, what exactly was in this image? Five simple yet powerful words:

Meet My Hero:

“My Mom”

Want to know how can you start to leave your own legacy? Stay tuned for Part II.