The prospect of the righteous is joy. Proverbs 10:28a NIV
This Post is dedicated in loving memory of Peggy Joyce Huggins, February 15, 1939 – December 11, 2012, Brenham, Texas.
I recently returned from a trip back East where I was visiting family. Some that I had never met and some of which I hadn’t seen in almost 21 years! We had so much fun eating authentic home-cooked Italian food, dining out, catching up and just enjoying each other’s company. (Note: No conscious reason for listing those in that particular order!)
We also were able to visit the town where my family lived over 40 years ago. Things were so different! The elementary school I attended was so much smaller than I remembered. The street we lived on was still there but all of the houses had been torn down to build a retirement center. So much change was admittedly making me a little melancholy until we visited the place where Life began for me. I’m not referring to the place where I was born but to the place where I was born AGAIN! (John 3:3)
We visited the church where I first accepted the Lord, Jesus Christ, into my life at the age of seven. Some friends of the family had invited my brothers and me to a children’s evangelistic meeting which back then was called a Kids Crusade. The gospel was presented, I raised my hand, went to the altar and prayed the Prayer of Salvation. Not knowing any better, I went back home and continued living my life as I always had. A few weeks later, a little girl named Alesia invited me to go to a Church on Prospect Avenue. It was there that I began to really learn about the Jesus I had invited into my heart. Soon my parents began attending after Alesia’s mother, Peggy lovingly and persistently invited them to come as well. God used this lovely family and this wonderful church to radically change the lives of every member of our family!
One of the highlights of my recent trip was visiting the church on Prospect Avenue. I was elated to find that dear Pastor San Soucie and his lovely wife, Elizabeth were still pastoring the wonderful church! I was so blessed to stop in at the church and visit. Although we didn’t live in Plattsburgh long, the church was instrumental in discipling (teaching) my family and building a strong spiritual foundation.
I have been home now about a week and have been reflecting on my trip. I am so grateful for the wonderful opportunity to visit my dear family and friends. But one thing I cannot get out of my mind is the church on Prospect Avenue and how appropriate is the name of the street upon which it is located. Webster so eloquently defines the word Prospect as a view of things within the reach of the eye OR a view of things to come. It can be what we see before us or it can be what we expect to see in the future.
Did the Pastors, Sunday School teachers, Youth workers, Children’s Church workers or Missionette and Royal Ranger leaders see only this…
or did they see this…
and this…
We will never really know this side of heaven the prospects of sharing our faith or dedicating our time as Christian workers. The prospects of the church on Prospect Avenue will continue to multiply until Jesus comes.
The prospects of the seed of the gospel that they shared and nurtured in just my family alone is mind-boggling. It continues to germinate in so many ways and places. It has been re-sown in many lives of servicemen and women in the United States Air Force and Army through family members who chose to serve our country in these military branches. It has been re-sown in the neighborhoods where we lived, in friends and family members. It has been re-sown in corporate officers, employees and coworkers of the companies where we have worked at one time or another throughout our lives. It has been re-sown in the many lives of the people in the congregations of the Churches where family members have Pastored, led Worship, served on the Board, worked in the nursery, taught Sunday School, Youth or Children’s Church. It has been re-sown on almost every continent of the world as family members have prayed, financially supported or personally gone abroad to share the gospel. And oh so gratefully it has been re-sown in our children and our children’s children.
What profound gratitude is in my heart today as I remember those who took the time, energy and interest to sow the seeds of the Gospel into me and my family. Let us be willing to do the same for others. May we share our faith and sow into others with our time, money and talents. If we do, we will be amazed at the prospects of every changed life. Spiritually, may our residence be on Prospect Avenue! LH
Latest posts by Lisa Hempel (see all)
- What Is So Good About Good Friday? - March 29, 2024
- This Little Light Of Mine - December 14, 2022
- It Is Well - September 13, 2020