Texas Legacy Tour Part 3: Life’s Influencers

Do you have a mentor, someone who influenced your life spiritually, that you cannot imagine not having in your life? 

This is part 3 of our Texas Legacy Tour, so read the previous posts to catch up! One sweet part of the trip was the opportunity to see some amazing people we’d known, served alongside, raised kids with, and matured spiritually with from the time we married until we left Texas for Tennessee.

Mentally I began making a list of women who touched my life. Some are with the Lord, others still living. Going all the way back to my first years of marriage, I remembered a woman who showed me how to cook and serve my husband. A widow who never had children, she “adopted” me and my man. She also encouraged us to find a local church to join. Having never heard of mentoring, all I know was she greatly influenced my life.

Another woman led me to lay down my life purpose on the Lord’s altar. A life-changing  spiritual experience and my first steps toward growing as a disciple since coming to know Jesus as a preteen. My pastor’s wife taught me how to teach preschoolers at church. A couple of women showed me how to study & apply the Bible to my life. Many modeled how to disciple other women. One showed me how to walk in faith as a woman who loved Jesus when life became painful and confusing. Several showed me how to serve in vocational ministry, a totally unexpected twist to my story I never saw coming!

Driving home, two things orchestrated by God’s perfect timing occurred: I read Hebrews 11 in my Bible reading plan and I received a life group email providing the sermon curriculum I would be teaching the following Sunday. Having just thought back over the amazing people who mentored me, Hebrews 11 echoed the theme of men and women who, by faith, left a legacy for those who would follow. 

Reading the curriculum to prepare to teach, the first question was, Have you had a mentor? These both occurred within minutes of each other. So, yes, I was listening and got the message. Isn’t that like our God? Allowing me to end an emotional and nostalgic trip into the past, consider who impacted my life, then lead me to teach this very thing. God does orchestrate all things. 

Have you looked back over your life lately and considered who God has used to help you become who you are? Have you thought about how you are influencing others? What a legacy you can leave for those coming behind you! Ask God to remind you of those who impacted your life, then ask Him who He is asking you to impact.

Banner photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash, Inset photos by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash & Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash