What Is Your Legacy?

I finally finished the Bible study "RUTH" by Kelly Minter.  My friend Joanna and I started it, I don't know, 2, 2 1/2 years ago?  I remember getting the book in the mail, reading the back cover and bursting into tears.

Doug was like, "What on earth??"

I said, "Joanna is going to move!"

Doug: "You got that from the back of a book?"

Me: "Yes!  It says right here:  'Ruth's journey of unbearable loss, redeeming love, and divine legacy comes alive in this six-week study'."

Doug: "Um.... Okay."

Me: {sobbing}  "Don't you see it?  UNBEARABLE LOSS!  Joanna is moving away.  She's Ruth!  She's leaving her homeland!"

Doug:  {looking like he's rather be anywhere but in the same room, house, heck, planet as me}
"Ummmmmmmmm.........I've got chores to do...."

See, Joanna was the ONE friend I had around here that I EVER did things with.  We had done a previous study by Kelly Minter, and one by Jennifer Rothschild, and now we were going to do Ruth... and I knew God was preparing ME for my best friend to move away.  This was at least 2 1/2 years ago.

Last June, she moved to Indiana.  And my heart broke.

And I put down the study of Ruth, because I was mad.  I was so mad, that after everything God had already allowed to be taken from me through disease, He was going to take my best friend.

Well, I recently started an accountability relationship with a friend of mine in Florida, (the one who is coming to visit me in 29 days!!!!!!) and part of that was doing a Bible study at least 5 days a week.  So I picked up Ruth.  It was time to finish this study and move on.

So I did!  And I have a whole new perspective.  I mean, I have loved, and I have lost, let me tell you.  But the one thing I haven't ever really thought of is my legacy.  What will I leave behind?  Anything that is not from my heart, in my mind, spirit or soul is temporary.  Everything material that I have will eventually be gone.

It is what I meant to people that will remain.  How I affected their lives.  IF I affected their lives.  How I raised my son.  What I did to help people.  How I dealt with heartache and hardship.  In the book of Ruth, it has part of the genealogy of Jesus.  Ruth was part of that.  But she didn't know that when she was living.  She was merely obedient to the God of Israel.  Her obedient and compassionate heart led her to be the great-great-grandmother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  That's a pretty big deal!  But she had no idea that would happen.

What will I be a part of that I don't know about?  What am I leaving behind?

What are you?

I just want to KNOW that when I get to heaven I will hear those words from my God, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  THAT'S what matters.