The Original MARY WHITE

We are twenty-one days from the wedding. It's an ever-evolving plan ... but I'm learning to be flexible. As plans have evolved, I have often been reminded of my Aunt Polly ... my grandmother's sister.

The original Mary White ...
A lady that I'm partially named for ... and with whom I had an incredibly close relationship.

She was by no means perfect. And she knew that; however, she loved Jesus supremely. And she sought to love, honor, and respect her earthly beloved. John Lamb.
As May 13th approaches, my love and adoration for Mary White (Lamb) only increases. How can it not? The flexibility, grace, mercy, love, patience ... The Titus 2 life is one that she imperfectly exemplified, and it is an eternal testimony and inspiration to me as I enter into marriage. 
Aunt Polly's heart can still be found in old letters she wrote to me. Emails I've saved. Sermon notes in the margins of her Bible that I've held onto for 26 years. Her cards and the memories of our conversations. She and I didn't see eye-to-eye on much of anything ... well, until Jesus radically saved me.But even prior to that, I knew I was deeply loved by her (& Uncle John).
Aunt Polly didn't always agree with Uncle John. Yes, I asked her if she did. She laughed and said: "Heavens, no. We're not robots." But she faithfully respected and honored him as she chose to do what Jesus calls us, as Christians, to do. She died to herself and thought more highly of another. Her John. My Uncle John was a pastor. He proclaimed "thus saith the Lord" throughout Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. When I asked her why didn't speak her mind about so many moved and why she wanted to be "stuck," she said: "Honey, it's a joy to serve with Uncle John. I'm not stuck. I love him." I did NOT get it! 
After Jesus saved me from my sin and His wrath (which I justly deserve), I began to understand that Aunt Polly's faith wasn't a "Sunday/Wednesday only at church" type of faith ... which is, basically, what I saw and lived out in my daily life. And today ... 21 days before I get married, I am starting to understand on a much deeper level. The joyful sacrifices made to serve your earthly beloved & - ultimately - your Lord. The moves from city to city, state to state. The long days of ministry. Embracing God-given dreams and visions of the man God gave her. She did it ... faithfully, til the end ... because she loved Jesus, supremely. And she deeply loved John Lamb.
Aunt Polly prayed for me daily. For decades. She and Uncle John prayed for my future spouse even. 
Aunt Polly met Jesus on November 1, 2014. About a month or so before she went to Heaven, I asked her if she was mad at God. Uncle John wasn't home due to his medical decline, her kidneys weren't working, she was in great pain due to severe arthritis (& a bunch of other stuff) ... humanly speaking, she had the right to be mad, I thought. They'd served God faithfully, so why should they be suffering so?! She said: "Oh, no. I'm not mad. I'm going home. Jesus died for me. I want to see Him." She made me promise to keep writing and to follow Jesus all my days. 
Uncle John joined Aunt Polly in Heaven on December 1, 2014. 

I don't know what Heaven's like. I do wonder if they know what's going on down here. What's going on is that the LORD is answering their prayers. 

The original Mary White left big shoes for me to fill ... and as I join John (Danny) White on May 13th to become Mary (Jody) White, her legacy continues. 
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To and for the glory of God alone!