Jace: My Wife's A Jehovah's Witness...
…or at least that’s what my Grandma believed.
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On March 13, 2011, my grandmother, Margaret Vaughn, left Earth for her Heavenly dwelling. I had the privilege to speak at her home going.
What follows is the text from my message.
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My grandmother, Margaret Vaughn lived by faith.
It never failed.
Every single time I saw my grandmother, Margaret Vaughn, she always told me that she loved me, that she was proud of me, and that she was praying for me.
Without fail.
Anytime I was someplace with Grandma, whether it was eating dinner at the Cracker Barrel, or visiting with her at her apartment in Greer, or unwrapping gifts with her and the family at Christmas, she would somehow always find me, and with her small, frail hands, tug me at the top of my shirt sleeve to get my attention, and whisper in my ear:
“I know you know this, but I just want to tell you again. If you seek first God’s kingdom and all his righteousness, then all the promises God has for you will be fulfilled.”
Each time she spoke that to me, she spoke it with the belief and confidence of someone who had spent many nights in a lion’s den, or many days in a fiery furnace, or as someone who had laid in the arms of a loving savior. When she told me to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will come to pass, she didn’t do so just to be some sort of cheer leader for God. (As if God needed another one.) She did so because her faith had been tested, and each and every time she knew where to turn for her help, so that the ultimate victory belonged to Jesus Christ.
I’ve had the privilege of being married to my beautiful wife, Jade, for just over four years. When we began dating I thought it would be fun to pull a prank on my Aunt Margaret, but in reality it turned into a display of my grandmothers faith in action.
I began the prank by telling my Aunt Margaret that the girl I had just started dating (who is a devout follower of Christ) was actually a Jehovah’s Witness. And that we had met after she came knocking at my door, and I invited her in for conversation and a little get-to-know-you lunch. (If you know what I mean!) Well, my Aunt Margaret did not find any humor in the idea of me entertaining the thought of dating a female not of my faith.
(Mind you, I’ve already told Grandma that I am dating an incredible Christian woman.)
So Aunt Margaret, ready to spread the news, took her frustrations to the Great Petitioner…my grandmother.
“Grandma,” said Aunt Margaret, “do you know who Jace is dating?”
“Yes, I think,” replied my grandmother in a soft tone. “He told me she went to church.”
“Not our kind of church, Grandma! She goes to Kingdom Hall! She’s a Jehovah’s Witness.”
Needless to say, my grandmother called me on the phone and asked me, in a soft, sweet, and honest voice, “Are you sure this is the girl for you, Jace?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied.
We ended the conversation and I sat down and let out a hearty laugh. Hours and hours passed by, but the thought of this prank getting to my grandmother had sent me over the edge with giddiness.
The next day my mother calls to tell me that Grandma has started a prayer group to pray for Jade’s salvation.
Wow!
But that’s my grandmother. She lived by faith.
