As many of you know, my sweet mama met Jesus almost two weeks ago on January 27th, 2020. As we all sang “Build My Life” around her bedside, (My dad, all six kids, their spouses, all the grandchildren, and even her parents via FaceTime), she left our presence and entered the fullness of the presence of God. With our hands raised and tears in our eyes, we watched her finish her course with joy as we sang. As her last breath left her, she smiled. It’s moment I will never forget. We can only imagine the incredible reward she has now, forever home in glory with the God she loved and served so faithfully.

She has left a legacy that is so precious, and we rejoice with thankfulness for what God has given us. Christ has swallowed up death and the grave. We saw with our own eyes the effect of this broken world in my mom’s battle with cancer. It’s heart-wrenching. But we have also seen something GREATER: victory over sin and death, bought by the blood of Jesus. Because of Christ, my mama is more alive than she has ever been. We praise God for is goodness in giving us her beautiful life, but more than that, His gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. It will forever be etched into my being, and I will never be the same.

On Saturday, February 1st, we celebrated her life and praised God for the incredible legacy of faith she left behind. What a gift! It’s hard to be too selfish in thinking “this isn’t fair” when we were given far more than we deserve in Christ, and given far more than we deserve in a mom. All of us six siblings and the spouses led worship, just like mom always wanted us to do. For that moment, we joined with her as she praised Jesus in His eternal glory. My dad said, “I wish mom could come to her own funeral. She would have loved this.” Maybe she was able to see a bit of the lives she impacted in this moment when God said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Worshiping through singing “Living Hope,” “Build My Life,” “Yes I Will,” and “God You’re So Good” at her service will forever be one of the impactful moments of my life. It was so worshipful. The gospel was shown in such a clear way. Eternity shone brighter. To God be the glory for my mom, Debbie Johnson, and the way she lived so faithfully for Jesus.

Her Legacy in Me…

One look at my mom’s Bible will tell you of what was most important in her life. The pages are well-worn and there are notes on nearly every page. Above each book, are the dates she read through them. She loved the Lord and His word so deeply. Often she’d just start sobbing when she thought of how God saved her, and begged God for the opportunity to tell the good news to others in our prayer times.

Even in the midst of homeschooling all six of us, she took every chance to witness, even if it meant pulling off on the side of the road (all of us in tow) to help someone in need and tell them about Jesus. She would go out of her way to look for opportunities to share with anyone God brought her way. She talked with all kinds of people, and stopped for those most people would write off. Even when people were high on drugs, she believed the Gospel could penetrate to their hearts. She was so overjoyed when people came to Christ, and she would excitedly tell me all about their stories. She was more excited about people coming to Christ than anyone I’ve ever met. She even witnessed in ways she didn’t even realize, as she talked about the things of God to everyone who came in our home or other simple moments people encountered her. Whether passionately or unknowingly - my mom’s life was spent sharing Jesus with others with such tender compassion.

I remember walking in on her getting ready in the bathroom one day, pulling back her skin a bit so the wrinkles disappeared, “I don’t feel like I should look this old! I still feel 20 on the inside!” She joked it would be so nice to get a little facelift, but then said, “I just pray the joy of the Lord makes me beautiful.” And it did. She was so full of joy and gratefulness for the life God had given her. She made the most of every moment, soaking up every bit of God’s good gifts. It was magnetic, and continually drew others in. “Ain’t no high like the Most High!” she’d joke as she make a funny “Debbie” expression and throw her hands up in the air. Though she cared far more about the beauty of her soul than she fussed with things that don’t really matter, her joy in Jesus made her beautiful in every way. You couldn’t help but notice her.

Someone asked once if I was a good singer and piano player, and her reply was “her heart is in the right place.” Even though I was slightly offended my mom wasn’t sure I was “good” or not in the moment, I knew she didn’t mean it as a cliché. All that mattered to her was that my heart was in the right place, worshiping however I felt led out of love for God. Talent and exterior things didn’t matter so much to her. Through her example, she gave me a boldness to worship with abandon. This woman, who was not a gifted musician, showed me what it looked like to worship before the Lord and others genuinely and passionately. She was the best worship leader I know.

It’s little wonder that her love for Jesus spilled over into the lives of others, especially her children. She played an integral role in all of us coming to Christ. Not one can separate our salvation stories or spiritual growth from her. As each one followed God’s leading, she was there spurring us on in faith. But she didn’t just sit on the sidelines - she went with us! Not only did she send us out on the mission field, but she went with us herself! God’s heart is missional, so hers was missional. Her great desire was to join her family in spreading the gospel all over the world. I have so many memories of my mission trip to India with her. I was able to travel across the world with my mom and share Jesus with people who had never heard His name. What she loved, became what we loved, and we just all love Jesus and follow Him together. Because of the way she modeled surrender to God, we have all followed suit.

The very last moments I had with my mother’s earthly body, I said, “You didn’t waste your short life mama. I pray I don’t waste one moment of mine.” Her life always has and always will point me to eternity. We may not understand why this was God’s time for her life here to end, but we do know this: God will receive much glory in her death, just as He did in her life. We know she’s experiencing God’s glory, dancing and worshiping before Him, more alive than she has ever been, and we join her in passionate worship of our gracious and loving King. You are worthy Jesus!