Marian Ruby Brown Petway
Thirty-nine years ago, on Christmas Day, my Mom passed away.
She and my Dad, were both born and raised in Tennessee. Both of them grew up in Nashville. They lived right down the street from each other.
My Dad, from high school ROTC, went up through the ranks to become a high-ranking officer in the United States Air Force. I was born in Washington, D.C. when he worked at the Pentagon.
People have always assumed I was a Northerner, but, in fact, both my Mom and Dad's side are 1/4 Cherokee. Petways and Browns go wayback. Our roots are, and have always been in the South.
When my Dad entered the military, at that time, there was tons of bias towards Southerners, and no one dared to acknowledge their Cherokee blood. So, my Dad, on his own, got rid of his Southern sound. My Mom, on the other hand, had the most beautiful Southern accent (truly a 20th century Southern Bell).
After giving my life to Jesus, the Lord led me to Liberty Bible College, in Pensacola, Florida. Then, after graduation, was sent out from Pensacola, through GME, to Taiwan as a missionary. Just right after my very 1st missionary conference, at Liberty Church, on Highway 98, my Mom and Dad, decided to move to Pensacola, Florida.
After my Mom got Baptized in the Holy Spirit (years earlier), she served the Lord with all her heart, never wavering, all ways and always, in love with Jesus, right up to the day she went to be with the Lord, which was on Christmas Day thirty-nine years ago (today). Had the honor of conducting her funeral service.
Truly believe God honored her faithfulness with His presence at the service. Never experienced the power of the Holy Spirit so strong and intense as it was, at that time, reading Psalm 91 (her favorite Bible passage), standing behind her casket, in front of family and friends.
She was given a military funeral with full honors - motorcade and 21 gun salute, and buried at Mainside, Pensacola, at the Barrancas Naval Cemetery. Later discovered, my Dad, a high ranking Air Force officer, gave his funeral rights (don't know what its really called) to my Mom. When my Dad, passed away, many years later, we buried him as an airman (an airman in the USAF is like a private in the Army). Both my Mom and Dad's gravestones are next to each other, side by side, as is the United States military tradition.
Going to Bible College in Pensacola, being sent out as a missionary to Taiwan, parents moving to Pensacola, in my heart, was all the Lord, even right down to the exact location and timing of my dear Mother's internment and grave stone.
On this day, December 25, 2022, the Lord has seen fit (don't completely understand why) to yank me back into the Light, and use me as a vessel of honor. Actually, don't know what's going to happen, only know one thing, God does all things well.
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