Oma Watson Mason, my grandmother, passed away at 1:05am this morning, October 15, 2014, at the age of 95. (She missed her 96th birthday by 13 days.) She was the first Miss Louisiana Tech in 1937. But this was not her greatest accomplishment. Her greatest accomplishment in this life was her faith and finishing life well. She is the last of my grandparents to pass away. She now walks with Jesus in Heaven. In preparation for her funeral my mother gave me a copy of her testimony written in her own, beautiful, cursive handwriting, an historical document of my Christian heritage. “Nanny”, as she was affectionately known by her grandchildren, taught school for many years, served our family faithfully and provided a strong Christian witness.
This blog is a transcript of my grandmother’s testimony. On the back of the last page she writes: “Hopefully, this testimony just might be an encouragement along the way for someone who is struggling.” I pray you will be encouraged and helped by this testimony.
“My Testimony”
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
With my heart, my voice, and all that is within me, I bless and praise his holy name, for he has redeemed my soul; he has lifted me out of the miry clay and given me eternal life.
“When I consider his heavens, the work of his fingers, the moon and the stars which he has ordained, who am I that he would be mindful of me?”
But he loves me with an everlasting love, manifested at Calvary, and brought to fruition in my salvation.
Bless the name of Jesus!
I grew up in a small town in North Louisiana where the home church and school were, for the most part, the center of all our activities. At an early age I began attending Sunday School and Church. I shall be forever indebted to faithful Sunday School teachers who taught me truths from God’s Word, who cared about my soul, and made me aware of the claim that Jesus Christ had upon my life. At the age of twelve, during a summer-time revival meeting in the Methodist Church, the Holy Spirit led me to respond to the invitation, accepting Christ as my personal savior, trusting him to forgive my sins and save my soul.
In a few shorts years when I was sixteen, I graduated from high school and in the Fall of that year I left the protective environment of my youth and went to live on the college campus. There were new friends to make, new challenges to meet, and a newfound freedom to enjoy. I was caught up in the excitement and whirl of many activities, and the pleasures of the world began to have a strong attraction for me. Soon these things began to crowd out God, his church and my Christian witness. As I reflect on this time in my life, it was as though Satan had singled me out, gone before me to lay a snare, and I walked head-long into it. It grieves me even now when I remember those wasted years, and I wonder how I could have been so foolish, so indifferent to him who had done so much for me?
Consequently, there were moments when doubts and confusion clouded my mind, and deep inside my own heart condemned me. I wondered if I were, indeed, a child of God? But he was there all the time; it was I who was following afar off.
Upon earning my degree, I taught school for a year and then was married. Soon afterwards we went to live in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where my husband had taken a job. It was the desire of both of us to have a Christian home, and we knew what we needed to do. We began attending the First Baptist Church in that city, where we found a warm and friendly fellowship.
At the close of a Sunday night worship service, we went forward presenting ourselves for membership in that church, my husband on the promise of a letter from his home church and I on a statement of my faith in Jesus Christ and a request for baptism. This was a time of confession, rededication, and renewal in our hearts.
God’s Word tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” And unto this day, he continues to heal, forgive and bring renewal to my heart from time to time. But always I can say with Paul, “For I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” I know not how soon “that day” may come, but I am confident that his grace will be sufficient for the hour.
“O, give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all generations.”
My heart overflows with gratitude when I remember all his blessings toward me. There have been good times and bad times, but through it all, God has been there, undergirding, loving and supplying strength for the difficult times.
I thank him for a loving husband, for our children and their children, who have so blessed our lives. My heart’s desire and prayer for each of them is that they might know Jesus Christ in a personal way, and that he might always have preeminence in their lives.
Thanks be unto him for the joy of having fellowship with you, his people, and for the memory of faithful departed ones of this fellowship, who on so many occasions inspired and encouraged me in the faith.
I am grateful for men of God who have stood in this place down through the years and proclaimed God’s truth, and instructed us in ways of righteousness. I thank him for the dedicated servants who have led us in worship through music and song.
Finally, I thank him for the opportunity of service in this church these many years. I am still learning, and hopefully growing into that full and complete person that he wants me to be.
And, you know, it seems the longer I serve him, the sweeter he grows.
Bless the name of Jesus!
~Oma Mason, December 15, 1983