Family and Friends,
My cousin had been after me for years to go “up on the mountain” with him. Between work, home, and just life in general, I could never seem to find the time. “Up on the mountain” was the home place of my great grandmother. My cousin built a small cabin where the old home had been, and he was so very excited about all of it.
Tim, my cousin, is a deeply spiritual man. In fact, there are many deeply spiritual folks on that side of my family. I can’t ever remember a time that we came together that God wasn’t talked about. In many of those times, the family was singing. I honestly assumed every family was like that.
Tim wanted to show me something on the mountain. I could never find the time until Covid hit. In 2020, Covid struck and paralyzed us. Our lives came to a standstill, and I realized the brevity of life. That summer allowed me time to take this trip I had for so long put on a back burner. We made a plan, set a date, and off we went.
The road up on the mountain was very rugged. I rode in the back of my cousins truck, taking in the fresh air, the green forest, and the beauty of it all. The ride up took about 30 minutes. I thought about the trips made on foot by my ancestors when that was the only mode of transportation. Wow! What a simpler time….
When we finally arrived, I climbed from the back of the truck and as soon as my feet touched the ground, I knew something had happened there,-something spiritual. It about took my breath. I could feel it; something wonderful had happened here! I saw the cabin. It was very primitive and beautiful. Perfectly built, it displayed so much detail.
I saw a fence behind the cabin. The fence surrounded something, but I couldn’t see what it was. I walked over to the fence looking for what was there. “It’s a well,” my cousin said. “We built the fence because animals kept falling in it.”
That well was 18 feet deep, dug by hand by my ancestors. A well! Just like the well Jacob dug and the meeting place of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, here is a well! I heard it for the first time when as I was looking at that well, I heard “heritage!”
We milled around in the cabin, explored through the woods for the biggest part of the day. I walked down a hill and saw the coolest thing. I saw a place that was marked off for a special purpose. I walked over to see what it was. There, out of a rock, on the side of the mountain, the purest stream I had ever seen poured out. I heard it again, “heritage!”
I thought of Moses when he struck the rock and water poured out for the Israelites, his children. God had provided water for my family too, his children. I was so thankful in that moment to God, our Jehovah Jirah, great provider. We walked around some more, looking for artifacts or any little thing that proved our ancestors had lived there. I heard, “heritage” over and over.
When I got home that evening, I felt such peace. I can’t explain it. That night in prayer, I thanked God for such a special day. I thanked him for whatever it was he wanted to show me and thanked him for my heritage!
The next morning, I called my cousin to thank him for showing me such a precious place. I knew deep in my spirit there was more I was learn of this special day. I asked him if there were preachers in our family, and he shared what history he knew. Then I called my mom to see what she knew.
Mom said, “Well, they said when your grandpa started praying, you were going to be there a while.” What! Wait a minute! I, too, have always had a heart for prayer! My heart leaped in my chest when she said that! Then my mom said, “he always prayed for his children and his grandchildren and generations to come to know, to love, and to serve the Lord!”
This man, my grandpa, he prayed for me! What I felt on that mountain was the power of intercessory prayers. What I felt around that well, it was where Jesus met with grandpa just like he did the Samaritan woman. What I felt at the spring was a refreshing that can only come from Jesus. That place on the mountain was a holy place because Jesus met my family there, just like he meets us where we are. I stepped in the places where great prayer took place! I felt it!
One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 59:21. “And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, from this time and forevermore.”
I am living proof of the truth of this Word. My grandfather, what he believed about God, was deeply etched in his heart. His prayers were aimed to commit generations to the Lord! Well, I believe that too! I am believing for me and for my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and for generations after that! Oh, that they would know, love, and serve the Lord all their days!
“Heritage.” What you believe, what you commit in prayer, it matters to God, and I know he honors that. Remember to pray for your legacy. They need you to pray for them now. Who knows, maybe one day they will walk on your land and feel your prayers you prayed for them long after you are in heaven. Perhaps it will refresh their spirits, encourage them in prayer, and cause them to give thanks to God as it did me.
Keep Praying, Stay Committed!
Alice Bennett, Mountain Momma
My cousin had been after me for years to go “up on the mountain” with him. Between work, home, and just life in general, I could never seem to find the time. “Up on the mountain” was the home place of my great grandmother. My cousin built a small cabin where the old home had been, and he was so very excited about all of it.
Tim, my cousin, is a deeply spiritual man. In fact, there are many deeply spiritual folks on that side of my family. I can’t ever remember a time that we came together that God wasn’t talked about. In many of those times, the family was singing. I honestly assumed every family was like that.
Tim wanted to show me something on the mountain. I could never find the time until Covid hit. In 2020, Covid struck and paralyzed us. Our lives came to a standstill, and I realized the brevity of life. That summer allowed me time to take this trip I had for so long put on a back burner. We made a plan, set a date, and off we went.
The road up on the mountain was very rugged. I rode in the back of my cousins truck, taking in the fresh air, the green forest, and the beauty of it all. The ride up took about 30 minutes. I thought about the trips made on foot by my ancestors when that was the only mode of transportation. Wow! What a simpler time….
When we finally arrived, I climbed from the back of the truck and as soon as my feet touched the ground, I knew something had happened there,-something spiritual. It about took my breath. I could feel it; something wonderful had happened here! I saw the cabin. It was very primitive and beautiful. Perfectly built, it displayed so much detail.
I saw a fence behind the cabin. The fence surrounded something, but I couldn’t see what it was. I walked over to the fence looking for what was there. “It’s a well,” my cousin said. “We built the fence because animals kept falling in it.”
That well was 18 feet deep, dug by hand by my ancestors. A well! Just like the well Jacob dug and the meeting place of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, here is a well! I heard it for the first time when as I was looking at that well, I heard “heritage!”
We milled around in the cabin, explored through the woods for the biggest part of the day. I walked down a hill and saw the coolest thing. I saw a place that was marked off for a special purpose. I walked over to see what it was. There, out of a rock, on the side of the mountain, the purest stream I had ever seen poured out. I heard it again, “heritage!”
I thought of Moses when he struck the rock and water poured out for the Israelites, his children. God had provided water for my family too, his children. I was so thankful in that moment to God, our Jehovah Jirah, great provider. We walked around some more, looking for artifacts or any little thing that proved our ancestors had lived there. I heard, “heritage” over and over.
When I got home that evening, I felt such peace. I can’t explain it. That night in prayer, I thanked God for such a special day. I thanked him for whatever it was he wanted to show me and thanked him for my heritage!
The next morning, I called my cousin to thank him for showing me such a precious place. I knew deep in my spirit there was more I was learn of this special day. I asked him if there were preachers in our family, and he shared what history he knew. Then I called my mom to see what she knew.
Mom said, “Well, they said when your grandpa started praying, you were going to be there a while.” What! Wait a minute! I, too, have always had a heart for prayer! My heart leaped in my chest when she said that! Then my mom said, “he always prayed for his children and his grandchildren and generations to come to know, to love, and to serve the Lord!”
This man, my grandpa, he prayed for me! What I felt on that mountain was the power of intercessory prayers. What I felt around that well, it was where Jesus met with grandpa just like he did the Samaritan woman. What I felt at the spring was a refreshing that can only come from Jesus. That place on the mountain was a holy place because Jesus met my family there, just like he meets us where we are. I stepped in the places where great prayer took place! I felt it!
One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 59:21. “And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, from this time and forevermore.”
I am living proof of the truth of this Word. My grandfather, what he believed about God, was deeply etched in his heart. His prayers were aimed to commit generations to the Lord! Well, I believe that too! I am believing for me and for my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and for generations after that! Oh, that they would know, love, and serve the Lord all their days!
“Heritage.” What you believe, what you commit in prayer, it matters to God, and I know he honors that. Remember to pray for your legacy. They need you to pray for them now. Who knows, maybe one day they will walk on your land and feel your prayers you prayed for them long after you are in heaven. Perhaps it will refresh their spirits, encourage them in prayer, and cause them to give thanks to God as it did me.
Keep Praying, Stay Committed!
Alice Bennett, Mountain Momma