Sharing God’s Story in Jamaica

June 23, 2021 — Lois grew up in a pastor’s family in the country village of Frankfield, surrounded by the green hills of Jamaica. She looks back fondly on those formative years and on her parents’ 44 years of mission and witness to the people of Jamaica and to the world.

She’s especially thankful for the way her parents invested in her spiritual life.

“My father was a minister of many churches, yet he carved out family devotional time every Sunday morning,” Lois shared. “This was a time of Bible reading, taking turns reading from the Today devotional, and each family member praying. This day was dedicated to God from the rising of the sun to the going down: devotions, Sunday school, church, youth fellowship, and prayer.”

Lois also remembers how important the Today devotional was for her dad’s ministry.

“I recall the Today devotionals would arrive in a little carton box periodically. My father in his capacity as a minister would distribute devotionals (Today and others) to the church members and those who needed encouragement. Additionally, my dad in his drive to help me to know Jesus Christ for myself would give me my personal copy.”

Inspired to Write

Lois’s faith grew during those years, and those devotional times made her wonder about the authors. “[They] would spark my curiosity: who are these writers, what inspired them to write?”

She says that one particular set of Christmas devotionals kindled in her a desire to write devotionals as a way to express her faith.

“I was so inspired that I wrote my own version of the [Christmas] story from the perspective of the manger. Regrettably, at the time I thought I was too young to send it off to the editor. With this Today devotional piece the seed was planted and with that my passion for writing devotionals.”

Today Lois has continued this practice of writing devotionals, and she shares them on her blog. “This is a testament to my parents who cared enough to have family devotions and used the opportunity to read God’s Word, to teach us to pray, and to give us Jesus.”

Carrying Forward a Legacy

Lois is grateful to God that she’s been able to be spiritually fed by the Today devotional since childhood and for her parents’ influence on her. Her mom has passed away—she pictures her “leading devotions in heaven”—and her dad is now in a nursing home with dementia.

“[My parents’ legacy] has inspired me to serve God more in my generation, in writing devotional pieces, and to be more consistent in my own family devotions so that this faith will pass down from one generation to the next.”