I've known Rachel for 6 years. Her daughter wrote me a thank you note that really launched me into the ministry here at Mission Southside. About a month ago I invited Rachel to discover more about God's plan for her life. She was so surprised that I asked her because she had just purchased this bible at Saver's the week before! Truly, God's timing.
We have been meeting now for about a month. This bible that she purchased used to belong to Marvin Sweigart....we know this because it is engraved on the brown leader cover. Every week she reads from Marvin's bible. Sometimes there are things underlined. Sometimes there are notes in the margin. Every week we wonder a little bit more about Marvin's story. Who was/is Marvin?
Tonight we added someone else to our group. We were all comparing our bibles. Mine is LARGE print...my eyes are getting so bad. Stacy's bible is REALLY small print, I don't even know how she can read it. Then Rachel shows Stacy her bible. We all realized there had to be a story about Marvin.
When we finished reading about Adam and Eve, Stacy pulled out her phone. "Let's see if we can find out who Marvin is/was she said. She googled his name......
Marvin was a pastor for 12 years. This could have been one of many bibles he owned. Marvin died on July 1, 2017. The end of his obituary said:
To know Marvin was to love him. That love and affection will cause countless family members and friends to greatly miss him, but his influence and testimony will live on forever.
Marvin, your testimony is living on in a bible now owned by a woman studying it for the first time. Praying that your little notes in the margins and your underlined scripture continue to teach and preach to my dear friend Rachel.
I love writing and underlining in my bible. I love to look back at different times in my life that things stuck out to me. I have to admit that when Rachel first showed me that bible I thought, " how sad that someone threw this away or donated it". But, what I realize now is that that bible continues to testify for a life of a man who made Jesus Lord of his life, and perhaps he continues to disciple long after he has left this earth. This is his legacy.
