Over that last couple of days we have had relatives here from all over the south. This was a rare Stockstill\Mitchell reunion. (The Mitchells are my Papa’s mother’s people). It is so amazing when you see people you either don’t know or barely know that share so much in common, including looks! My papa, Roy Stockstill, is one of 2 surviving siblings that came from Joel Ernest Stockstill’s family, my namesake. My Great grandfather was a great man of prayer and preaching. I learned some most interesting things about him. My Aunt Dot, Papa’s sister, said that she would go with him to preach in the African American churches there in Picayune, Miss. when it was unheard of for a white man to do such. She said they loved his preaching because it was so straightforward, remind you of anyone? As she has had the chance to hear me minister she says that it is like hearing him preach again. Isn’t that amazing? A man that was my great grandfather, who I never even met, setting a pattern of spiritual life and ministry that would be followed by me decades later. This is the power of heritage!

I can see in my family the same traits of humor, story telling, to the point opinions, and godly morals. God is truly amazing in how He created us in families and gave us such similar traits in all 3 dimensions of body, soul, and spirit. How encouraging to know the path that I now walk on was paved by men and women of God that lived lives of prayer and ministry.

The Scripture that is in my spirit from this discussion and thought is found in Rom. 11:16- And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their children will also be holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.