Journal Entry of Brent D. Barker:

 Upon the Death of Beloved Ministry Assistant, Mary Jones

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

On Wednesday morning, November 24, 2010, Mary Jones entered the Rowan Southern Baptist Association office very happy and upbeat (normal for Mary). After several minutes, Mary entered my office and gave me a David Jeremiah journal as a parting gift (you see, Wednesday, November 24, 2010 was my last day as Associational Missionary of Rowan Southern Baptist Association). After giving her a hug, I went into her office to exchange her gift from Laura and me (the gift was selected by my precious wife, Laura. It was a beautiful glass jar with a queenly crown as the lid). The attached card reminded Mary that she was a “daughter of the King.” Mary’s face just lit up and tears filled her eyes. She then shared with me about a time at church, shortly after she became a Christian, when she really understood what Jesus had done for her on the cross – it occurred during a song entitled: “He Did Not Come Down.” She went on to explain that the song reminded her that Jesus could have come down from the cross, but He remained there to redeem us from our sin. She emphasized, “He stayed on the cross to pay the price for my sin!” Again, tears came to her eyes.

As I thumbed through my new journal she and her husband, Bob, had just given me, I noticed the Occasion section had not been filled out. I said, “Mary, you didn’t write in the front of my new journal.” She immediately grabbed the journal back and began to write the following entries:

1-     Presented to: Dr. Brent Barker

Mary was so proud of me for finishing my doctoral studies. She was the first person to address me as Doctor in writing. I will always cherish this fact.

2-     From: Bob and Mary Jones

I often kidded Mary about their generic names, but I assure you, there was nothing generic about Mary! This is the last time she ever signed her name.

3-     Date: November 24, 2010

Little did Mary know, or any of us for that matter, that date would be the day she passed from this earthly life to the glories of heaven! November 24, 2010 will forever be etched in our minds.

4-     Occasion: Leaving One Post and Accepting Another

Well, Mary wrote this to describe my transition from Associational Missionary of Rowan Southern Baptist Association, Salisbury, North Carolina, to Senior Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Grenada, Mississippi, but it seems now she was writing it for both of us. Approximately one hour from the time she penned these words she left her post as Rowan Southern Baptist Association Ministry Assistant and accepted her post as “daughter of the King” Jesus! Mary, AKA: Miss Birdie, you will be greatly missed!

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