This article is dedicated in memory of a Christian, Mrs. Isaac (Marie) Broussard), who died on the 10th of June 2010.

Two of her grandsons, Matt Dunaway, Steven Broussard, and a granddaughter--Becky Weber Crawford--presented heart-moving verbal and written testimonies of the impact that their “Momsy” had upon them.

Mrs. Marie went home to be with the Lord after living 100 years, 2 months, and 2 days on this earth. I wept tears of both sadness and joy while listening to and reading the stories that were written by her grandchildren.

To these young adults, your endearing message about your grandmother spoke volumes to my heart. Thank you!

Mrs. Broussard impacted the lives of her children (5 of them), her grandchildren (10 of them), her great grandchildren (23 of them), her great, great grandchildren (28 of them), and one great, great, great grandchild. Her testimony will live on in future generations.

Because of sickness, the advancing years can be physically and mentally tragic; however, the worse tragedy is to live your life badly and then end your life without knowing and loving Jesus Christ.

Few people end their race of life well because they haven’t lived their lives well.

Mrs. Broussard gave her years to loving her family, walking with God, and serving God through the Kaplan Baptist Church .

One of her grandsons, Michael Perrin commented, “Grandmother loved her church, her church family, and all the pastors who ever served there. I remember when the brick masons were raising the walls of Kaplan Baptist Church . She was there helping to carry bricks, and keeping the workers refreshed with cold water.”

He added that his grandmother was a leader in Vacation Bible School . His memory was of the days when his grandparents “lovingly took care of the church grounds and the Nunez cemetery” and prepared the elements for the “Lord’s Supper at the church.”

We can learn a wise lesson from Mrs. Broussard about the need to win our descendents to Christ.

Steven Broussard said, “I can still remember ‘Momsy’ reading the scripture and having a discussion about my decision to walk in faith under the love of Christ…. My most early memories of Christ were already established through the efforts of my grandmother, and I give her credit for those efforts and her great love.”

Another grandson, Michael Perrin said, “My earliest recollections of my grandmother were seeing her move about the kitchen in a dress soaked with sweat. The old black oscillating fan did little to mitigate the heat buildup in the room as she prepared meals for the workers in the fields at harvest time. She did this with much love and no complaining, with a servant’s heart.”

What and who made the splendor of the sunset years in Mrs. Brossard’s life so beautiful?

It started with the work of Christ’s salvation within her life. As a former military man and in my pastoral travels, I have been many places in this world and lived long enough to see the stupendous splendor and beauty of numerous sunsets.

The sky would be aflame with fire and color! In your observation of sunsets, have you noticed that shadows are mixed with the glory of the sunset? When the sun sets behind the clouds, then you see the awesome beauty.

A greatly honored servant of God is known by building a home on Christian values. The Broussard children were blessed to have a godly mother and a greatly-used servant of God.

That can’t be said about all parents and grandparents. Is there a reader of this article who has forsaken the words of God’s wisdom given by your parents or grandparents?

I submit to you another example of a leader of Israel , a man who had faith in God, whose life ended well.

It was said of Samuel, “And it came to pass, when Samuel was old… (I Samuel 8:1).

Verse 5 says, “All the elders gathered themselves together and said to Samuel, ‘Thou art old, make us a king like all the nations.’”

How hurtful was this request! His sky had darkened. There were two areas in the life of the people of Israel which reveal a darkness that existed at the end of Samuel’s life.

This was an indicator of their heartlessness to the aged prophet and their disobedience to God. Samuel had judged Israel all the days of his life (I Samuel 7:5) as a great prophet of the Lord.

He had influenced multitudes to God.

There was no resentment or bitterness with Samuel over their decision. He started doing a bigger and better work of intercession (I Samuel 12:23).

Samuel was a man of prayer. His burden of administration had past. All the wealth of Samuel’s previous years of experience went into his praying. Praying is the biggest job that a Christian can do.

When we get old, there are those who don’t want us anymore. Samuel had to step aside and allow Saul to step in because the people to whom he had given his life didn’t want him anymore. I have seen it happen in the job world and in the church.

Samuel’s forced retirement brought him into the ministry of greater intimacy with God.

Prayer and instruction of others became two of the splendors of his sunset years. He saw a failure to pray as sin.

And he added, “I will teach you the good and the right way.” I Samuel 8:21 says, “Samuel heard all the words of the people and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.”

And I Samuel 9:15 adds, “Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came.”

Samuel and God had such a close relationship that both seemed to whisper to each other their intimate communication.

The family of Mrs. Broussard was inspired with the intimacy of her walk with God through prayer and Bible study.

Another thing that inspired this wonderful family about the life of Mrs. Broussard was that she refused to be baffled and bewildered by her circumstances for she saw the tragedies of the Great Depression, men and women going off to several wars, and by her hard work of living on a farm.

Hers was a mother’s ministry of instruction, inspiration, encouragement, and counsel to those she loved. As the young people were willing to receive it, she gave the wealth of her experiences.

What is better than the wisdom, the experience of encouragement, and the influencing of others to Christ?

We can see another character trait that existed in Samuel that also existed in the life of Mrs. Broussard.

One’s walk with the Lord makes the sunset years the loveliest time of life. Look at the language of God’s Word about old age in Proverbs 16:31.

The “gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.” It is found by walking in the “path of righteousness”.

What wisdom! What beauty!

I pray that each reader of this story will likewise experience the “Sunset Glory” that comes from traveling down the roads of life, hand-in-hand with the Lord Jesus.

Some type of sunset hour will come for all of us.

Someone said, “The sunset is but the prelude to the dawn!”

That is only true for the Christian. May all of us know and love Christ while being committed to godly living, not only during the serenity of our sunset years, but throughout our entire lives.

We must be committed to the ministry of intercession for our friends and loved ones and be dedicated to offering the ministry of instruction to those around us. Only a godly quality of work can be done as we walk a walk of faith and intimacy with God.

When it came time for Samuel to die, the news of his death stunned the Israelites.

I Samuel 25:1 informs us how Samuel’s life ended: “All the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him”.

How will your life end?

May your sunset years be a splendor to those around you and receive a recognition from Christ of: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant! Welcome home!”

Join us in worship next Sunday at Kaplan Baptist Church . Call 643-7971 for additional information.