A Legacy

Genesis 17:7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. Psalm 33:11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. of two great men I considered friends, came the news late last week that Sam Beall had tragically passed away following a ski accident. Through my artist-in-residency at the gorgeous Blackberry Farm, this past summer, I became friends with Sam’s mother, Kreis, and wife, Mary-Celeste. Blackberry Farm is a jewel nestled in the Smoky Mountains. Along with his parents, wife and children, Sam turned Blackberry Farm into an incredibly breathtaking, luxurious, and serene getaway. Beyond that, Sam was a man who prioritized the things God called Him to. He passionately loved his family, good food, good wine, hospitality and adventure. Even in the middle of the heartache and grief his family is suffering, they can hold on to the legacy that Sam has built through his work at Blackberry Farm. How encouraging to know that future generations will walk and enjoy the land he loved! My hope as a mother and a wife is that I am building a legacy that my children, my children’s children and generations beyond can stand on firmly and proudly. My desire is that these future generations would be able to say that in spite of any shortcoming and in the face of every trial, my eyes were fixed on the cross, and my faith was planted in the Lord. Sam’s family has the tremendous comfort of knowing how deeply his roots were planted in the soil of salvation, just as his heart was firmly rooted in the soil of the foothills he called home.