One spring, when we lived in Central Illinois, I was passing through our family room and the television was on with no one in the room. I had a stack of towels in my arm from the laundry room and I was headed to put them away. Irritated that the television was on aimlessly, I moved to turn it off, however, the woman being interviewed captured my attention.
She spoke of her husband’s premature death and her carrying on his vision in spite of facing a challenge. I could tell immediately she was a woman of purpose. I slowly sat down on the couch to listen to the entire interview. She was sharp, articulate and focused on helping the nations. Her small size was not to be compared with her huge dream and big heart. She was impressive but her words penetrated my life suddenly. She reminded me of an ambassador who carried authority and vision. Immediately, I loved her and wanted her same spirit and vision.
Only God could arrange what happened the following month’s with our family. Within three months from the television interview we were invited to the campus where she and her husband founded Christ For the Nations. Their motto was their name. Our family was asked to minister in song and my husband asked to preach at the campus church. It was also campus days so many visiting students were there checking out the school. Every part of that strategic weekend was life changing.
After our visit, two months later, we moved from Decatur, Illinois to Dallas, Texas to work with the ministry of Christ For The Nations and our daughters enrolled as students. I often tell people that God ambushed us that season and we have never been the same. Our vision for leadership, nations and serving people were expanded. Amazingly, we were strategically seated one afternoon to have lunch with that influential woman I had seen months previous on television—Mrs. Freda Lindsay!
Mrs. Lindsay, fondly called, Mom Lindsay, by the students sat right across from me at our Sunday dinner. She told me her story and then asked for mine. Freda had been healed as a young woman from TB. She was close to death with no hope and the Lord raised her up from her sickness and she has been well since. Amazed by her faith and testimony, I thought about my own situation. Facing a childhood disease and losing my eyesight gradually having our children left me hopeful for the same mercy of God to be shown to me. I finally got the courage to ask this legend of faith, “Mrs. Lindsay! Do you think God would heal me one day too?”
Freda sat forward looking firmly at me and said, “Of course, unless you think you are something special.” I said nothing but pondered the challenge to believe Him for the impossible—just like He promised.
Mrs. Lindsay became a dear friend and loved to hear our family sing. She was my husband’s best listener when he preached and she loved my life message and tenacity to live life with joy, hope and faith. Spending years with Mrs. Lindsay made me desire to be like her one day. My prayer has always been to be a woman of influence like a Deborah of old, a Golda Meyer of yesterday and a Freda Lindsay of today. Her life still inspires me. Her vision for the nations is contagious.
In March of 2009, I received word that Mrs. Freda Lindsay had passed away at the young age of 96. I was sitting in Spain having lunch while speaking fifteen times in eighteen days in that nation. Yes, Christ for the Nations is more than any mere motto—it is my vision too. Thank you, Freda, for influencing me with your inspiring stories of life.