My everyday hero

There are some people who appear to just live a simple life, but once you get to know them, you realize all the ways they impact the world.  My hero goes unnoticed by some, but she is powerful to me. She goes day by day living her life for Christ, and is the strongest Christian I know. Mrs. Sarah Purvis has a hunger for the Lord that I can only hope to have when I’m her age. She is loyal to God and has a faith greater than you could ever imagine. She cares about others so deeply, yet some fail to see her actions. However, a true hero doesn’t need to be known by everyone to do great things. A true hero is caring, faithful, and hungry to learn, and that’s what Miss Sarah is to me. 

One of the traits I admire about Miss Sarah is the way she cares for others. She isn’t the kind of person who just talks about herself, she wants to know all about you. She even sat down with my sister and I and talked about our lives. How she talked with us felt different. She wasn’t just asking questions to “break the ice”, she simply wanted to listen. She listened because she cared. The way she nurtures others is intentional, but it also just comes naturally. That’s just who she is and it's always been a part of her. Once, she saw a picture of me in an ad for our school in her daily newspaper. She cut the picture out and gave it to me at church. She said, “I saw your pretty face in my newspaper and I thought you might like to have it…” She didn’t need to think about it, she just did it.  She did this because she cares- she always has, and always will. She wants to know me, and for that I am forever grateful. This is just one of the many reasons I have an utter respect for Mrs. Purvis.

Another reason I respect Mrs. Purvis is her faithfulness. When Oakhurst Baptist Church was dying, it seemed like all hope was lost. But not to Miss Sarah. She prayed day and night for a miracle and hoped one day their church would thrive again. She didn’t just hope God would do something, she knew He would. She stayed faithful to her God and faithful to her church, even when it was down to forty members. Looking across the empty wooden pews, she would scan the sanctuary for faces that were no longer there.  Week after week, she faced many trials with this church, but she had been there for six decades and had no intentions of leaving her home, her place of worship. Her fervent prayers were finally answered with a young pastor and a new church plant, looking to revitalize a church.  Now, three years later, her church has two hundred members and about three hundred people attending the service each Sunday. She now joyfully watches the pews fill up with church-goers of all ages, eager to praise God and study His word together. You see, she had a faith that remained the same. She never doubted God and never lost hope in what she knew was true. All those years she could have moved on to some bigger church. Many other members did; the Purvis’s didn’t.  They had a confidence. Their confidence was in the Lord. She trusted God and kept wanting to learn more from Him.  Sarah’s prayers moved mountains, and helped make a way for Oakhurst. Her words were powerful  like a forceful wind, pushing and pushing everything she has left inside of her out before God. Her hope was on the solid rock. One day I hope to have a faith like Miss Sarah. This is just one of many reasons she is my role model.

Lastly, I look up to Mrs. Purvis because she is hungry to learn. Miss Sarah is eighty years old and constantly wants to learn more about God and everything around her. After my dad’s sermons, she’ll walk up to him and say, “I’ve never heard that put that way”, or, “I’m learning more about God now than ever before….”  Most people at Sarah’s age think they’ve heard it all by now. But no matter how much she’s heard, she wants to learn more. She still comes to every Wednesday women’s Bible study and studies her Bible daily. Miss Sarah comes to every service she can, hiding the words spoken deep in her heart. She has a hunger most people can only hope to have at her age. The reason she wants to know more about God is because she’s seen His goodness; she’s seen it time and time again. She sees little things that others fail to notice and sees it as a much bigger picture. Sarah thrives off of God’s word, and soaks it all in so she can learn more. Sarah doesn’t just learn more and keep it to herself, she wants to share with others. After years of leading women’s Bible studies, she still leads women in small groups discussing the sermon, talking about the Bible study, or simply just talk about what they’ve learned. She has a hunger to discover more of God and share with others that is greater than most people can understand.  This is one of the many reasons Miss Sarah is my hero.

Sarah has been a Christian her whole life and loves the Lord with all her heart.  She has done great things, even if others don’t recognize them. She doesn’t try to be noticed for her works because she wants to give God the glory. I hope that one day I have the diligence and loving- kindness that Mrs. Purvis has with God and with others. The reason she’s a hero is this: the way she cares for others, her faithfulness, and her hunger to learn. A true hero doesn’t know it all, and admits that; they’re willing to learn. They stay true to what they believe and care for the unloved. Maybe if  we all try to thrive on the Lord and care for others in a peaceful way, we could all live a life for Christ. After all, that’s what Sarah does. Miss Sarah shows exemplary character and loves the Lord. She has integrity. And that’s why Mrs. Sarah Purvis is my hero.