Faithful Friday / Other Childhood Influences

As parents, I can't impress upon you enough that you are shaping and molding your children every day, all day. The things that you might not deem important may change the coarse of your child's destiny . . . for good or for bad.

I doubt very seriously if my Mama had the slightest notion what she was doing when she would stand us around the record player to sing along with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans' children. She probably thought no further than wanting us to learn the Christian songs, but she taught me so much more than she realized.

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans became my childhood heroes! I loved their western attire which I still love to this day! They had a lot of children, but they had "adopted" children! But not just adopted children, they had adopted "brown" Indian children! And being a red-haired, freckle-skinned child, I thought that their skin was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen! No, Mama didn't know what she was setting into motion, but God knew and He used the Rogers' family to sow a seed in my heart of wanting to adopt my own family one day. Not consciously, I'm going to be like them, but "Oh, I like that! Just looking at them makes my heart happy!"

After writing my second book, God supernaturally allowed me to be connected to Cheryl Rogers-Barnett, Roy and Dale Evans Rogers eldest daughter. When she heard how her parents and their family inspired me as a child, she graciously agree to endorse my book. Here's what she wrote:

Thank you, Lord, for giving us people like Bonnie and Billy Walker. People who have big hearts and who listen when you call them to do extraordinary things. I was amazed when I read Bonnie's first book, Refuge Ranch: A Story for His Glory, and learned about a family who took in eighteen children, one set of siblings at a time. What a wonderful ministry and testament to what God can do through people who would be considered ordinary by most standards but who accomplish amazing and wonderful things. And, thank you, Lord, for providing people to help Bonnie and Billy along their journey in providing for and raising their children.

I couldn't put Bonnie's new book (The Glory Continues) down as I learned that Bonnie and Billy have taken six more children into their hearts and family. Six more siblings who needed special care and a loving family. As it is said, "the proof is in the pudding" , and as all of these children grow, they are becoming wonderful adults who are making positive contributions to their community. Thank you, Bonnie and Billy, for all that you do.

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No, thank you Cheryl for your kind and humbling words!

True, my Mama couldn't possibly have known that her one decision to stand us around a record player to teach us Christian songs could have such far reaching rippling effects . . . and yet here we are 28 grandkids (who all still miss and adore her), and 25 plus (and counting) great grandkids later . . . and her actions are still changing lives!

Careful! You never know just how far your actions will go!