by Ricky Doc Sauceda
My Grandma Janie was an independent and strong woman. She was never afraid and took life "head on" with confidence and assuredness in the power of God. I would have great discussions about faith with her. She would always boil it down into simple words...Be strong and have faith. Reading the bible cover-to-cover this past year, I noticed verses that were intertwined with her words.
Ephesians 6:10 - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Mark 11:22 - "Have faith in God," Jesus answered.
These verses perfectly reflect her philosophy in life. Simple words that carry a whole lot of spiritual strength and power. The kind of faith my grandma had was strong and impenetrable. Nothing ever brought her down because she always relied on the Lord. She went to church every morning with her sisters; the four of them were called "little saints" by the pastoral team. They wore traditional veils and carried their rosaries and prayed daily. They were devoted to loving God.
Before me, there was a tradition in my family that I am only now beginning to tap into. Grandma was right, we all need to be strong and have faith. She also slept with a gun under her pillow just in case prayers weren't enough.
She was tough.