If a family tree was drawn, there would be photos of nearly 100 children and grandchildren. Lula Wallace had a big family. she was the mother of 11, grandmother of 22, great-grandmother of 45 and great-great-grandmother of 20. At the age of 108, she accepted Jesus Christ, was baptized and became a member of even a bigger family. Consequently, her brothers and sisters in Christ believe that when she passed away at the age of 109, she went to be with her eternal family in heaven.
The inspirational story of the late Wallace's new found faith in Christ, first reported by The Christian Chronicle, took over a century to reach its glorious climax.
"I feel God has kept her around this long for a reason," said Virginia Mack, Wallace's 66-year-old daughter.
Thirty years earlier, Virginia Mack confessed faith in Christ through the witness of her older sister, Margaret Cooke, who also played a role in introducing their mother, the late Wallace, to the Lord.
Cooke prayed for over 50 years that Wallace would accept the Gospel. And whenever an opportunity presented, the 78-year-old daughter would share "a few words" about having faith in Christ.
"We've just always made sure that we lived the life before her and let her know that Christ always came first in our lives," Cooke told the Chronicle.
Cooke was persistent in praying for her mom and asking her if she wanted to baptized even though her mom had turned down baptism several times.
One day, God answered her prayers.
Cooke and her mother were reminiscing about old times together as Wallace laid in bed. Wallace then complained that "people just don't want to do what God wants them to do," according to Chronicle.
"Oh, you are so right," Cooke replied. Seizing the opportunity to share the Gospel message with Wallace, Cooke led her mother through the Bible, starting from Genesis to Jesus' death on the cross.
When Cooke finished, she asked her mother with a smile, "Don't you want to be baptized?"
Wallace's reply was simple yet life-changing. "Yes, " she told Cooke.
Cooke was so shocked that she asked a second time, only to receive the exact same reply from Wallace. She was ready to be baptized
In her confession during baptism, the Chronicle reported Mama Wallace as telling the minister: "Listen, I'm not doing this for no man. I'm doing this for myself and God."
Wallace's two grandchildren help to lower her wheelchair down into the water at the church. After her baptism, members at the Memphis church welcomed her as a new sister in Christ.
On Nov. 29, Wallace died at the age 109. Her death comes about one year after her "touching and inspiring" story was published.
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