Jesus Loves Me by Jeanie Goode
I was born in 1938 in Danforth, Maine. My faith story begins
when I was a little girl, about six or seven years old. It started with my
grandmother. She was the one who planted the seed of faith in me. She took me
to services for children, sometimes at the YMCA or wherever they were held. She
was also the one who taught me to knit, and I often think about how the threads
of yarn she placed in my hands were like the threads of faith she wove into my
heart.
A Young Faith Takes Root
When I was young, I attended the Nazarene Church. I joined
the choir and sang with joy, and I also taught Sunday School. That was in the
1950s, and those early experiences helped me grow strong in my walk with God.
A Faith That Expands
As a teenager, I made some changes in my life. I left high
school just before graduation and moved to Florida to live with my aunt. At
first, I didn’t go to church often. But the second time I went back to Florida,
I became more involved. My aunt had moved to a different area, so I attended a
new church. That year, in April, the church received letters inviting choirs to
take part in the Greater Miami Billy Graham Crusade.
I will never forget that experience. Thousands of people
gathered in a huge arena, and the Spirit of God was present in such a powerful
way. Being part of the choir and seeing the multitudes respond to the gospel
was unforgettable. Later, I even read about the Billy Graham Crusade in South
Korea, where millions came to hear the Word of God. I realized then how big
God’s kingdom really is.
God’s Perfect Plan
Life moved on, and I carried my faith with me. In 1970, I
married Lauren, the love of my life. He had served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968
and came home with a desire to be a park ranger. His father was good friends
with the director of the park, and with God’s providence, he was able to start
that career. He went on to serve faithfully for 36 years.
After we were married, we began our life together at the
park. In April of that year, we moved into the campground, though we had to
wait for the snow to clear before we could fully settle in. We lived in several
different campgrounds over the years—Abol, Togue Pond Gatehouse, and later at
Nesowadnehunk. Each place had its own challenges and blessings.
Ministry in the Mundane
We met so many new people at those campgrounds—travelers,
hikers, families from other cultures and countries. At first, I wasn’t sure
about every move we had to make. But I came to see that God had a plan in each
step. For example, when we were told to move to a campground we hadn’t wanted,
we later discovered it was a place of beauty and joy. God always knew what He
was doing.
In 1976, we came to Patten because our daughter Lauren
needed to start school. We were living in Millinocket at the time and went to a
realtor looking for a house. At first, we thought we had found a cabin in
Silver Ridge. But before we could decide, it was sold. The realtor then told us
about another house that had just opened in Patten. We went to look, and right
away we knew it was the right one. That was God’s plan.
A Legacy of Service and Peace
If we had gotten the house in Silver Ridge, I wouldn’t have
been able to attend church because I wouldn’t have had a vehicle. But God
provided, and in 1976, we began attending Patten Church. It has now been nearly
50 years of worship, fellowship, and service.
My ministry in the church began because of my children. They
were shy and wouldn’t stay in Sunday School unless I was there with them. So, I
decided to stay and help. Before long, I became a teacher myself. That led to
many more years of serving in Christian education, teaching Bible School, and
helping with yard sales and fundraisers. I didn’t plan it all, but God had a
way of pulling me into service through the needs of others.
My faith has always been tested and strengthened through
life’s ups and downs. When Lauren passed away, people noticed that I still had
peace in my heart. That peace was not from me but from God. Even in loss, I
knew Lauren was with Jesus. We were married for 55 years, and I am grateful for
every one of them. He climbed Mount Katahdin hundreds of times, often in the
middle of winter when climbers needed help. I myself climbed it three times,
and those are memories I will always hold dear.
A Guiding Light
Family has always been an important part of my life story.
There is a special connection between the Goode family and my own. My sister
Nancy married Lauren’s brother Roger, and my brother Willie married Lauren’s
sister Gloria. Later, my youngest sister married his older brother Derwin. In
the end, four Jordans and four Goodes married each other! We often joked that
it made Christmas shopping easier. But more than that, it showed how God wove
our families together in a special way.
Another part of my family history is tied to lighthouses. My
great-grandfather and other relatives were lighthouse keepers. My father even
built a tall wooden lighthouse for my mother. To me, this is more than family
history—it is also a picture of faith. Just as lighthouses guide ships safely
through storms and darkness, faith in Christ has been the guiding light in my
life.
A Message to the Next Generation
Looking back over these many years, I see God’s hand at
every step. From my grandmother’s faith, to the joy of singing in a choir, to
the life I built with Lauren, and the service in the church, God has been
faithful.
I want the next generation to know that faith is not just
about attending church but about weaving God into every part of life. Just like
knitting, where every stitch matters, so too in life, every act of faith, every
prayer, every small service is part of the larger pattern God is creating.
If I could pass one message on, it would be this: trust in
God’s plan. You may not always understand it at first. You may think you want
one house, one job, or one path, but God may have something different for you.
And when you follow His way, you will look back and see His goodness and mercy
guiding you.
I am thankful for the nearly fifty years I have been part of
Patten Church. I am thankful for the children I taught, the songs we sang, the
friends I have made, and the peace of knowing my Savior.
And when my time on earth is done, I know the same Jesus who
welcomed my husband will welcome me too. Until then, I will keep singing hymns,
teaching faith, and sharing the story of God’s love.
My life has had many chapters, but through them all, the
theme is the same: Jesus loves me, this I know.
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