Legacy

A LEGACY OF SERVICE

BY LYNETTE ECORD

For Ed and Lorle Stacey, there’s never been a question—life has always been about service. “From the very beginning of our marriage, we agreed that we wanted to follow God’s will,” said Ed. Growing up, they had both watched their parents dedicate their lives to service. Ed’s parents served as missionaries in South America and Lorle’s father was a theology professor.

Following their marriage, Ed and Lorle agreed to serve in mission, first in Brazil and later in Chile. This was like going home for Ed, but for Lorle it was a new experience—one that required her to learn both Portuguese and Spanish. After spending eighteen years in service in South America, they returned to the United States where they continued to serve at local Seventh-day Adventist state headquarters across North America, including in Texas.

Why did the Staceys choose to live a life of service? Of course, the example of their parents made an impression on them, but the real reason is because of their own personal relationships with God. They’ve made staying close to Him a priority in their lives. Lorle shared, “I think to be close to Jesus Christ, we have to make a special effort. It takes a lot of study, prayer, and worship. The more you pray, the more you worship, either alone, with your spouse, your family, or others, the closer you end up to Him.”

“There’s a peace of mind that comes from living this way,” said Ed. “We care for what God places in our hands, be it funds, time, or anything in life that the Lord gives us. We’ve always believed we should be good stewards of that because, after all, every breath we take is a gift from God. We were intentional about setting aside funds for the benefit of the work and the care and education of our children. One of the things that we did was to set up a Christian estate plan. This gave us peace in knowing that our family and God’s work would continue to be cared for after we’re gone. Our purpose in life is to be faithful to the Lord, to share His message, and whatever He places in our hands to help others know of God’s incredible love. We try our best to carry out all our future plans in this way. When we grow older, we can look back on our lives and we can say ‘Yes, Lord, I have done your will and I live in peace knowing that what is yours I have cared for adequately and tried to use wisely. I have returned to you what was always yours.’ We’ve been faithful stewards, and this brings peace and happiness because we’re prepared to meet our end, be it today or down the road.”

If you would like information on how to create or continue your own family’s legacy through estate planning, get in touch with a Texas Conference Planned Giving consultant today at 817.790.2255 or by visiting texasgiving.org.