Something BIG

Attempt something so big for God that it is sure to fail without Him.

I find it ironic that both on both my maternal and paternal side, I have a great-grandfather who left this life a hero. My dad's grandpa, William Parsons, whom I have mentioned before, died saving his children from a runaway stagecoach. Mom's grandpa, Ollie Doughty, was a counselor to a U.S. president who arguably made the most important decision any world leader has ever had to make.

I know, bold statement, but do I have the proof to back it up? I can only tell you the random facts that have been passed on to me from different sources. I guess you'll have to decide.

He was born near the Ozark mountains. (The picture is of one of HIS daughters with one of mine. There is a picture of me sitting on his lap but I don't have it on my computer.) He married a girl named Beulah who at the tender age of fourteen had her mind set on being a minister and having quite a bit of children. (That's a story for another time!) My quiet, stay-out-of-the-limelight Grandpa Doughty raised his quiver-full of children and grandchildren to respect him and be good, but he also had a very special visitor to his gas station in Missouri one quiet day.

His name was Harry Truman.

Grandpa and Mr. Truman must have had a good talk that day. Because later, when President Truman was in the midst of staggering decisions that would shape the course of history and fulfill biblical prophecy, he kept on writing Grandpa. He kept on asking his advice. And my grandpa answered.

Here I must say that I personally have never laid eyes on these letters. I know they are still in the family, but they have ended up in the hands of one of my mom's relatives whom we do not have regular contact with. (If you are one of those relatives and you have happened upon this website, please know that other descendants of Ollie Doughty would LOVE to be able to read through that correspondence.)

Okay, so my Great-Grandpa was friends with President Truman. He probably had a lot of friends. He was in politics. Why do I think that fact is so amazing?

God chose a people out of all the peoples of the earth. He called this chosen nation Israel. He promised Israel that he would bless them, that He would give them a land that would be their own, if they followed and obeyed His commands. Even when they were unfaithful to God, He kept His promise. A tiny little nation, repeatedly attacked and despised from so many other nations over a period of thousands of years should not still exist. But God has kept His remnant until the end.

So what does all this have to do with Harry Truman? Wednesday, May 12, 1948, President Truman met with advisers in the oval office. He had one timid defender, Clark Clifford, present. He was besieged with threats and angry resolve from General George C. Marshall. Israel SHOULD NOT be given their nation and land back. They were a few hundred thousand Jews in the face of millions of Arab people. It was simply a matter of numbers.

But Harry Truman knew better. He knew that what he was in the position to vote in favor of what was God's will. And against the better judgment of his peers, and maybe even on the advice of a dear friend back in Missouri, Harry Truman cast his vote in the UN meeting, becoming the DECIDING vote to allow the nation of Israel to be once again, after so many hundreds and thousands of years. To perhaps set in motion the events that would lead to the very end of this age.

So you see why I am proud of my Great-Grandpa Doughty, and even more so of his friend, President Truman. God gave him a wonderful opportunity to do something big, something amazing in light of the Bible. He could have yielded to pressure and voted against God's people. He would have faded into history and I believe the USA would not have enjoyed the extreme blessing of the past 60 years. But he took a stand, a leap, and jumped into prophecy and history and became God's tool for good.

I suppose it makes sense that my ancestor's blood flows through me. I have always wanted to be a part of something big. Here in this moment, having little ones and all the hormones associated with that stage of life makes me take pause for their safety. But I have always itched to stand up and be counted in a big way. (There is a song I have on my MP3 player that speaks to the rhythm of my heart. I will post the words at the end of this entry.)

As well my heart bleeds for Israel. Right now they are in the midst of a struggle for their nation and their desire to live in peace without fear for their safety. I wish I could stand beside them, look Hamas, the protesters and the media in the eye and say What if it was you? Do you think they should shrivel up and die just because you say so? And you who are Americans, why do you think you have been so blessed? It is only because you have stood beside her. To die standing beside Israel is better than to live and stand against her.

I have God's Word on that.


I wanna see something I've not seen
Something so big
I wanna be a part of something great
Greater than me

It's time to dream big dreams
To see Your vision
Become reality
‘Cause it’s for You, by You, those who
Love You wanna do

Something so big
It’s destined to fail without You, Lord
It’s gonna fail without You, Lord
Something so great
It takes a miracle to do
We, Your children
Wanna do something big for You

We, yes, we are gonna sing a brand new song
Something so strong
We will be the sound that wakes the dawn
Something so loud

It’s time for breaking through
‘Cause there are no limits
For he who holds the truth
When it’s for You, and by You, and those who
Love You wanna do

Something bigger, something greater
For the glory of Your splendor
Something bigger, something greater
Tell the story of Your wondrous love
Your wondrous love
Those who love You wanna do

As long as we live, let us do something so big for You