The Josephine Thomas Award of Service

by Eldress Tressa Fernandez

Mother Josephine Thomas, or Mrs. J. as I liked to call her, was a woman of wisdom and great faith. From the moment we first met, we had a connection. Not a girlfriend, talk on the phone, go out to lunch kind of connection, but a connection of respect, admiration, and support. 

On March 13, 2023, Mrs. J. went home to be with the Lord. Reflecting on taking AIM, being accountable, intentional and maintaining my connection with the Lord, I think of Mrs. J.

Mrs. J. was a woman of God who embodied taking AIM without even knowing it. As a member of Destiny Christian Center for 20 years and the leader of the hospitality team for approximately 10 years, she was accountable to the pastors and the hospitality team in every way. There was no “they” or “them” in her vocabulary with regard to the hospitality team.  She diligently prayed for them, was a leader that the team could count on, and always sought the pastors for wisdom and insight, keeping them apprised of what was going on with the auxiliary. She provided training for the hospitality team members, always ensured they had everything they needed, and continually sought ways for the ministry to improve. As a result, the hospitality ministry flourished and always operated with excellence.

Every word Mrs. J. spoke was intentional. She was a prayer warrior, always spoke life, and she had a word of encouragement for everyone. When battling cancer, no matter what report she would get from the doctors, she would say, “Eldress, I am already healed; I’m just waiting for it to manifest.” Her faith encouraged many people, myself included. No matter what she was facing, she spoke the word only. She was very intentional in her prayers for her husband; she remained steadfast in her prayers for him and prayed him right into the Kingdom! She was intentional until her last days and wrote letters to each of her family members before her death, and prepared for everything, ensuring that her family did not have to worry about anything.

She maintained her connection first and foremost with the Lord, continually maintaining her relationship with God. She also maintained her relationship with her pastors, often reaching out to Dr. Poole to say hello, or Dr. Sheila to let her know what was going on with her. Her family was very important to her; maintaining her relationship with Mr. Thomas was her top priority. She maintained her connection with her children by instilling deep family traditions with them, giving hand-made personal gifts, holiday dinners, family game nights, and teaching her granddaughters how to bake. She left each of her children a recipe book, complete with tips and letters of love for each of them. She was very intentional in her gift-giving, always giving something she made wither her own hands. During the pandemic, she would text me with a cute emoji, letting me know she was thinking about me. I know I wasn’t the only one to receive a text or phone call from her during that time, and every time I received one, I would smile, so blessed that she was thinking about me.

I am grateful to God for Mrs. Josephine Thomas; to be able to look at her life and have it as an example of taking AIM. She has left us with a legacy of love, excellence, and living a life that is pleasing to God.