Blog Welcome JFF

Juanita Fields Montgomery Gordon was a remarkable woman who embodied quiet strength and constancy. Modeling her values for all who crossed her path, she served as a role model to her children and a beacon of light to others whose journeys intersected with hers. Near the end of her life, I found out that Psalm 27 was her favorite psalm. That bit of knowledge came as no surprise to me, for some reason, for over the years, I had observed her living in the spirit of that psalm. And by watching her, I, too, learned to embrace its message.

Whenever things seemed to be at their lowest point or at their darkest level of illumination, she had a way of reaching deep inside herself to find hope and light. During the troubled times, she turned to God for strength to help her take the next step, for she was wise enough to know that endurance was the key to finishing the race. During the joyful or triumphant times, she gave God the honor and the glory and rarely took any of the credit for herself.

Juanita wholeheartedly supported two great institutions – those being religion and education. She believed that when circumstances were overwhelming, one could find refuge in God’s faithful care. She taught her children to walk in a plain path and to trust all the while that the Lord would lead them in the right direction. She also taught her children to praise God when times were good and to lean on Him when times were challenging. Most of all she taught her children how to have faith in the Almighty and to wait on the Lord.

Now make no mistake about it — waiting on the Lord was not to be accomplished idly. She believed that while we were waiting, we needed to be prepared to follow where He intended us to go! In other words, there was work to be done during the wait, work that involved transforming the mind through education. A single mother of five, Juanita believed that education would be the great liberator for her children, giving them the potential to improve their status in life. So she told us we could do anything we desired if we put our minds to it. Undaunted by her own economic limitations, she persuaded us to work to the best of our abilities in school. And she provided the love, moral support, and encouragement to make it happen. Today, her children are a testament to her determination.

Taking her message to heart, we now wish to share that indomitable spirit with others who may not have the resources to accomplish their life-long hopes and dreams. Through our work at the Juanita Fields Foundation we seek to help young people take life each day, one step at a time. We want them to know that they, too, can improve their circumstances and achieve their dreams.

Please consider making a gift to the Juanita Fields Foundation. Together, we can make a difference.

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