The Mailman Told Me About It

June 24th, 2026

Happy 40th Anniversary, Genesis Bible Fellowship Church. June 15 is a time to celebrate forty years of Pastoral and Church Ministry. Join us as we receive encouragement from one another as we read about the when and the how the Lord led each writer to Genesis Bible Fellowship Church! Enjoy today's devotional and may it remind you of when you were led to this branch of Zion!

SCRIPTURE: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 'I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." John 15:1-5

In 1986 we were the last house on U.S. Postal worker, Clyde Lyles’ route, and without fail he’d dig into the blue mailbag and pull out his Bible and for three years he planted and watered the seeds of salvation. I never made a profession of faith and that did not stop him. A few years later he suggested that I check out this church on Walker Avenue and this young Pastor by the name of Cockrell.

Fast forward to 1994, the fullness of time had come, and God gave the increase by using a coworker to explain Matthew 6:15 and why I had to forgive. Scales fell off my eyes, and the miracle of salvation took place. I knew my life had changed. Soon thereafter, my co-worker and her husband recommended Genesis as a solid Word church. The daunting, disappointing search was on for a Bible believing/teaching church, because Derald and I wanted someone to explain what the Word of God. We did not want to turn to our neighbor, give a high five, speak in tongues, get popped in the head, walk on broken glass, say a hail Mary, handle a viper! We just wanted to understand what the Bible said, so until then Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah, and Tony Evans were our teachers that prepared us for Pastor Cockrell and Genesis Bible Fellowship Church.

One Mother’s Day we visited Genesis and Pastor Cockrell preached from John 15:1-5. It was a miracle; the eyes of my understanding became enlightened. I had an unexplainable thirst and the Holy Spirit removed the veil, the obstacle that kept me from comprehending and simultaneously quenched my thirst! Oh, you want more and more. That’s when we knew, we had to keep coming to Genesis to learn God’s Word and by 1997 we joined. What a wonderful journey to be apart of 40 years of Biblical Teaching, a deepening relationship with Jesus, spiritual growth that included joy and pain, exercising our Spiritual Gifts! A marvelous journey of walking alongside our Pastor that’s like walking with your Spiritual Dad! Oh, one more thing, on that Mother’s Day visit each mother received a gift bag of makeup and other little items that were so sweet, but the greatest gift was The Word!

PRAYER: Oh, heavenly Father, thank You for this journey. You sent the mailman to deliver news about my eternity, patiently waited for my salvation, and lovingly guided my husband and me to this body of Christ that nurtured our growth, all for Your glory! We give You praise, honor, and glory for all You have done, for your name sake. Thank You, Jesus. I love You! Amen.
By Sis. Paula Smith

Would you like to share your testimony? Follow the Devotional format above and email your devotional to paula1028smith@gmail.com.