The Purpose Driven Life

My Grandmother, Grace Adkins, is about to celebrate her 90th birthday. As we prepare to celebrate, here are a few things that I have learned from her amazing life and continued example: 

• There is no better way to live than a “Purpose Driven Life”. She has been teaching and inspiring kids for over 70 years. Her life mission has been to help every child become a winner. This led her to create the first learning lab in Southwest Georgia with a special focus on helping children with learning disabilities. At the age of 90, she still runs the lab full time and her passion burns as hot as ever. With Purpose, age truly is a state of mind.
• Every child is a winner, and it is our job to help them discover that. When she started teaching in the late 1940’s, the psychology behind learning disabilities was undiscovered and largely misunderstood. Many children in that time period were deemed “retarded” or “not smart” if they struggled in school. She simply would not accept that as reality, which began the quest to help every child become a winner. No matter what the issue, give them a year or two with Grandma Grace and they will be leading the class. She has countless examples of kids that couldn’t read when they started that are now world class surgeons and business leaders all over the world.
• Learn like you will live forever. Grandma Grace stills reads up to 5 books at a time. She is still as hungry as ever for continued growth as a person. She always says, “One of the most important things in life are the people you meet and the books that you read.”
• It is more blessed to give than to receive. When people offer to pay her, she humbly declines and says, “I can’t accept that, I am doing the Lord’s work”. The Joy she has experienced from positively influencing the lives of so many is the greatest blessing of all.
• There are no earthly relationships more important than with family. I am so thankful for every meal that we have shared at Grandma’s table. I used to wonder why everything that she cooks tastes so much better than anywhere else. I now know that the secret ingredient is Love.

Happy Birthday Grandma Grace! I speak for so many when I say “We love you and we thank you!”