“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalms 119:105 (NIV)
The series of stories under this heading will feature people of faith from both Barnitz and Mt. Zion churches who have not only built the foundation of our churches, but also the foundation of our faith. “The Path Beneath My Feet” is a periodic series of stories which will showcase these people. Dorothy Ehling (Mt. Zion) is the next feature story in this series.
Each of us has a unique story about how we first accepted the Lord Jesus as our Savior, and Dot Ehling (Mt. Zion) is no exception. Or is she? Relating that her story begins when she was just 12 years old, Dot was at a Revival Meeting when the invitation was given to come to the altar. Dot says she “felt like someone was grabbing her by the back of her collar urging her to go forward”. She feels that tugging was the work of Jesus wanting her to accept Him at this young age. She did accept Him that day and has walked with Him ever since spending most of her lifetime in the church.
“Victory in Jesus, my Savior forever!
He bought me and sought me with His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him;
He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood.”
(United Methodist Hymnal, 1989 (U.M. Publishing House), Pg. 370-1)
Dot had good role models to lead her along the way. Her Dad, William, and Evelyn Long, were two of the strongest role models in her life. They both guided her into being the person she is today. Like her role models both of whom served for years as teachers, she spent 21 years teaching the Sunday School class for teen-aged girls although she often wondered whether she was reaching any of them. “Years later at a funeral”, she relates, “one of the girls came up to me, gave me a big hug and thanked me for being her Sunday School teacher. She is now a preacher.” We may never know when or how our lives touch others along the way, but Dot advises us to “be careful how we live. We may be the only Bible some people may see.” This is very sound advice for all of us.
Dot’s favorite songs include “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow”, “Victory in Jesus”, “Ivory Palaces” and “Because He Lives” which are favorites of many of us. Dot says she doesn’t worry about the future because she is sure where her future lies.
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow;
because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
and life is worth the living just because He lives.”
(United Methodist Hymnal, 1989 (U.M. Publishing House), Pg. 364)
Dot relied on the 23rd Psalm, her favorite Bible passage, many times throughout her life. She adds her faith and this passage have been guides through troubling times. With no regrets about her life, she knows her future is in God’s hands. As she has said many times, when she gets to heaven and sees God face-to-face, she has a long list of questions to ask. Admittedly, she doesn’t have all the answers, but she knows who does. Dot trusts God’s promise of saving grace – all the other questions are small details that are nice to know, but not necessary for salvation. She’s sure she’ll get the chance to ask those questions someday.
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:1,6, KJV)