Faith, Family, Food, and Fun

As I reflected on the past month, four words quickly came to mind: faith, family, food, and fun. If you’ve recently had the joy of spending time with your loved ones—whether family or close friends—then you know exactly what I mean.

Faith, Family, Food, and Fun...all to the glory of God

Let’s start with faith, because for me, that’s always where it begins. Since the age of 13, my faith in God has been my foundation. I’ve made mistakes, of course—but every step, every season, every mountain and valley, I’ve depended on God to see me through.

Maybe you’re not familiar with my full story. I share part of it in my book, When I Was 40: Overcame Some Challenges, Still Learning and Growing, which I published in 2020. (It’s still available at charlenestevensjenkins.com, if you’d like to check it out.)

Fast forward to this year. In January, I received a second cancer diagnosis. That led to surgery and recovery. During that time, I clung to healing Scriptures and declared life over myself daily. Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that “life and death are in the power of the tongue.” I chose to speak life. I chose to believe. I still do. And God brought me through.

On July 13th, I had the honor of preaching a sermon for my family reunion. The message? “Overcome Fear with Faith.” The subtitle? “I Made It.” The foundational scripture came from Deuteronomy 31:6–8—words of courage, strength, and promise. I was already living out Psalm 118:17, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” That day, I stood and declared just that.

This month also reminded me how deeply blessed I am to be a part of two amazing families from Riceboro, Georgia—the Andersons (my mom’s side) and the Stevenses (my dad’s side). My dad’s family gathers annually, and my mom’s side every three years. The reunions were just one weekend apart this July, and my heart is still full.

Though each family is unique, they both share common threads:

• A strong foundation of faith

• Mouthwatering food (yes, plenty of it!)

• Laughter that heals the soul

• Precious time spent honoring the legacy of those who’ve passed

• Welcoming the babies and new spouses

• And enough joy to fill a hundred photo albums

We had hayrides, picnics, and a beautiful Sunday service. But most of all, we had togetherness. That’s something to never take for granted.

This month also marked two personal milestones for me:

• I celebrated my birthday on Juneteenth

• And I reached 15 years of federal service

Those are things I don’t take lightly. God has been so faithful. Even when fear tried to creep in—fear of diagnosis, fear of the unknown—I stood on faith. I remembered the loved ones we’ve lost to cancer, but I also held tight to the stories of survival. We’re still here. We’re still testifying. We made it.

And one day, when I’ve finished my race and leave this life behind, I want to open my eyes in heaven and say those words again: “I made it.”

Friend, I want you to make it too. No matter what you’re facing, know this: Victory is possible. Struggles don’t mean God is absent. They mean He’s inviting you to lean on Him. He never intended for you to walk through this life alone.

Put your faith and trust in Jesus. He will give you a new outlook, a new strength, and a peace that passes all understanding. I may not know your battle—but I know the One who never loses.

The end of Genesis 18:14 asks, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Luke 1:37 answers that question clearly: “For with God, nothing shall be impossible.”

Keep going. Keep believing. And don’t forget to enjoy some faith, family, food, and fun along the way.