Dr. Jill Biden surprised her prayer intercessor at the Brooklyn Baptist Church in West Columbia, SC on Sunday. She shared the testimony of how the first Lady, Robin Jackson, wife of the pastor, Dr. Charles B. Jackson helped restore her faith in God years earlier when her son Beau died. They made a connection when Robin approached her during a church service when she was visiting during the 2020 campaign season and asked if she could be her prayer partner.
Mr. Jackson was celebrating his 50th church anniversary when Biden made an appearence at the church. Although it was the pastor's anniversary she'd come to tell the story of how her life-changing relationship with Robin began.
The death of Beau was an unanswerd prayer she said, that left her feeling bretrayed and broken. Beau left behind two children and a wife. Dr. Biden was devastated.
"In the depths of our brokeenness we can start to believe that healing ourselves will never be possible. And the truth is, we're right. We can't heal ourselves alone. But with God all things are possible," she stated to applause.
After losing her son the brain cancer, grief had caused her to have a "calloused" heart she said and she "couldn't even pray." The pain she felt was so deep she did not think she could be healed.
Dr. Biden is a praticing Catholic but seemed to be at home in the Baptist setting.
It was in 2019 when she and Pres. Joe Biden returned to the church when Mrs. Biden says she realized it was time to move on.
Before she took her seat she thanked the Jacksons for "leading so many to grace."
First Lady Biden also mentioned that it occured to her that just as she needed healing she perceived that on the campaign trail the nation needed healing also. In its first month the Biden Administration called for healing in a national prayer service.
This personal moment showed a level of religious freedom and transparency that sets Dr. Biden apart from past FLOTUS'. The words of her testimony are such a rare look at the spiritual side of a FLOTUS The Slice is sharing her remarks here in their entirely.
Greetings in the name of God Our Father, Jesus Christ Our Lord, and in the presence of the Holy Spirit. [whoops and applause]
I am honored to be here today to celebrate 50 years of Pastor Jackson's leadership here at Brookland. [applause]
What an incredible milestone in a career that's had immeasurable influeFrist Lady Jill Biden stopped by Brooklyn Baptist church in nce on this city, this state, and as others before me have said, even our country. [amens]
But to begin with, I would like to tell you a story, a testament, testimony of sorts about a different leader in this church: First Lady Jackson. [standing ovation]
Many of you have heard just part of this. But you know, it shaped my life and it's why the community has meant so much to me.
So, I'm sorry if you've heard this before, but I'd like to share it again. You know, I'm not very public about my faith. But it's always been an important part of who I am. I chose it as a teenager when I fell in love with the peace of the quiet wooden pew, the joy of the choir like this magnificent choir here, and the deep wisdom of the Gospels. Prayers especially are a way that I connect to people that I love and to the world around me.
But in 2015 my faith was shaken. For over a year I watched my brave, strong, funny, bright young son fight brain cancer. [Choked up] Chemotherapy, operation after operation, weight loss. But still I never gave up hope. As a mother, you can't.
You know, I had to be strong for my children and for my husband. But most of all for my son, Beau. I had to be strong for him. Because in the middle of it all, he was being strong for us. So I kept going. Every day, I put one foot in front of the other, and despite what the doctors said, I believed my son would make it. In the final days I made one last desperate prayer and it went unanswered.
After Beau died, I felt betrayed, broken. You know, my own minister wrote emails occasionally. You know, he was checking in with me, inviting me back to the service. But I just couldn't go. I couldn't even pray. I wondered if I would ever feel joy again.
But in the summer of 2019, many of of you may remember this, Joe and I came to worship here at Brookland Baptist Church. But something felt different that morning. And while we were worshiping, and I remember this so clearly, because we were sitting right there. Robin came up to me and she sat beside me and she said, "Dr. Biden, I would like to be your prayer partner." I don't know if she sensed how moved I had been by the service. I don't know if she could still see the grief that I feel still hides behind my smile. But I do know that when she spoke, it was if God was saying to me, "Okay Jill, you've had enough time. It's time to come home." [applause]
And in that moment, I felt for the first time that there was a path for my recovering my faith. The Book of Hebrew says, Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
In the depts of our brokeenness we can start to believe that healing ourselves will never be possible. And the truth is, we're right. We can't heal ourselves alone. But with God all things are possible. [applause]
Robin's kindness, her mercy and grace pushed past the calluses on my heart [murmurs] and like the mustard seed, my faith was able to grow once again. It brought me comfort in the long days of the campaign trail. And you all know how hard they were. It brought me joy when I saw how strangers could sacrifice for each other. It reminded me of what was at stake, not an election, not a partisan battle, but a country in need of healing. [chourus of yeahs!]
Families that were torn apart by the pandemic, communities that were wrestling with the evils of racism and discrimination, a nation in search of hope.
This church changed my life. [standing ovation] And it helped shape the course of our journey to the White House. Robin's kindness, Pastor Jackson's leadership, and the work of each member of this congregation speaking out for justice and compassion and unity, it has grown into something bigger than any one of us. And as we work to vaccinate more poeple and support working families and create opportunites for all Americans, all of you are with us.
If one Sunday could mean so much to Joe and me, imagine the ripples that your career has created in our world, Pastor Jackson. [Someone shouts, "Wow!"] For 50 years, you have led this community with vision. Under your leadership, Brookland has become a hub of caring for God's children with a food bank that has kept families from going hungry, an academy that invests in children, scholarships that have made college possile. [Yeahs!] A health and wellness program that has enriched lives. You've mentored the next generation of pastors and lay leaders, as we heard here this afternoon and you've brought countless people to God's grace. You remind us that we are the body of Christ. [applause] ... seek out justice, his voice to comfort the broken. When we come boldly to the throne of grace, we are not only one person. We find each other. We find the love of a community that will carry us through the darkest of times. And we find joy. That's what I see here today, a legacy of love that goes on and on and on. I'm reminded of the lyrics to the Hymn of Joy. "Loving Father, Christ our brother, let your light upon us shine. Teach us how to love each other. Lift us to the joy divine."
Pastor Jackson and Robin, thank you for leading so many to grace. Thank you for helpings learn to love each other. Thank you for helping us find the joy divine.
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