The Seasoned Saint for FBBC for the Month of November 2019 is:
Sister Libby Olinda Rhodes
An Air Force Veteran is FBBC’s Senior Saint for the Month of November 2019. Mrs. Rhodes’ responses to a series of questions are provided for your enlightenment.
I was born March 31, 1955 in Monticello, Florida.
My life was influenced through the foundational love and wisdom of my great-grandmother Alberta Snead, who at age 80 took on the responsibility of raising me along with my mother Laura Bryson. My great-grandmother’s stern discipline, gentle loving spirit and incredible ability to reach the hearts of even the most disagreeable people had a profound influence on my life. My mother never met a stranger and taught me to see everyone as worthy of dignity and respect. I credit who I am to those wonderful God-fearing women.
I joined the Air Force in August of 1975. My first assignment was Grand Forks, North Dakota, where I met and married my best friend, Philip Rhodes; we have been married for 41 years. God blessed us in 1983 with our first daughter Tiffany, and again in 1987 with our daughter Ashley.
My hobbies are interior decorating, cooking, and shopping!
I spent 20 years in the United States Air Force; 5 years in the Medical Field and 15 years as a Paralegal. During my Air Force career, we lived in North Dakota, Florida, Germany and Texas. I retired at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in September 1995 and worked for Sverdrup Technology from 1995-1996. My husband was reassigned to Robins Air Force Base in 1996 where I began my second career. Since arriving at Robins I have volunteered at Robins Elementary School, worked at Georgia Military College, Sverdrup Technology and GEICO and completed my bachelors and master’s degrees. I began working on Robins Air Force Base in August 2000 in the F-15 Program Office as a contractor (analyst) for 11 years before transferring to Air Force Civil Service as a program manager.
My Christian family grew tremendously when we joined Fellowship Bible Baptist Church. I have met some truly wonderful, caring people who consistently show God’s love through word and deed.
I have been on several ministries. I was a greeter, worked in the nursery, mercy showing and presently, the culinary ministry. Above all, I enjoy my Fellowship experience, from my Christian Enrichment class (The Healing Place), the ministries, the special events, the awesome way Pastor Morgan delivers the Word. I could go on and on. There is something special about Fellowship.
There are two things my great grandmother taught me that I would like to pass on to the younger generation:
Love Jesus first and foremost: (Luke 14:26; 16:13). The person that loves Jesus values Him more than anything and anyone. A disciple of Jesus must be willing to give up anything and everything, even his or her own life, in service to Him.
Love myself: “To love yourself means to accept yourself as you are and to come to terms with those aspects of yourself that you cannot change. It means to have self-respect, a positive self-image, and unconditional self-acceptance.”
I would simply add: Don’t count your mistakes; count your blessing!
One of my favorite scriptures is 1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.