One of the most inspirational members of Evergreen Valley Church is 96 year old Dortha Jackson. She comes to church every Sunday with a smile on her face and full of life.
I recall the first Sunday I met Dortha. It was a warm Sunday in August and after church we were playing in a golf tournament. I was standing out on the front lawn and Dortha comes up to me and says, “Keep your left arm straight and be sure to get your hips through.” Keep in mind; I had no idea who this lady was. She then proceeded to show me by making a few practice swings. She was 92 then. That’s how we met and I have loved her ever since.
One Sunday she came in and said to me, “I want to talk to Pastor Dave”. Dave is our music pastor. I hesitated to call Dave over because I thought Dortha might have some complaint about the music. Sheepishly, Dave approached Dortha and she said to him, “Pastor, turn that music UP! Can you crank it up a little louder?” Dave and I both laughed and gave her a big hug.

Last Sunday, we were able to extend a birthday wish to Dortha. For her 96th birthday, she wanted to ride on the back of Harley Davidson. And she did. What a joy to see her riding on the back of that bike. But no one was having more fun than Dortha. Pastor Bill, who gave Dortha the ride said, “This lady has no fear.” Thanks Bill for fulfilling this birthday dream. Dortha’s daughter Gail kept cautioning her mom, “Mom hang on with both hands. Don’t be waving at anybody”. When Dortha and Bill returned to the church parking lot after the ride, Gail asked her mom, “Did you hold on?” Dortha replied, “NO”.
Dortha’s 96 and she loves life! She’s full of life. She inspires me every week to go for it. She reminds me of Caleb in the Old Testament who said, “So here I am today, eighty-five years old (Dortha has him by a few years). I am still as strong today as I was 40 years ago. I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day…” (Joshua 14:10-12).
Thanks Dortha for inspiring us. Keep on taking those hills for the Lord!
By the way, Dortha has plans for her 100th birthday already. She plans to sky dive with her grandson in Hawaii. I believe she will.