Remembrance: Julia Greeley
Father in Heaven,
We come before You today with gratitude
For the life of Your servant, Julia Greeley.
We thank You for the protection of her body—
Even through the pain
Of enslavement, scarring, sickness, and struggle,
She endured and carried out the call You assigned her.
We thank You for protection of her heart and mind—
For giving her the desire to love
When hate tried to take root;
For giving her the strength to keep serving
When the world told her to sit down.
It was You who kept her spirit from breaking.
It was You who gave her joy in giving.
It was You who instilled courage in her to move through the night
So others in our city could wake up with hope.
We honor You for the way
You made Julia’s life a witness.
Her little red wagon did not carry only coal and food,
But was full of the grace and protection
You poured into her.
Thank You for covering Julia
So she could cover others.
Now, we ask You would do the same for us.
Protect our bodies when we grow tired,
Protect our minds when despair tries to creep in,
Protect our hearts so we never lose the will to serve.
Let us carry Julia’s legacy forward into our city.
May we carry her legacy not in our own strength,
But in the power of Your love and protection.
We thank You through Julia’s life,
We see a life covered, called, and committed.
May her memory lead us back to You,
The One who shields, sustains, and sends us out in love.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.
MiDian Shofner is the founder and Executive Director of The Epitome of Black Excellence and Partnership. She serves as the co-director of Histories of Christianity in Our City.
12 Minute Documentary on Julia Greeley: Servant of the Sacred Heart
