Mae Eleanor Frey’s amazing ministry had an impact on my life and continues to inspire me in different ways. Here are a few lessons I learned from her story.
Isaiah 12:2 says, “God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid…” Mae Eleanor Frey lived a fearless life knowing and trusting God despite many difficult circumstances. Frey’s grit never let challenges get in her way. At 79, she sent another letter to the General secretary of the Assemblies of God, refusing to be placed on the retiree list. She wrote, “Wait til I’m dead, but not while I’m alive!”1 The next year, she donated to the retirement fund instead of receiving from it.
Obedience to God remained central to her life. Mae Eleanor Frey exemplified the biblical truth in Deuteronomy 28:1, “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.” Although she died without pomp and circumstance, her obedience laid the foundations for many people to hear the gospel. She left a tremendous legacy for others to follow.
Christ-like humility is a fundamental leadership quality. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and deary loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience,” (Colossians 3:12). Mae Eleanor Frey never tried to make herself anything more than she was. Her humility was valued and she remained faithful to the task in front of her, no matter her position. People saw her gifts and she was promoted into leadership as a result.
1 Corinthians 10:24 states, “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” Frey exemplified this throughout her life as she shared the gospel wherever she could selflessly, without expecting anything in return. May we follow her example and do the same.
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1 Mae Eleanor Frey Collection. Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center, Springfield, MO.
2 Hartung, C. (2020). Claiming Notability for Women Activists in Religion Women in Religion. Atla Open Press Chicago. Volume 1.
Approved by faculty for the College of Theology on June 21, 2023.