I called her ‘Mom” like so many of her spiritual children. Pastor Claudia Yvonne Johnson was a special woman, mother, leader and woman of God.

On March 15, 1997 Claudia Johnson was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel, a profound moment in her walk with God. She lived a life devoted to the Kingdom of God and writing these words takes no effort as they are truly applicable to the life she lived. She left us to be with her Heavenly Father in October 2023.

On the day of her ordination the words spoken over her life were prophetic. As she shared the transcript of that day with me in one of our many long chats, I found out about Anna in the temple as recorded in Luke 2: 36-38. The profound impact this moment would have on my life and the lives of her only natural child and her many spiritual daughters was lost on me then. Things have changed.

Sidebar. Anna was described in the Bible as “prophet” who “never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”. She was also in the temple when Jesus was brought in to be ‘offered up’ and “gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”

Such was the life of mom. No; she did not hold Jesus in her arms in the temple. We’re not that old. But she held Him in her heart and spoke of Him daily, worshiping and praising Him, telling anyone who would listen about how wonderful Jesus is. She literally worshipped and prayed day and night. Those of us who slept at her house would know, as her cries of ‘hallelujah’ would ring out in the middle of the night while she prayed. I slept through it for the most part as I felt such peace in her presence. That did not work for everyone else, but now we miss that glorious sound.

When she passed it was the season of thanksgiving and there could be nothing more appropriate, for her watchwords were ‘In everything give thanks’. These soothing and yet urgent words would give us a sense of peace at her passing. She taught us even in our loss how to have peace in the middle of the storm.

Her legacy is rich and full and cannot be left untapped. Her love for God and things pertaining to her service in the Body of Christ has been deposited into everyone of us she left behind. As it should be. Her ministry echoed the life of Anna, the anointing prophesied over her life on that day in March ’97. The prophetic? It didn’t miss her. Just ask her only child, myself and her spiritual daughters. We have stories, many stories.

It is with everything that I have shared and so much more in our hearts, that this effort to carry on her legacy was birthed. There is the need to continue the works of Christ and the need to encourage those who do. Let me introduce the Anna Anointing Award, a recognition of the dedication of women in ministry that often goes untold; like the story of Anna.