Toward

Last weekend, I was blessed to speak in Illinois. What made this time so very special was that it was at the church where my grandparents went for many years. They moved to Illinois the year I was born. My Aunt Nancy settled here with her family, and she still attends this church.

It was a reunion of sorts. I also got to visit with my cousin and her beautiful family. My daughter accompanied me, so I was doubly blessed.

It was also a reunion in the spiritual sense. We visited my grandparents often and always went to church with them. I made some good friends there that became lifetime friends. Rhonda was there at the tea even though she had moved away. Joann is another friend that was there. She was more a mentor to me growing up. She and her husband often worked with the teens and they also accompanied us on our Church camp trips.

The memories and the people of this church impacted my life in various ways. One was the support they gave me during my teen years. We moved a lot, and I had to move twice in high school. It was here that I made friends, and that got me through.

Remember, as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and Bible school teachers, you carry much weight with the children around you. You have an opportunity to point these young lives toward heaven. You have an opportunity to point them toward Christ’s unconditional love. It’s a daunting task, but it’s worth it.

This was written with prompt for Five-Minute writing group.