God's Gift to Me

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It's often said that our children are a gift from God,

but what about our parents being a gift to us?

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I think my parents are a gift to me. I treasure and admire so much about them...

Their love - not only for me, but my husband and children, and their love for mankind. My parents are both actively involved in missions, and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. They want others to have the same hope they have. Their love for each other. I'm so thankful that the Lord is in the miracle business and that years ago when the love seemed to grow cold, God restored what Satan tried to destroy. Their love for family. I have three brothers. We're all married and there is a total of 12 grandkids. One for every month of the year! All of us know their love, and have great love for each other.

Their strength - My parents have gone through a lot this last year with my dad contracting Malaria, having knee replacement surgery, and now, just recently, finding out my dad has Malanoma cancer. Just this week the doctors removed an area on his arm, and now we are praying he is well so they can go to India and preach. Where does the strength come from? I think this scripture sums it all up - Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

Their wisdom - Their wisdom is not their own. It comes from the Lord. I love that when I ask for advice (or even when I don't and they give it anyway) that they are concerned about what God would say about it. They give advice that is grounded in the Word, and they lead others to make wise choices. They share their experiences with others, in hopes that they will make the right choice in marriage, in finances and so forth.

There is so much more I could say, but first and foremost, the thing I treasure most about my parents is seeing first-hand their love for the Lord. It is real, and their relationship with the Lord is evident to all who know them. They are faithful to share the gospel. They are faithful to the reading and studying of His Word. They are all the things listed above because of their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. HE is their hope and strength and he makes them wise. All the things they gain from knowing Him overflow into their relationship with others, and I am blessed beyond measure to be their daughter and have the relationship I do with them.