“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Timothy 1:5 (NIV)
My husband Tod’s family went to church faithfully. That’s what they had always done. But once inside the brick walls of home, the story was different. There the masks came off, and Tod and his little brother lived with the painful reality of their parents’ bad choices. Living a double life became the norm for Tod, and he learned early that Christianity was something you put on with your church clothes.
Summer, however, brought more than relief from school, homework and the daily routine of life. Summer brought with it a short relief from living in the craziness of his family, because summer meant time at his grandparent’s home.
Grandma and Grandpa Whitwer were humble people. They served alongside each other as ministers, sacrificially laying down their lives to travel from church to church in the northernmost reaches of our country. They served well into their retirement years, and never gave up ministering to others.
Throughout the years they saw the pain of their son’s choices; choices that drastically affected the lives of their grandchildren. But there was little they could do to intervene. At least it was little in the eyes of the world.
What they did had a lasting impact on Tod. Quietly and consistently, they showed love to Tod. Their never-wavering faith was an anchor. Their unconditional love was like water to a thirsty child. Their integrity was a light on a hill to a lost boy. Amel and Elise Whitwer gave hope to a young boy; hope that there was more to God and to this life than what he knew. Moreover, Tod learned from his grandparents that Christianity was something you lived out every day, not just on Sundays.
Through the faith of two grandparents, I learned that God doesn’t need dynamic preaching to convey His love. Nor does he need people with classy cars, big houses or fancy vacation plans to make an impression. God can change a life, and a generation of lives, using the gentle, consistent, sincere lives of people who love and serve Him.
The faith of a grandmother … the faith of a grandfather …. it changed my husband’s life. It changed my life. And it is changing our children’s lives. Never underestimate the power of faith to make an impact over generations.
Note from Author: Before Tod’s parents passed away, we were blessed to see both of them receive healing and restoration, to God and to their families.
Dear Lord, thank You for the model of faith You have given me through the lives of previous generations. Help me to honor those people who love and honor You. Like them, I long to be a woman who creates a legacy of faith to those who will follow in my footsteps. Help me be the woman You want me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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