My Heavenly Father

I'm extremely (perhaps unusually) close to my mother and sibling.

My biological father abandoned us when I was four years old -

leaving my mother with three babies.

She was 19.

No one would have blamed her; or even thought anything of it,

if she had given us up for adoption.

But she chose to raise all of us on her own.

Even though she often flew by the seat of her pants, she was a loving, doting mother.

We never wanted for anything' everyone except us knew we were poor.

During the 60's and 70's society was knee deep in 'free love' ....

drugs, sex and rock & roll was the mantra of the flower children.

Mom was young then, in her 20's, and did her share of 'partying'

however, she never lost sight of her first priority - her children.

Never did she neglect us in any way, she was there to tuck us in bed at night

and there when we awoke in the mornings.

Christmas and birthdays were always extravagant affairs.

It wasn't until I was older I realized what she went through to make sure we had it all.

Anything from collecting soda bottles to saving change,

to getting a small loan which she would pay off bit by bit,

until the next year when she would do it all over again.

Like I said, we never knew were were poor.

As the years went by, we all had Mom to rely on -

she's always a soft place to fall.

We're all now in our 40's and Mom is still our greatest gift.

We're all Christians and Honor our Mother

and our Father who died in December, 2003 without any of us really knowing him.

Mom has always been Dad too.

So now I've come to the place in my spiritual growth

where I've learned I was formed for God's family.

I was born into God's family by a second birth.

When I placed my faith in Christ, God became my Father,

other believers became my brothers and sisters,

and the church became my spiritual family. The family of God.

Every human being was created by God but not everyone is a child of God.

I became part of my human family by my first birth;

but now I'm a member of God's family by my second.

God has given me the privilege of being born again

so I'm now a members of His own family.

My spiritual family is even more important than my physical one

because it lasts forever.

My family on Earth is a wonderful gift from God,

but they are temporary and fragile, broken by divorce,

distance, growing old and, inevitably, death.

On the other hand, my spiritual family - my relationship to other believers

- will continue throughout eternity.

It is a much stronger union, a more permanent bond, than blood relationships.

When I think of the wisdom and scope of His plan I fall down on my knees and

thank the Father of all,

some of them already in Heaven

and some down here on Earth.

A a child of God I get to share in the family fortune.

Here on Earth I am given the riches of His Grace ... Kindness ...

Patience ... Glory ... Wisdom ... Power ... and Mercy.

But in eternity I will inherit even more.

What a rich and glorious inheritance He has given to me, his daughter!

First, I'll get to be with God forever.

Second, I'll be completely changed to be like Christ.

Third, I'll be freed from all pain, death and suffering.

Fourth, I'll be rewarded and reassigned my position of service.

Fifth, I'll get to share in Christ's glory.

What an inheritance!

I am far richer than I ever thought I was. God has reserved a priceless inheritance for me. It is kept in Heaven, pure and undefiled, beyond reach and change of decay.

No one can take it from me.

Jesus and the people He makes holy all belong to the same family.

That is why He isn't ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters ....

that's hard to wrap my mind around!

I'm part of God's family and because Jesus made me holy,

GOD IS PROUD OF ME!

Being included in God's family has no higher honor or privilege.

Nothing even comes close;

so if ever you feel unimportant, unloved or insecure,

remember to Whom you belong.

" ... God is the One who made all things, and all things are for His glory. He wanted to have many children to share His glory ... " Heb 2:10

" ... See how very much our Heavenly Father loves us, for He allows us to be called His children ... " 1 John 3:1

Your Friend and

Sister in Christ ~ Terri

"TalkerCat"