Beloved Granddaughter

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My Beloved,

If you are reading this letter, it means I wasn’t able to hold you in my arms here on earth. That thought makes me sad, but it also fills me with hope because I know that one day we will meet.

I don’t know your name yet, so for now I call you “Beloved.” It is a name that reminds me that you have been deeply loved from the very beginning—not only by your family, but by the God who created you and knows every detail of your life.

Even before you were born, you were in my deepest thoughts and prayers every single day. I have thanked God for you, prayed for your heart to know Him, and asked Him to guide every step of your life. Though we may not have shared days together on earth, you have always had a place in my heart.

You are being welcomed into a beautiful family. Your mommy and daddy have been waiting for you with great devotion—to you and to God. They love Him, and they love you so much already. They are the kind of people who will pray for you, laugh with you, teach you, and point you toward what is good and true.

You also have two wonderful sisters, Maka and Ely. They will know things about me that I wish I could have told you myself. Ask them to tell you stories. Ask them what made me laugh, what I loved, and how much I loved our family. I hope they will share pieces of me with you so that, in some small way, you will know me too.

More than anything, I want you to know this: your worth has never depended on what you accomplish, how others see you, or whether you feel strong or weak. Your worth is found in being God’s beloved daughter. He delights in you simply because you are His.

There will be joyful days in your life and difficult ones. Hold tightly to Jesus through all of them. He is faithful. When life feels confusing, He is wisdom. When life feels lonely, He is near. When life is beautiful, He is the giver of every good gift.

I wish I could tell you how much I would have loved watching you grow—seeing your smile, learning your personality, and hearing the sound of your voice. Please know that my love for you began long before we ever met.

And we will meet. That is one of the sweetest promises I hold onto. Because of Jesus, death is not the end of our story. One day, in God’s perfect timing, we will know one another face to face and rejoice together in His presence.

Until then, live fully. Love deeply. Walk humbly with God. Treasure your family. Laugh often. Be kind. And never doubt that you have always been, and will always be, dearly loved.

With all my love and prayers,

Gigi

Calvin

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Dear Sweet Calvin,

If you are reading this, it means I didn’t get the chance to meet you here on earth before you were born. While that makes me sad, it doesn’t change one thing—I love you deeply.

Your mommy, my daughter, will be the most beautiful mother. She has always loved children and has been waiting for your arrival with so much joy and anticipation. You are already so loved. Your amazing and talented dad has been eagerly awaiting you too. The two of them are a wonderful gift from God to you, and I know they will love, guide, and cherish you every day of your life.

You have been born into a family that is excited to know you. Your cousins, Maka and Ely, and your little girl cousin who wasn’t born yet when I wrote this—are going to be an important part of your life. I hope they become some of your first and dearest friends as you grow.

You are surrounded by people who will help shape your life. Your dad’s parents and my husband, your Papa, will carry on loving you, sharing wisdom with you, and nurturing you. They will tell you stories, encourage you, and remind you that you belong to a family that loves one another deeply.

I would have loved to hold you, hear your laugh, and watch you grow here on earth. I would have loved birthday parties, Christmas mornings, and the ordinary moments that become life’s greatest treasures. But God writes each of our stories differently.

Please know this: we have eternity.

If I am not here when you arrive, I want you to live fully and joyfully, knowing that one day we will meet. Until then, I will have missed you only for a little while compared to forever. I look forward to the day when I can finally see your face.

Never doubt that you are loved—not because of what you do or who you become, but simply because you are you. You are a gift from God, created with purpose and surrounded by love from the very beginning.

I love you, my sweet grandson. I always will.

With all my love, Gigi

Now, That’s Justice!

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A Special Gift From My Dad

My dad graduated in 1935 from Chadsey High School in Detroit. As was very common for seniors, he chose a quote or saying to accompany his photo in the yearbook.

Since his death twenty five years ago, I’ve gone back to that yearbook from time to time. I love seeing my dad’s imprint before he began his family; before I knew him. But, it was just last week that a light switch turned on upon the words my dad chose to be connected to him.

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest.”

Hiding right before me, in plain sight, I realized that Anthony picked a Bible verse. Plucked from its full context I never did more than glance at his choice for words. I opened my Bible. There it was in 1 Corinthians 3:13.

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

My dad left a gift. I needed to pursue his offering.

To understand, I first had to settle the cacophony of thoughts I had after this discovery and study the text in context.

This verse is speaking to judgement; the Judgement Seat of Christ for believers to be precise. The quality of each person’s work – not whether they’re saved, but what they’ve built in their life for Christ -will be tested. The fire will expose what was truly valuable versus what was worthless. Now….thats justice!

Any self centered thing we do or say will actually be revealed, no matter how beautiful we made it appear. It will all go up in smoke after the unveiling. Can you visualize that?

On the other wonderful hand, all that we did or anything that came out of our mouths that was true to the foundation, which is Jesus, we will be rewarded. God sees not just what we do, but why and how we do it.

Our wisdom can’t trump that of God’s.   From the beginning, that has been the problem. “Hath God Really Said?” We can’t be like the serpent and expect no consequence. It may seem easy to fool people but not so much with God. He loves justice.

And, isn’t that an underlying thought for many? Why do people get away with not being true to what Jesus said? How can they pass off so much that is untrue to others as if it represents Him? 

God’s justice is not always immediate, but it is inevitable. Earthly courts may fail, but divine justice will not. Gods patience is meant to lead to repentance here. Sometimes what seems like injustice is actually mercy — a chance for repentance. But if it’s refused, God will not withhold judgment.

His delay is not injustice; it’s mercy. But make no mistake: His justice will come. Until then, keep doing right. Keep trusting Him. The story isn’t over, and God never forgets the faithful.

Crafty gossip cloaked in the robe of concern and righteousness, those who bear false witness, those proclaiming Jesus said something he did not say in order to fit a worldview, selfish motives, seekers of the praise of man over God, winkers to the wicked; these may sometimes be so subtle but they do not pass through unnoticed by God.

I love this teaching! I love this truth! In honor of my beloved dad, I will strive ever more diligently to stay true to Jesus.

Breaking News, Sexy Hook

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The sexy hook permeates all of our lives.

Breaking news! Democrats hint that they want Taylor Swift and Michelle Obama to save the presidential race.

“Breaking News, “ is the sexy hook. It’s not breaking news. It’s a story. This approach can cause us to become nonchalant when we actually hear breaking news.

Widespread technology outage disrupts flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world.

Now, that’s breaking news. I’ve learned the value in discerning this stuff because, otherwise, we are subject to constant manipulation.