I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother…and in your mother…and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God… 2 Timothy 1:5-6
I am asked repeatedly how my parents were able to pass on to me their faith in Jesus. Although there are several answers to that question, one underlying fact is that my parents were intentional about it. They did not leave the instruction of biblical trust to the pastor or Sunday school teacher or visiting evangelist to carry out. They did not assume that just because I was their child I would somehow “catch faith” like a contagious disease. They themselves, along with my maternal grandparents, accepted the privilege and the responsibility of teaching me God’s Word in a way that was personal, relevant, and easy to understand. Then I had to choose to respond and make their faith my own, which I did as a young girl.
I am now seeking to help my daughter pass on our faith to my own three young granddaughters. Over seven years ago, they went through the loss of my beloved mother – their great-grandmother – Ruth Bell Graham. I found that helping my granddaughters to focus beyond the grave helped ease their pain, comfort their fears, enlarge their faith, and gave us opportunity to talk about Heaven. As a result, I have written this book, Heaven: God’s Promise for Me for them, and for you.
This Christmas, let’s pass our faith on together. Give yourself and the children in your life a gift that lasts…the hope, love, joy and peace that the Baby of Bethlehem came to give us.
Anne Graham Lotz is the founder of AnGeL Ministries. She is also the author of several books, Heaven: God’s Promise for Me and Heaven: My Father’s House.
