Our Godly Heritage

Tim and I come from fairly different backgrounds. His dad was a pastor, my dad was an Air Force pilot. Tim was raised in Michigan and lived pretty close to most of his extended family. I was raised in several states and even overseas for a short time, and did not live close to any relatives. I have lived in Branford longer than I have ever lived anywhere. Tim is a Yankee; I'm a Southerner. Tim grew up in the country; I am a suburb girl. When referring to a small stream, he says, "crick;" I say, "creek." :) There are lots of other differences in our backgrounds, but there is one common bond that we share - both of our dads handed to us a godly heritage.

Although we grew up in very different parts of the country, we were both raised to love the Lord and had instilled in us a desire to please the Lord. We were taught that Sunday was the Lord's day. It was a day set aside to attend church and to worship the Lord with fellow believers. It was instilled in both of us at a very young age that we would go to church as a family; and as teenagers, we didn't even consider asking if we could do anything else on that day...nothing trumped church. What a valuable lesson they taught us about faithfulness and commitment! God has blessed us for continuing that commitment to be in church each week, and it is amazing to see how the character trait of commitment spills over into so many other areas of our lives.

We were taught - not by constant preaching at us, but by gentle teaching and by quiet example - that our time with the Lord is special, that our testimony before others is of utmost value, that what we say and do has consequences, and that someone is always watching you and learning from you - either good or bad. We were taught to respect our dad and his leadership in our home. Our dads were not perfect, but they certainly lived lives that were worthy of respect and honor. They worked on building and shaping our character, not just our behavior. Instilling godly character traits into our lives was one of their highest goals. They were not concerned about whether or not we made a lot of money and were successful by the world's standards. They were concerned that their children were godly - not just good - and sought to do what God would have us to do.

We both have fond memories of our dads and our time growing up under their influence. Tim's dad, Joe, was a pastor of a small country church in Michigan. His quiet, somewhat obscure ministry left a huge impact on Tim and his siblings. During a difficult time in Tim's life, his dad's non-judgmental ways, his love and his faithful prayers were instrumental in helping draw Tim back to the Lord. Only the Lord knows how many people were influenced by him and his ministry. "Grandpa Zac" went home to be with the Lord several years ago. The legacy of ministry that he passed on to his children is still being lived out today. All three of his children are faithfully serving the Lord and seeking to do their Heavenly Father's will. Grandpa Zac's grandchildren are being taught the things that he passed on to his children. We miss him dearly, but know that he is in the presence of the Lord Whom he loved so much and served so faithfully.

My dad exemplified hard work, quiet strength, wisdom, consistency, and faithfulness to his family, his country and his Lord. I was taught to be patriotic and love and respect my country. My dad is a wonderful dad and an amazing grandpa. He has a corny sense of humor, but that humor has gotten us through some very difficult times! He is not only still attending church, but also still serving in the church. It is a testament to him -and mom!- that all 4 of his children are faithfully serving the Lord either in full-time ministry or as lay servants in the church. His godly heritage is being passed on to his 14 (soon to be 15) grandchildren. He is retired now and is enjoying a slower pace from the fast-paced life of a pilot. However, his faithfulness to the Savior and commitment to his family has not slowed down!

Proverbs 17:6 says, "Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children are their fathers." We both are very grateful for our dads and appreciate their strong influence in our lives. They are both truly the glory of their children. So, on this Father's Day, I just wanted to take the opportunity to honor my wonderful father-in-law and my amazing dad and thank the Lord for giving both Tim and I a godly heritage.

~Stacie