The Kingdom of God Rest A While . . . Helping the poor Doing Our Duties Unanswered Prayers By Their Fruits Thanksgiving Christmas Resolution Put it in writing
January 1996
There are a lot of people waiting for the arrival of the "kingdom of God".
We have all heard proclamations about all of the glorious times we will have once the kingdom of God finally does arrives.
The Scriptures tell us, however, that if we are waiting on the "kingdom of god" to arrive, then we are already missing it. If we are looking forward with great expectation to its arrival with great fanfare, pomp and circumstance, then we are looking for the wrong thing and we are looking to the wrong place.
We find a lot of confusion, myths, and misunderstandings among people concerning the mysterious "kingdom of God." The mystery is about what is meant by the "Kingdom of God".
Throughout the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-6-7) and other teachings of Jesus, consistent reference is made to the kingdom and how we can inherit it. One of perhaps the best known is Jesus' teachings in the reference at Matthew 19:23-24:
"...Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
We find that the confusion in the minds of many people starts at the same point as it did in the minds of the Pharisees during the days Jesus was teaching on the kingdom. Confusion comes when the "kingdom of God" is confused with "eternal life".
We become use to a "kingdom" being what we know in this world as a "kingdom." A kingdom can be something we see and touch. We can look upon the fanfare of a king and his court, and we can visually witness and share in the physical grandeur of royalty. That is the type of "kingdom" the Pharisees were themselves expecting with the arrival of a Savior.
Are we also expecting a kingdom as we know it in this world. If so, we are looking for the wrong thing, and we are looking in the wrong place. Look to Jesus' words beginning at Luke 17:20 when the Pharisees were questioning him:
"And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold the kingdom of God is within you."
Jesus gives us here an extremely important individual and personal lesson. This is especially true if our misunderstanding is the same as the Pharisees. Do not look for a big visual or physical show as with the entrance of a king and his court: "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation".
We will not be able to point out specific tangible and visible signs and say the kingdom is "right here", or over in "that church building over there", or with "that particular group of people": "Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there!"
The very important lesson Jesus gives us is that the "Kingdom of God" is in us now "spiritually" if we just take advantage of it: "...for, behold the kingdom of God is within you." This is not a reference to eternal life -- this is a personal reference to our ability to enjoy spiritual freedom in the kingdom of God and to escape from the problems of the world today.
As Jesus instructs us throughout his teachings in the gospels, we can each enjoy the benefits of the kingdom of God today by following his instructions.
"The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." 1 Cor. 4:20. As Jesus told Pilate just before crucifixion: "My kingdom is not of this world..." John 18:36.
The glory of the kingdom of God is not in the fancies or pocketbooks of people, but strikes their very hearts and souls. It is not something you can buy or bargain, but instead it is something you enjoy from within based on the practice and enjoyment of Jesus' teachings and its power over one's conscience. Good works do not earn you eternal life, but good works are a sign of your enjoyment of the kingdom of God.
As the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonia:
"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
"Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance..." 1 Thess. 1:2-6.
Many people are confused and misinformed as to the meaning of the "kingdom of God." It is confused with eternal salvation and the truth of the unconditional grace of God. The many false doctrines teach of pain and fear and confused consciences. But, the Scriptures are clear for the reading:
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." For God "hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." 2 Tim. 1:7-10.
If you want to go looking for the kingdom of God: "...behold, the kingdom of God is within you."
March 1996
Have you ever gotten so busy that you do not have time to rest?
You get involved in so many activities that it becomes hard to take time to rest, to get organized, or to get your thoughts straight.
Stopping can be important. But what you do when you stop is just as important.
A number of people like to get some "quiet" time to themselves. They like to get alone, away from the crowd, away from their closest friends, and away from their family. Do you ever need time to just get into a "quiet" place to "think". You feel you need to get alone so that you can "hear yourself think."
Getting alone, with some time to yourself can be important. Even Jesus recognized this. There were times he encouraged it of his Apostles.
It is important for each of us to plan time to stop and think. We need to stop and re-focus our lives and put our lives into perspective. We need to get our priorities straight.
Do you get so busy that you forget to take time to pray. Do you get so caught up in your day’s events that you fail to thank the Lord for his many blessings. How many of his blessings do you not take time to thank him for? Do you thank him for the air you breathe, the water you drink, or the families he has given you? Do you thank him for all those little "coincidences" that help you through the day and week?
In the 6th chapter of Mark, Jesus gave instructions to his Apostles to rest. At the first part of the 6th Chapter we are told that Jesus sent his 12 Apostles throughout the land to preach and to heal the sick. They went without much planning for food or shelter, but followed the instruction of Jesus.
Beginning at verse 30, the Apostles gathered back to meet with Jesus to report their travels and their efforts. They apparently had traveled far, preached long hours, with little to eat and little sleep.
Jesus said to them when they gathered back with him: "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while...".
Jesus thus encouraged them to go off privately and by themselves to meditate and rest.
It is important for us to do this also. We do not have to leave town, just find time to isolate ourselves with our thoughts. Make some time to get off into a quiet "desert" place away from the problems we have in the world, and thank the Lord and seek his guidance. Think about the things that are really important to us, and talk to the Lord about those things.
That is rest. It is the type of rest each of us needs every day. It may be when you find the quiet of the morning, or a spot during the noon hour as you find yourself alone. You may prefer in your bed as you stare up into the darkness, but if you are not making time to rest with the Lord, then you are not getting real "rest". It will set your priorities for you; it will remove the trivial things that bother us throughout the day, and it will help us re-focus on the true priorities in our lives.
Like Jesus told the Apostles: get off by yourself into a desert place and rest a while.
April 1996
It is pretty easy for each of us to say how important it is to "help the poor." It is easy for us to tell those who are poor to just remember to "pray" for the Lord will provide help to them.
How do we do our alms? As we are told in Matt. 6:1-4. Or do we do our alms at all? What is our record for helping the poor -- those in real need of our help.
Psalms 41 tells us about our need to provide to the poor and the blessing we will receive from the Lord if we do it.
"Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble." Psalms 41:1.
We can have faith that the poor will be taken care of. But if we do not ourselves act to help the poor, what good is our faith? As we are told, faith without works is dead.
What good does it do for each of us to talk about the poor and the help that is needed, if we do not then actually provide relief ourselves. This questions is asked at James 2:14-16.
"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
"If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?"
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
It is our duty of works to assist the poor, not just to talk about them, or about their need, and hope that the Lord or someone else will take care of them.
There are many ways we can assist the poor in our communities. We should not look for only the most "public" ways, but should follow Jesus' guidance that we should take care that our "alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." Matt. 6:4.
As David tells us, the Lord preserve the caretaker of the poor, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. Psalm 41:2.
By caring for the poor we are told that the Lord will strengthen us in times of our own sickness and restore our own health.
We should not just talk about the needs of the poor -- we should demonstrate by our works, and teach our children likewise, that we should directly lend a helping hand to those who most need it. Finding the poor is not difficult. Finding a way to help is neither a problem. Food and clothing are a good start and it is a wonderful lesson for us to learn with our children.
The blessing from God comes in our giving to those in need. We do not get that blessing from mere talking or thinking, but from our actual good works.
We get a greater blessing when we take care of the poor secretly, not when we sound the trumpet (as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets) so that we may be rewarded by the public for our charity.
We are told to help the poor. Help them quietly and privately. In doing so, we will be rewarded by the Lord openly.
May 1996
I was amused recently at the actions of my son, Reid, and one of his close friends. As seven-year-olds one of their top priorities is worm-digging. They go into the yard or alley, turn over bricks, stones, old boards and dig into the soil for earthworms.
The boys are delighted when they can come up with a jarful of worms. Not everyone in the family finds the excitement in this that the boys find. In fact, mom and the grandmothers actually express a little distaste for the prize earthworms.
It is not easy to see the benefit to the world of earthworms (outside the sphere of seven-year-old boys). They are slimy, gooey, ugly and the places they "hang out" are not on the most requested travel locations. What possible good are they to the world.
Yet earthworms perform an extremely important environmental function. Their job is very important to the function of the soil in general. They have their important place and duty in the chain of the earth’s efficient operation.
The earthworm’s job is not glamorous and can be said to be even distasteful, but it is important.
We find many other bugs, worms and insects (even maggots) with equally important jobs. Their function is vital to replenishing the soil and providing nutrients to the earth. Yet we may find their jobs distasteful or unsatisfying.
We have many duties in our homes, our communities and our churches that are not glamorous or publicity generating. Yet they are necessary functions to the successful operations of our lives, our families and the peaceful enjoyment of our churches. If the duties are necessary to the peaceful operation of the church or our families, then it is an important job, and one for which the Lord will provide a blessing for the quiet, obedient performance of it.
Our families would not function but for the successful performance of those many tasks that, while considered menial and degrading, are vital. The same is true in the church. The peaceful operation of the church is due in large part to the simple, non-noticeable, "menial" tasks that need to be done in support of the pastor, the deacons and the individual members of the congregation.
Those tasks do not get the attention of other jobs, but the Lord sees, and recognizes, the performance of those functions and provides open blessings to those who provide such service,
This is taught throughout the scriptures, but an example is in the 12th Chapter of Romans. There the Apostle Paul instructs us as to the successful operation of our lives and our churches.
Paul instructs us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office..." Rom 12:4. He talks of the "differing gifts" of the members and he discusses that we should associate ourselves with others of humble nature. "Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits." Rom. 12:16.
We should not always seek after the high-profile jobs in our family, our community, or our churches. We should perform the tasks necessary regardless of the glamour associated with the job.
There are many necessary jobs... in our homes and our churches. They are not all tasteful, but they are important. Regardless of whether we are praised by our colleagues, who may find our duties personally distasteful, the Lords will recognize our efforts and provide His blessings to us publicly. Matt. 6:4.
July 1996
We are told that the music of the day tells us about our society and about the lifestyle of our youth.
In my youth I enjoyed the popular music of the day. And, today, I find myself searching out and listening to the "golden oldies" played on the radio that I listened to when I was in high school and college. I still remember must of the popular singing groups and bands, and catch myself singing along with the words to many of the songs I am able to instantly recall.
I "dropped out" of popular music for several years as it went through the so-called "heavy rock" years. Now, I wonder that I must be getting older. I actually find myself listening to more of the popular country and western songs on my radio.
One of the songs that really caught my interest was a recent one by Garth Brooks. Melba also has indicated to me it is a favorite of hers. It talks about the "blessing" of "unanswered prayers."
I had not thought much about the Lord's "blessing" in "unanswered prayers", but it is an important thing for me. As the song states: just because the Lord does not answer, does not mean that He does not care.
I know I am very appreciative today of a number of prayers of mine that the Lord did not answer. Although I did not know it at the time, I did not need the specific things I was asking.
It is a good thing the Lord knows our needs better than we do, and takes care of us when we fail to properly take care of ourselves. (There also is a sermon there on eternal life -- it's a good thing the Lord takes care of us instead of leaving it up to our failing abilities).
I know I too many times pray that the Lord will give me the things I want, and not necessarily the things I need. I get carried away with my worldly desires and I ask pray for those things I think I absolutely must have. I think I can take care of myself better than the Lord, so I simply pray to the Lord what I need. I look back at some of the things I have prayer for and realize now that it would have been a mistake for me to have gotten what I asked for.
Thank goodness the Lord blesses me by not answering my prayer with those things I ask of Him. After I realize I did not need what I asked and would have been worse off if it had been given to me, I hope I have thanked the Lord for not answering my prayer. Like the song says, sometimes God's greatest blessing is in unanswered prayers.
As always, if we followed the instructions in the bible, we would understand how to pray and what to ask for.
Simply turn to Jesus' sermon on the mount at the 6th Chapter of Matthew. Beginning at verse 5, He provides to us a sample of the manner in which we should pray. First we are not to use vain repetitions "as the heathen do". In following the example of what is popularly known as "The Lord's Prayer" we see many people ignore the "repetition" instruction of Jesus my memorizing and constantly repeating the exact words of the Lord's Prayer without thinking about the true meaning of the words there. We should use the example as a sample of the manner in which we are to pray and not as the prayer.
At Matt. 6:8 Jesus tells us one very interesting instruction about praying: "...for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."
That is why we do not need to ask for the specific worldly concepts of our that we believe we want. The Lord already knows what we need.
The Lord's Prayer is an example of showing our faith, trust and total dependence on the Lord for all our needs. Jesus explains this further in verses 25-34. There we are told that the Lord will take care of His people. Our job in praying is not to seek specific things that we think we need -- our job is to praise and give honor and glory to the Lord.
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness..." and all the things of the world that we need will be provided. Read the Lord's Prayer at Matt. 6:9-13.
Through Jesus' teachings about prayer we are to praise and honor God, and let him take care of our specific daily needs; "for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things."
Many times the Lord's best blessings to us, is in unanswered prayers. We should thank Him for that.
September 1996
We lost another good writer, and reader, this past month.
Lutisha Watson passed away this month. She was a long-time reader of The Banner of Love. She was a long time writer. She also was a favorite aunt of mine.
Aunt Lutisha had numerous short articles she wrote for the Banner of Love over the years. She always had something good to say or a special point to make.
She reminds us of a number of our good writers who was always on the look out for something good to say in an effort to provide cheer and to raise the spirits of those around her. She was a real blessing from the Lord.
Jesus teaches us in the 7th chapter of Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount as to how we are to recognize people. "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matt. 7:20. A good tree produces good fruit.
This is not a hard test for Lutisha Watson. Aunt Tisha produced good fruit.
I missed her funeral, held in Muleshoe where she had been a charter member of the Muleshoe Primitive Baptist Church. I was in Seattle, Washington and unable to be at her memorial service. But I thought a lot about her and my prayers were with her family -- my cousins and their families.
I remember growing up around Aunt Tisha. Us cousins always managed to have a good time, but we did not miss the closeness of our parents. The Richards and the Watsons were always close. Our mothers were sisters and our fathers enjoyed a strong, close relationship centered on the church.
Our family visited the West Texas farm of Aunt Tisha and Uncle Charlie numerous times when I was a child. I never failed to recognize here deep dedication to her family and to the church. Her "fruits" were numerous -- and they were a testament to her life and to her devotion to the Lord. She always had her "light" so shining in such a manner that no one failed to see her enjoyment of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt. 5:16).
Her declining health in recent years after Uncle Charlie died slowed down her normally active pace of life. But it never slowed down her enthusiasm for life or for the church. She was a regular at church and was known for her teasing and kidding, especially with the younger kids.
She continue her writing of articles for the Banner of Love even though it must have been a chore for her to reduce her thoughts to writing and mailing them to us. And her thoughts and expressions were always solid and greatly contributed to our readership.
She had a short article in the Banner of Love just a couple of issues ago as she commented on several pictures she had seen in previous Banner issues and the memories that were sparked by those pictures.
I will greatly miss the relationship I had with her. She would always have an interesting story or a good-natured joke for me every time I saw her. You could always count on her having some comment that would bring a smile to your face. She was a great encouragement to me.
Her "fruit" was always good. We know her by that fruit. We will greatly miss her, but we know she is so much better off enjoying the heaven she knew was awaiting her.
October 1996
We are about to enter into my favorite time of year.
I am not speaking of the "holiday" season in particular, but Thanksgiving in particular.
The holiday season, as a whole, is not as special to me as it once was. I greatly enjoy the family gatherings and watching the children enjoy all the holidays, but the overall commercialism of the entire season has diluted my personal interest over the years.
But I still really enjoy Thanksgiving itself.
Thanksgiving to me still has its meaning. It is a time of rest, and reflection. It is a time when I seem to "have the time" to think about the meaning of the holiday.
I'll admit that I enjoy one or two particular ballgames on TV during the few days of the Thanksgiving holiday, and I always eat too much of the rich food from the Thanksgiving meal. But it is more than that.
Maybe it is because we have not yet gotten caught up in the big productions that come with Christmas and New Year. Thanksgiving is just special.
Our real thanksgiving should also be special. The real thanksgiving should take place every day, during every waking moment.
As the Apostle Paul states in First Thessalonians, we should "In every thing give thanks..." I Thess. 5:18. We should give thanks when things go right; and we should give thanks when things go wrong.
You may have just lost your job. You may have medical problems. Maybe your child is going through a very difficult time in their life -- or maybe you are. Bills may be pouring in, with no money to pay for them. You may feel you have nothing for which to give thanks.
But that is not what we are taught by the Scriptures. We should always give thanks for the blessings of the Lord.
"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." Eph. 5:20-21.
In the psalms of David he speaks of the "mercy" of the Lord and that being a reason to give thanks: because that mercy endures "forever." David tells us that we should constantly praise the Lord for all past and present blessings.
The 136th Psalm is well known for its repeating theme of stating "thanks" unto the Lord "for his mercy endureth forever." We are told to continually give thanks "unto the God of gods" and to the "Lord of lords". We need to remember that during our hard times, and we need to remember that during our good times -- and at times of thanksgiving, which should be every day and not just on the fourth Thursday of November.
As a high school student I frequently accompanied my father on numerous of his travels. Today I particularly am reminded of an elderly sister in a nursing home that Dad would always stop to visit as he passed through a certain town. On our initial visits she was able to sit up in a wheel chair, but later on became bedfast because of her particular illness. Her physical pain was evident. Yet, when my father asked her what she had been doing her answer always was the same: "I've been counting my blessings and thanking the Lord for them."
We should all remember to count our blessings, and thank the Lord. We should do it at Thanksgiving, and we should do it every day.
November 1996
The Christmas season is upon us again. We have lots to do. Lots of shopping for the family and planning for all the get togethers and parties and fellowships. After Christmas, we remember that is time for our annual New Year's resolutions.
Let's try something different this year. Let's make a Christmas resolution.
We know it is necessary to go about our plans for Christmas gift shopping, and planning for friends and family get-togethers; but let's think about a new approach to the Christmas season. Let's resolve to one thing special as a part of Christmas and not wait until New Year's.
Give a special gift this year. Give someone a piece of yourself for Christmas.
You can pick your own way of doing it, but plan, or do, something special this year. Don't plan something that you want a lot of public credit for.
Do you have an aunt or uncle in a nursing home? Give them a piece of yourself for Christmas. Make them a gift. Maybe you have a grandchild that you have not given enough attention to -- plan a day with them and teach them something your grandparent taught you years ago.
Take an elderly, poor or invalid neighbor some baked goods. Leave it on their doorstep with an anonymous note wishing them Merry Christmas. Go buy some toys for Santa for those kids you have seen playing in the streets.
Plan a caroling party to all your friends homes one evening -- or better yet, go sing to a homebound couple who have no children visiting their home.
Use your own imagination; but plan something special for someone -- something special from you -- especially if it involves giving a part of yourself for Christmas.
Usually you find when you give a piece of yourself away, it is given back to you in greater portions that you gave away. My dad used to be well known for his phrase that "you cannot give a smile away, because it will be given right back to you."
Jesus taught us this lesson in his Sermon on the Mount. First he told us not to hide our candles under a bushel, but on a candlestick so that it would give light unto all the house. Then he added: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt. 5:15-16.
He also instructs us on own charitable giving with His instruction on almsgiving at Chapter 6 of Matthew. We are told to do our charitable giving "in secret" (anonymously) and that God will "seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." Matt. 6:4.
Think about what Christmas is all about -- then practice it.
We never know where Christ is -- or who he is. He could be the vagrant on the street corner; or he could be the elderly lady without family and living alone in the nursing home; or he could be the small child without toys or sufficient food for the holidays.
As Christ told his disciples during the Last Supper, it is important to clothe the naked, to feed to hungry, and to visit the sick or the disabled.
"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matt. 25:40.
Resolve right now to give of yourself this Christmas. The rewards are great.
December 1996
Nobody writes anymore.
Letter writing used to be the practiced form of our communication with each other. Now it is forgotten.
The telephone has replaced too much of our writing. And travel has become much easier, so that long distances between us do not cause the problems of the past. Instead of writing, we can now pick up the phone, or hop on the plane.
And for the wonderful personal exchanges of face-to-face meeting, this is great. But writing has a tremendously important place in our lives and it should not be ignored. In fact, I believe our ignoring of letter writing has contributed to breakdowns in families. We have lost a great ingredient we need to return to our lives and our faith.
The "written" word is of great significance for its long-term effect as well as its immediate impact. The Sermon on the Mount was a great sermon, but what if it had not been reduced to writing for its impact on thousands to follow. (See 2 Corinth. 4:13, 1 Corinth. 1:31; or Job 19:23-24 for the value of the "written word").
Putting it in "writing" is a great influential tool to use in raising our children -- to give them our family and religious values and heritages. Yet we fail to utilize it.
The day after I was born (almost 50 years ago), my grandfather wrote me a note. He enclosed a $1 bill to start me out in life. It was a short note, but it said all the right things. My mother saved that letter. I could not read when the note was sent to me, but I have read it a thousand times since. My wife had the note and the original $1 bill framed and I have it on the wall at my office in front of me every day. When I look at it, I am reminded of the values my grandfather stood for, and his desire to have me follow those same values.
In my practice of law, I have occasionally handled the legal work with adopting families. One practice recommended to me and I now strongly recommend is to have the biological mother write a letter to her then-unborn child, give it to the adopting parents to be delivered at the appropriate age and time to the child. I ask the mother to explain why she has placed her child for adoption. I have yet to see such a letter that did not convey tremendous love to the child from the mother relinquishing her parental rights. The letter should prove of tremendous value some day to the child.
Grandparents miss a great opportunity when they fail to write to their grandchildren. Letters have such tremendous influence for the values that our families and religions hold dear.
Your greatest gift is not a material one. Instead of the materialistic values passed along with the giving of ever-increasing expensive toys (which kids will soon forget), send a letter passing along your reasons for trusting in the Lord, the heritage of your family, and establishing the child's proper inheritance of family values. How many of you today remember the exact toys given to you as a child; and then compare that memory with the value you place on a special note from your mother, grandmother, a special aunt or sister, your Dad or grand dad and the joy of re-reading over the years those letter.
The holiday season is the perfect opportunity for writing to our grandchildren, our children, our friends and our pastors. Tell them how you feel about them. Tell them the importance of God, religion, good virtues, family traditions. Pass along their heritage, both religious and family.
Letter writing is the best way to convey deep feelings and strengthen relationships. Your letter will be saved and treasured -- maybe framed for a wall.
Children love to get letters. Do not pass up the opportunities to teach them about you, your values, your hopes for them, and your love. Adults also cherish letters of love, especially those sent years ago by long-departed loved ones.
Pass along your love and trust of the Lord to your children. Put it in writing.