The children

I was on my way out of town on a business trip when Audrey texted me the good news that Talitha is cancer free.

Ever since then, my emotions have been close to the surface.

What a joy to return home this evening and hug my children.

Some of you know that in my church, we have opportunities to serve in various ways so that no one person is completely overwhelmed with responsibility since there is not a paid clergy.

One of my assignments each Sunday is to teach inspirational songs to the young children ages 2 to 11 in their different age groups. I have loved doing this for nearly four years now.

Working with children is a joy and a delight. Some weeks I feel that I am learning far more than the children. Their faith knows no bounds and when I hear them praying for Talitha I’m so touched and grateful because small children are so close to God.

While getting ready this morning, I thought of several of these children, a few of whom are younger than five who have told me they pray for Talitha every day. I choked back some sudden emotion as it hit me that God heard the prayers of these children and lovingly answered their faithful petitions.

Many of these children will be peers to Talitha as they grow up in a world that is stumbling and will need the strength of these young warrior spirits who are already exercising faith in Christ. They are learning in their youth to build their lives on the one sure foundation--the rock of Christ. Trusting in the Lord will not be new to them and they will know from experience where to turn when the going gets tough in ANY area of their lives.

"And now...remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12)

I thank the Lord for little children. They lift my spirits and show me by their faith that Heaven doesn't have to be so far away.