"If Just One Person..."

I do not recall if I have ever blogged about this. That means if I have it's been long enough that I can blog about it again.

Soon to be 14 years ago my father was diagnosed with Leukemia. He lived 7 months after his diagnosis. In that time I saw a huge change in my father. He was always a funny guy, full of good humor and jokes. He was serious about his faith in God always as well. These two things became something that he never lost but they evolved. My dad was always a very wise man, teaching me amazing lessons throughout my life.

I remember when I was a teenager, before he was diagnosed he learned that I had never memorized scripture. He sat me down turned the tv off, put a Bible in front of me, opened to Phil. 4:13, his life scripture and he made me memorize it. Simple scripture but "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" is EXACTLY what I needed to carry me through the grief of losing my father a couple of years later...

Then there is the lesson we talked about in yesterdays blog. There were so many more before and after that. Lessons that I hold on to, they were wise, but more than that, they came from him. His lessons are something I can hold on to for life that he gave to me. I hear his voice telling them to me and that makes them even more special.

Before my father died he told my mother and I something that I will forever hold on to, something that my mom and I will never forget.

"If just one person comes to Christ through knowing my story than it will have all been worth it."

Every pain, every tear, every laugh to keep from crying, the thoughts that on this earth he would never get to love mom again, or see his youngest child turn 16, graduate high school, surpass all expectation and go to college AND graduate from college, that he would never get to walk her down the aisle (if she ever goes down the aisle lol) and that he would never hold the grand-babies she may one day bless him and his wife with. All of that would be worth it if just ONE person came to Christ by hearing his story, knowing his pain and suffering, his strength, his love... How powerful is that? What a legacy and testimony that man left.

So, I don't have a big platform but I talk about him a lot. I share his story with others because I want that to happen for him. I want his story to continue to change lives. I want his testimony to live on. My father gave me that. He gave all of that.

Beyond this being about my daddy it's also about our Heavenly Daddy. His love for us is just that powerful. Jesus wants us to know God the Fathers story but he also wants us to know HIS story. That is why we have the Bible, why we have Church services. More than that though, God wants us to share His story with everyone! And JESUS... He DIED on the CROSS for ours SINS. "If just one person comes to the Father through knowing MY STORY... it was all worth it..." Can't you hear Jesus saying that?

Join with me, share our Lord's story... If we all tell that story and we all have "one person" come to Christ through hearing it... isn't that worth it?

Live a Legacy,
-Lynnea