The Greatest Gift of All ~ Part 2

Make sure to first read Part 1 HERE.

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Once back home, the children tried to go about their busy days as usual. They were hoping that their filled work schedules would take some of the pain away. Oh how their hearts were aching. They had never felt a pain like this before. They found themselves unable to focus on anything other than their father. Not keeping in better contact with their dad while he was alive was tormenting their minds. Why, they wondered, did they put all their focus and attention on their jobs, money, material things? What was their purpose? Someone that meant so much to them, someone who went above and beyond for them was now gone. They were feeling miserable for how they treated their father and now they couldn't see a good purpose in anything they were doing. Everything was feeling meaningless. People around them could tell a difference in their attitudes and it was impacting everyone around them. Relationships, their businesses, everything it seemed, was starting to suffer. Eventually the children decided to head back to their childhood home to see if there was any hope of finding closure to this heartbreaking situation they found themselves in.

When they arrived at their father's home they remembered the gift he mentioned before his death. They really didn't think they could accept another gift from him. They felt so unworthy of it. With thoughts of their father on their mind and knowing he really wanted them to have this last gift, they decided to go see what exactly it was. When they went upstairs they found on their father's bed a smallish box, neatly wrapped with a letter on top. They opened the letter and read...

To my dearest children, this is for YOU ~

I know my death came as a shock to you, but I expected it. Although you won't be able to understand right now my passing is for the best. You see, out of bad things come good so don't focus on the bad but look forward to the good that is coming because it will. There are a few things I want to share with you that I couldn't before. You see, before I never had your full attention.

I want you to know how much I love you... each of you, so very, very much. I thought about you well before you were born. My heart was bursting when I saw you come into the world for the first time. You were perfect! You are wonderfully made and capable of so much!

The purpose of your life was never simply to survive. You were meant to live life fully, to truly thrive. A life of good; able to enjoy all the gifts I have given you from the beginning. Now, you are given choices to make. You are given free will over your own lives. I never once told you growing up that you had to do things my way and no other. I strongly urged you in certain directions for your safety but the end choice was always yours. If you chose wrongly there would be consequences. Because I love you, I want to warn you, if you choose to follow the ways of the world, you are likely never to feel complete. There will be great hurt on many different levels. But I am happy to tell you there is another option for you. Would you like to live a life where you felt free, at peace and filled every day? Could you accept a gift like this?

Now if you feel bad about any actions you have done in regard to me or have done something else that you think is so unworthy of deserving such a gift, I tell you, for peace of mind, please ask for forgiveness and know then that you are truly forgiven. I love you with my whole heart. I could never stop loving you; you, who I loved before you were even born. I've watched you grow. I know you so well. You are a part of me. There is nothing you could do that could stop me from loving you. Trust me!

My earthly gifts did not move you. At least they did not move your heart. Your heart was left unchanged. Since my death, you realized a pain you had never known, your heart felt something. Your heart is changing, renewing and growing. You now are seeing me much more clearly then when I was with you in person. I have given you ALL I have and ALL this I give you will be more then you can ever imagine.

As you know, my heart was filled with love, joy, kindness and truth. This is your inheritance. My gift goes beyond any "natural" gift. There is no limit and it cannot be contained. It is freely available for you and it is meant to be passed down to your children and their children, for generations to come. With this great gift you will be able to overcome life's trials. You will be brought to difficult situations but with my gift, planted in you, you will be able to overcome these trials! Children, trust me! A good heart conquers all evil! All you need to do is place your faith in me.

By excepting my most precious gift, you will lack nothing. For my heart will join yours and work together with you to do what you have seen me do and even greater things than these. There are no boundaries to the good you are able to do. With me, in you, all things are possible. Have faith in ME! Keep your focus on ME! Speak words that come from me, these are words of life. If you happen to make a mistake and lose focus, it is okay. My love for you is too great. I will never give up on you, so do not give up on me due to your own mistakes. Ask for forgiveness and keep pressing forward.

In the box, I have left you many more letters to reveal to you more of my good and perfect ways. Read them, but know that the most important thing is that I am always with you. I am in you. I love YOU!

So children, I hope you now know deep within your soul how much you mean to me. I hope you know I want the best for you and your children to come. I pray you will accept my gift; that you will open your heart fully and allow me to guide your steps. You will then live an abundant life of blessing and you will impact many around you. This will make me proud!

I will be with YOU ALWAYS! With all my love ~ your Father

With tears streaming down their faces, the children were changed forever. They accepted the perfect gift from their father. They were filled with great hope for having a purpose filled life. They were ready to share the good; to share the love with others.

To be continued...

Part 3 HERE.

Love lettering done by my daughter, Kaelyn age7.

The only way I can describe this story is that the Holy Spirit wrote it through me. I pray it will bring you closer to Him. He has certainly made a huge difference in my life. For so long, I didn't have time for Him. When I thought I really knew Him I didn't. He wasn't IN my heart. I finally realized how much he loves me and ALL his children. He so wants to be a part of our life. He wants us to turn to Him first for every situation we find ourselves in. He wants us to speak His words. He wants us to love like Him. He wants the best for us. What he desires most is for us to KNOW Him and love Him! If we are hoping for prayers and desires to be fulfilled, are we wanting these gifts without having a relationship with the one who gives them? I have cried, because I am guilty of this. I am thankful for the trials I have gone through because I can now see Him much more clearly. I have a new love in my heart... it is for Jesus who showed me how to live, who took my place as a sinner on the cross, who freed me from Satan.

I pray that I will keep my focus on you Lord and that you will work through me the rest of my life, no matter how undeserving I am. Thank you God for leaving us so many letters (in the Bible) to encourage us and reveal your ways to us! God, thank you for loving me with your whole heart. I love you!

The Greatest Gift of All! ~ Part 1 Do you have it?

There once was a wise man. Although he was very rich, he had a good heart. Unlike most prosperous people around him he was always thinking of others' needs before his own. He loved giving gifts, especially unexpected gifts. He enjoyed giving the most to his children, a son and a daughter. Even though the man had so much, he did not believe in simply spoiling his children. He wanted his gifts to be special, exciting, well thought out and with a special purpose in mind. The children adored their father growing up. He was a giver, not only of gifts but of his time and love.

When the son and daughter grew older they moved many miles away to go to school. They started careers and became very focused on growing their own companies. They wanted everything their father had and more. They became so busy with their own lives that contact with their father was gradually being pushed to the side. His calls weren't being returned. His letters were left unanswered. Sometimes his letters weren't even being read. He didn't want to force his relationship with them. He loved them and wanted them to be happy with whatever choices they made. But his heart did ache for them terribly. He would do anything for his children! He started to wonder if he was on their heart any more.

The children continued on with their busy lifestyles... work, dinners, meetings, parties, keeping up their homes, and so forth. One day the father decided to surprise them with investing a huge sum of money into their new careers. His thought was that it would take away any financial strain from them and it would be a great seed that would continue to grow and the wealth could eventually be shared with others. The son and daughter were thrilled with the generous gift from their father, but they remained captivated in their busy lifestyles and didn't even get around to thanking their father. The thought would pop into their minds every so often that they needed to call him and thank him but the moment never seemed right, time was passing so quickly, this and that had to be done first. Just too much had to be done. The father's heart was hurting. His children who he loved so much wouldn't acknowledge him. He had done so much for them. He had what seemed to be everything, everything that could be theirs one day, but they were so focused on their own daily lives that they couldn't see the end picture. The father was hoping that the children would look back on their childhood and remember his actions, to learn from it and walk in his ways. For his life was good. Very good. He was rich in so many ways.

Not long after, the children received another letter in the mail from their father. It stated that he felt like he wouldn't be around much longer but he had a really wonderful gift he wanted to give them. It was something they couldn't get anywhere else. Something that would change their lives forever.
The children were stunned to get such a letter. What was wrong with their father? He had always been a strong and healthy man. They decided they needed to tie up loose ends at work and then the next day they would fly home to be with their dad.

Once they arrived home, they learned the devastating news; their father had passed away the night before in his sleep. What did he die from they asked? They were told, "His heart just stopped." They were also told that their father had left them a gift upstairs and he wanted to be sure they got it. The children were so stunned and heartbroken from the loss of their father that they didn't believe they could accept one more gift from their dad and returned home without seeing what was in store for them.

As time went by, thoughts of their father invaded their minds. They had so many good memories of him. He was always full of laughter, helping them and everyone else around them, he saw the good in every situation... he was a remarkable man. No one was like their dad. They started to realize for the first time in their lives that no one who received gifts from their dad deserved to. He never once wanted anything in return. His delight came in the giving. His heart was better than gold.

Will the children go back to their childhood home and see what the last gift was that their father left them?

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Part 2 can be found HERE.