From The Desk Of Pastor Ben
I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,
 says the Lord Almighty.    (2 Corinthians 6:18) NIV

Love is a beautiful thing. But yesterday’s mystery of Henry & Bertha’s love letters wasn’t just a love story; it was a family story. When you marry love with family, it is powerful. That high school class could not wait to reunite those letters with Bertha & Henry’s family. They spent hours researching several possible leads. They hit dead end after dead end, until one of the students used her own mother’s genealogy account to access a much larger database. In a great moment of excitement, she shouted, “We found them!” The whole class cheered. Their joy grew as the class mapped out Bertha & Henry’s entire family tree; generation after generation, layer upon layer of love and history. Weeks later, coming full circle, they connected with Adam, Bertha & Henry’s great-grandson, via video call. The students couldn’t wait to share all they knew about his family. Adam couldn’t believe they found him, and he was excited too. With a huge grin, he said, “I cannot wait to share this with the rest of my family.” The students felt like they were a part of his family reunion, getting in on the love.
Family is a powerful thing. Connected by blood and spirit, we all want to know our history and where we came from. When we follow Jesus, we are adopted by our Heavenly Father. His story of grace becomes a part of our history. Connected by the blood of Jesus and His Holy Spirit, we are grafted into a new family tree, rich in mercy and rooted in love. We are sons and daughters of the Most High!

Faith Step:     Map out your spiritual family tree. How did you become a part of Jesus’ family? Know that you are rooted and grounded in His love and care.