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No Greater Joy
By mstrohm | April 4, 2008
3 John 1:4
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
There are a few things that bring me great joy. Nearly all of them are costly. A wonderful meal prepared and presented with perfection is one. Funny how day old microwaved pizza on a paper plate takes little effort, and brings little joy. But when my wife prepares a magnificent meal, often taking her hours, it brings great joy.
When I lived in Illinois I would drive past a prairie preserve. The spring was always a beautiful time of year. One spring a combination of temperatures, the natural seeding from the fall, the amount of rain, among other factors produced one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen. The entire field was covered with flowers. Not just a few areas as in past years but acre after acre covered with white, yellow and purple flowers!
Yet all the joy of a fine meal and a once in a lifetime beautiful field cannot compare to the joy of hearing that my children are walking in the truth. Now that I am mostly on the other side I look back at the investment of time into Andy, Alli, Julie and Abby’s lives. Yes, it was far greater than the time put into a meal. Yes, there were stretches of time I was convinced we would never see anything but weeds. But God is faithful, and the time invested has indeed brought great joy.
Hang in there!
May God’s grace and peace be with you,
Mark Strohm, Jr.
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