Grandma Christensen

I Corinthians 1:4-6 The Message: Every time I think of you — and I think of you often! — I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There's no end to what has happened in you — it's beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.

7-9 Just think — you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.

When I was a teenager, my brother and I mowed my Grandma Christensen's lawn every week from the time the snow stopped in the spring until it started in the fall. Our father wanted to teach us, love, charity and the value of hard work, so he wouldn't let her pay us anything. This tore her up, and she would even cry sometimes. It was pretty sad.

When I was a senior in High School and I was starting to feel called to ministry, I asked her if she would give me a Living Bible. That was a gift that was OK with all concerned. At the end of summer or my birthday (this was 30-plus years ago so I don't remember exactly when), I received it and decided to read the Bible through every year.

I have been truly blessed by that 20-dollar Bible. I didn't read it every time, actually only once. But I have enjoyed reading or listening through the Bible each year since. I have been blessed every time. What I've learned by doing this hasn't been Earth shattering, becuse everyday life is like that. But I find new blessings regularly.

This is a passage that spoke to me recently. I am reading through the Bible in the order that it was written. So the epistles, the letters to the various churches, show up before the Gospels.

Think about what it says: You have everything you need when you become a Christ follower. It doesn't matter where you live, how much money you have or your level of education. He will never give up on you! He gives you all of the gifts you need! Maybe that is why Christ followers I have met in India, Africa and South America are so much more content than people from North America. They have a simpler faith that is not as influenced by an excess of training resources, music, videos and books that tell us how to live a life of following Jesus. They just have His word and very few teachers. It also costs more to be a follower when you are not part of the majority religion.

Thanks, Grandma Christensen. You influenced more lives than you ever knew.