Dear Friends,
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1-5
Have you ever been so overwhelmed with gratitude that all you can do is weep and say “thank you?” I had the chance to experience that sensation last month.
My beautiful daughter and her husband blessed me with two new beautiful granddaughters, lovingly referred to as her M & M’s, on August 17. Of course, no one could go to the hospital for this blessed time so the family took turns visiting to meet these two newest members of the family. Having twins was quite the occasion, as she is a twin.
What most reading this don’t know is that my daughter and I had a very broken relationship for many years. I knew very little about being a healthy father to a daughter and I caused great damage over the years. I loved her but had no idea what a healthy father/daughter relationship might look like. I thank God that I had a wise, loving mentor in my life that said things to me like “Quit trying to fix things. You’re the problem, you don’t get to be the solution. Just love her and pray for her.” So that’s what I did. Slowly but surely through God’s grace and my daughter’s willingness to forgive me our relationship started to heal. It’s not perfect (but does a parent ever have a perfect relationship with an adult child?) but it is a hundred times better than it was in the past. I continue to love her as best I can and pray for her and I’m sure she continues to forgive me.
I also was blessed to go play golf with my two adult sons, my dad, my brother and his son, my brother-in-law, and his son, and many, many friends for four days. This annual tradition is something we all look forward to. It was incredible! As I drove home I was so overwhelmed with how God has blessed a “wretch like me” with all of the mistakes I’ve made I had to pull my car over at one point because I was weeping so hard.
So when you’re feeling down and discouraged as it is so easy to do right now remember that we are loved by a God “Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things.” It’s that very thing that we tell the young men and women we serve over and over and over again.
The challenges that this year has brought has deeply impacted our ministry to these young people. LifeQuest is grateful that even though it looks so very different we are still able to speak into the lives of the youth of NM.
Hang in there and keep looking to the One that loves you with a love so great we will never understand it while we’re on this Earth.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Serving Together,
John D. Jones