Can there possibly be a more profound blessing on a parent than to watch as God uses the unique giftings and abilities of your children for His honor and glory? I can’t imagine anything better.
3 John 4 — “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
And, when you are extra-fortunate, you get to SEE the evidences of your children walking in truth in addition to hearing about it.
Steve and I have had these blessings recently, and I just want to take time in the middle of all the holiday chaos to thank HIM and to encourage my children.
On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, two of our children were actively involved in ministry in the towns where they live and in the churches they attend. Laura was called on to play the keyboard for two morning services at West Rome Baptist in Rome, Georgia. She has remarkable piano talent. She is not their “regular” person but is always happy to fill in as needed. I love knowing she’s still putting into practice the many years of piano lessons and times of accompanying high school and college groups on her resume. She’s also teaching her son piano lessons now, and I’m hoping for a private Nathan concert during Christmas. Mostly, I love that she and her family are active in their church. She also teaches a Tuesday morning Bible study for ladies where she uses her spiritual gift of teaching. I praise God for allowing her to “bloom where she’s been planted.” 
Matt is the pastor of The Church at West Franklin in Franklin, Tennessee, which is a campus of Brentwood Baptist in Brentwood, TN. He preaches twice every Sunday morning on a weekly basis, but from time to time, the various campus pastors are asked to fill in at Brentwood — a very LARGE congregation of several thousand. On November 25th, he preached for FOUR services at Brentwood, and Steve and I decided to go hear him in person during his second sermon that morning. That boy is absolutely in his element when he is preaching God’s Word. It’s an amazing experience to watch him connect the Scripture and the congregation. I praise God for choosing to use Matt in this way. 
Our Julie is the mother of 8 children. She has been on a journey recently for truth, but even more so for deep spiritual connection. She wants to be exactly what God wants her to be, and she craves to understand His Word and to impart it clearly to her children. As you might expect, it’s not an easy task to get that many people ready to go anywhere, let alone to Sunday School bright and early every Sunday morning. But, she and Brian do a consistent job of having them there. Steve and I love watching the children in the choir programs at church. It is a special joy whenever they visit OUR church, and their teachers report that they behaved beautifully and KNEW ALL THE ANSWERS! That comes from consistent training on the part of their Momma. I praise God for using her in her own mission field, her kitchen table with her Bible open and the kids gathered around.
These photos don’t show Julie, rather this is one taken when we were on the way out the door when Steve and I had her children one weekend recently. 
Thank you, God, for allowing me to be the mother of these three. And thank you, God, even more for choosing to use them to honor You and serve You.
Blessings each day❣️ The Joys we receive after our labors of raising.
Love hearing about them.
We all have so much to be thankful for. We have had some bumpy roads but made it through. I agree it is a joy to see Christmin our children and grandchildren.