My dear Elijah,
Today you pass through a significant doorway on your journey
to becoming a True Man, who loves Jesus with all of his heart, and soul, and
strength. Today is your 13th
Birthday. It has been, and always will
be, a privilege to love, raise, watch over, teach, correct, nurture and provide
for you, first as your Daddy, and now as your Dad.
Your Mom and I have been richly blessed to watch you grow up
and mature from a little child, to child, to big boy. And now today, June 17, 2015, you officially
enter the stage of being a young man. I
am pleased with the man you are becoming, and I look forward to continuing to
guide you on this journey.
Elijah, my son, it is a perilous journey at times, fraught
with many obstacles, temptations, dangers, traps and snares. Satan, who has been given temporary power as ruler
of this world, and those who listen to his lies, will do everything they can to
discourage, distract, tempt, shame and threaten you into thinking that it isn’t
worth all the hassle to read and meditate on His Word, or spend time in prayer,
or follow God’s will, plan and direction for your life. But my son, the rewards for staying on the
straight and narrow path that the Lord has laid out for your life are so far beyond
anything that this world could ever offer, that it is impossible to measure the
difference.
My beloved son, know that you do not walk this path alone. The Lord will always be your shield and
hedge, and I will always have your back, through prayer and my presence. Your Mom and many other brothers and sisters
in Christ are in this battle with us. We
will walk shoulder to shoulder as we enter into this battle to live our lives
for the glory of God, and to wage war against the enemy of the souls of all
mankind, by boldly proclaiming that every captive can be set free through the
power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and His death, burial and resurrection.
I don’t know exactly how this will all play out, as far as
choices along the way. But I know that
the Lord does, and as you earnestly seek His face, and His will, and counsel
from godly men and women, He will guide you.
And when we make mistakes, as we will, know that Jesus always stands
ready to forgive when we ask, because He already paid for it on the cross.
I love you, Elijah, and I like you, and I am blessed beyond
measure to call you my son.
Love,
Dad
