HOPE

Hear my prayer, O Lord;

    give ear to my pleas for mercy!

    In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!

When we answered God’s call and moved our family to Dublin, California, we felt very much as I imagine Abraham felt, setting out to a far country. We knew no one, had no family or friends other than our two children. But we were filled with great hope, the feeling that what we wanted could be had and that events would turn out for the best.

I REMEMBER

the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done.

I ponder the work of your hands.

I enjoy being reminded by others of events from these grand “days of old” filled with great hope. Twenty-three years of great hopes, that something we desired might happen. A church becoming “the work of your hands,” bringing the message of Jesus and his love to the many little children and their families surrounding us in our rapidly growing communities. And we prayed for gifted leaders who, with the same passion, could help us accomplish this.

One such answer to our great hope was JoAnn Jewell, who subsequently devoted her professional life to leading a his important part of Valley Christian Center’s ministry outreach. Another such answer was Tide Saltzman, who became VCC’s minister to children. These two were caring colleagues and wonderful children’s ministry leaders. Tide worked with the children of the church, and JoAnn with the children of the community. Their love, skills, devotion to God, and to the many families in our church and surrounding communities was simply the greatest!

LET ME HEAR IN THE MORNING

of your steadfast love,

    for in you I trust.

A few days ago, after complaining of chest pains, JoAnn was taken to the hospital. Upon arriving in her room, she came out from the bathroom, got in bed, turned her head on the pillow and quietly, as was her style, slipped away from earth to Heaven. She had been our hoped for first and only preschool administrator for many years.

Upon her arrival, I’m sure she was greeted by Tide, her ministry colleague and friend, who had preceded her to Heaven some years before. These two, in their lifetimes, reached literally hundreds of families with the love of Christ and with their devotion to helping shape and care for children, opening God’s beautiful world up to them and teaching them how to live well in it.

Make me know the way I should go,

    for to you I lift up my soul.

These were two of the many answers to the great hope he had planted in our hearts, the feeling that what we wanted could be had and that events would turn out for the best. This morning Earth’s families join with me in missing their loving presence, while Heaven’s children surround them with eyes that sparkle and laughter that fills their hearts with the joy of lives well lived.

Goodbye dear friends, until we meet again in the presence of the King!

And “thank you” to you, the many ministers and volunteers who bring the story of Jesus’ love to children everywhere. You are fulfilling the great hope of the Church!

“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”