Much of our married life was devoted to raising our 8 kids. Our goal and desire was that they would be champions for Jesus, and that they would not cool off in their walk with Christ and backslide. Another major desire and goal was that they would all marry a spouse at least as devoted to following and serving the Lord as they were? A verse that is one on my life verses now at this stage in my life is

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

This last week Patty and went to Twin Falls, Idaho and visited our son Seth and his new bride Amie and their 4 kids. Amie’s husband was killed while riding a bicycle and hit by a car, and she has managed her life and raised her kids by herself for several years, and Seth, the last of our 8 kids to get married, was 35 years old and pretty set in his ways of doing things, so I wondered how they would adjust and do in their marriage. I anticipated that there would be some significant struggles as they adjusted to living together. We had a wonderful time with them and we both enjoyed getting to know our new grandkids a bit better.

We have 8 kids, 6 son-in-laws, 2 daughter-in-laws, and 27 grandchildren. So far all of them are walking with the Lord and their marriages are doing well. In our day and age that is a major miracle, and as the verse says,

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.