Tribute to our Lent but for a Time Gift...I cannot believe…my little girl, middle arrow of 5 & youngest daughter, SAVANNA JOY, is getting married in 20 days! This note is a way for me to exhort & express love for our Savanna (& Anthony) as this new chapter in her life begins & really a love-letter-legacy for all our children…to share with our family & friends… for the Father knows how busy life becomes & my mind will be on a myriad of things from now to that special day, July 12 Wedding, & probably a weepy dad at that moment, so I may not be able to say what needs to be. I will attempt now: So precious daughter of the Most High, Savanna, this tribute is to you, dear girl! Your siblings/family/ friends too are so excited for this celebration & people’s notes to us & those attending the wedding from all over, as far as South Africa…leaves your mom & I humbled, overflowing in joy & oft to tears over responses & precious words sent to us! (For this we thank you ALL!) Savanna, may you always know how much we love you, as you continue to grow as a great woman of God, a loving support of a wife, an excellent mother unto Father God, and whatever called do for God’s glory, know that we will always love you. My hope & prayer for you is that at Anthony’s side, you build God’s kingdom fervently in Father God’s heart, going into all the world with His knowledge & the Holy Spirits presence & empowerment. Do the work of a minister well! Do the work of God well! Never forget however, that no matter where lifes journey in Christ leads, as long as we have breath, mom & I will always be here & have a forever covenant bond. The years have flown by. We remember the excitement of knowing mom was pregnant “again” with #3, the thrill of knowing our baby was another princess after our lovely Ember… recall the moment of first hearing your heartbeat, the joy of all of us at your arrival. And now here we are so many years later, you, mom, sister, three brothers and I. How we have loved the role of dad & mom & yet we have grown, evolved, & changed to more than also friends in our family but ministry cohorts as well. From the hair bows, the frilly things & emotions (though not always an easy job “in becoming”), we have adored seeing you become your own self unto God! From toddling around with mom’s necklaces, too large of shoes, dresses & all the girly stuff like placing rollers in my hair, mom behind a window with tears watching (as much as she could) when you had to have a tooth pulled …you and I conquered that dentist chair at age 2! I still couldn’t resist in teaching you & Em how to be relentless in playing a good game of soccer, backyard kickball or kick-the-can nor especially not be afraid of taking a platform to speak a word, sing, be a giver, or dance unto the Lord because it was the most important of callings…to hear Him & do what He said…”Worship Him & Go ye into all the world…”. Quite the early talker, Savanna Joy, I remember how you would help your younger brothers in coaching them to do things right, you helping with their bible quiz competitions or homework, missionettes, performing a lead in a Christmas drama & later singing Rebecca St James’ “Pray” song like you owned it for Jesus at Trinity Church when age 8. It was here that you also wrote an essay for a city contest at age 9 & won…We thought the teacher helped you write it so when mom complimented her on assisting you, she piped up happily, “I didn’t touch that as that was done all on her own!” You won that city writing contest too! Oh yes, the early violin playing…we made it through the time spent in days of not so glorious tones resonating in the house but great you became at it! Then the many different sizes of school uniforms! We remember your birthday party invitation list one time with 100 names on it. We made you go scale it down & you came back with 100+…you LOVE/D people & they have loved you! And your many years at Camp Dry Gulch that Covenant Children’s ministry took you to…lol the many boxes of candy we went door to door selling so you could go! (THANK YOU Hosslers, Ballards, Annette, Shari & THE MANY OTHERS in the Kids Dept. & Covenant Church who gave of yourself for the kids/heart of the Lord!!!) We remember the highs & lows of school days, the celebrations, the fun competitions as in cheering at AHA, helping Ps Kathy, Ps Amie, Ps Sheila & other devout women of God including you in ministry, family or little things like decorating the church for Christmas. We shall never forget Jill Blue being your room mom while your AHA class went to tour the east coast/D.C. or when cheering at an AHA game, Ps Melinda, came over to us & asked laughing endearingly about you, “Does that child ever not smile?” Christ for the Nations came immediately after graduating high school that you accomplished in just 3 years… you worked hard & were a great student! (Little did we know you’d end up marrying someone who attended a mission’s trip w/us that we led for CFNI students for summer credit nor when someone gave you a word at that time, that “life would come out of the season you were in” at a later time). Then college. Then career with law but ever so passionate about ministry. (One of the greatest speakers we heard at Foursquare Conference a few years back, she & her husband are Sr. Pastors & both Harvard law graduates …so keep Him first & He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it in you! (GO OUR SWEET GIRL, GO IN GOD!) It is said the process of parenting is, & we agree, as much about parent’s growing & maturing as it is about our children growing & maturing. When I think of what we’ve learned in being your parents (me as a father, mom as a mother), how we’ve changed, stretched…how it’s taught us what’s really important in this ever so short life! We see a divine plan. It’s been our blessing to have the gut root spiritual panoramic life view of our greatest investment, watching you and your siblings grow in personal development. You would think people would have a clue that like a mom when her body begins to expand when carrying a child that what is happening in the natural also happens in the spiritual…some take longer than others to awaken! What matters is that one awakens & runs for the Lord! We have learned that we don’t have to have all the answers. We didn’t have to be the most perfect or financially astute parents… we just needed to obey God out of love for Him! We have trusted the process along the way & always will! You’ve taught us more than we’ve taught you. You are a beauty in and out, giving, kind, good, a solid friend, defender & cheerleader for your friends & those without, just, smart, lover of God’s word, worshipper, adventurous, gifted, discerning, a powerhouse ministerially, & I’ve never seen someone’s prayers answered as lightning fast & you’ve engaged in such since you were just real little. You truly are what your name means, “ Gracious one, flame of fire, that’s a Joy.” We love you, Savanna Joy! Somehow we can still hear those little feet running into our arms giggling, singing a song then praying bedtime prayers! What I wouldnt give for just one more day back then! Since born, you’ve sat at multitudes of Acquire the Fire youth weekends & other camps, Lester Sumrall & Rod Parsley Revivals, Christ for the Nations, Rhema Churches, Assembly of God churches, Brownsville revival/Steve Hill, Oral Roberts, Covenant Church, Heirborn leaders, interdenominational churches, Elevate Church, The Salem’s, Meadows, your grandparents & many many more anointed, prophetic, & intercessory vessels that have prayed &/or imparted in you in such intricate ways. You are royalty, you have destiny, you are going to change history…we know it…the enemy wouldn’t have tried to take you out so much either if isn’t so! His banner over you is love & may you & Anthony’s lives here on earth be one big anthem of winning souls in God’s vehement, fervent love & may His ministry be His for all the glory due HIM & Him alone! It’s your time to shine for you were born for such a time as this …as His instrument, handmaiden & a vessel of honor! There’s power in the name of Jesus to break every chain! Let the church universal arise!! Win souls, set the captives free, disciple in teaching the word, develop leaders! It’s all happened so fast. And of course, there’s so much to come!! May victorious, precious, echoes resonate Jesus’ fragrance into eternity over you & yours! Now--- do some damage to the enemy’s camp all your days while you are here, glorify God with thunderous praise always, listen to Him before YOUR EVERY MOVE, & when life is done for your parents here, remember us as prayer warriors, serving God to our utmost and know, we will meet you adorningly At His Feet! In His Never Ending Undefeated Love, Dad (for Mom too) (This was also for Father God, Anthony, his amazing family & all you dearest ones we have the distinguished privilege to know on earth! Anthony, we couldn’t be happier to have such an incredible, extraordinary, God-fearing son-in-law! [Krista insists all our kid’s significants will be Daughter or Son-in-Loves, lol! So know, we love you too!)
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 07:04:39 +0000
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