Slipping on the icy sidewalk, I slowed my pace impatiently. Tuesday afternoons were my favorite. After cleaning up the dishes from lunch, I shrugged into my heavy woolen coat, pulled a knitted hat over my tussled blond curls, wrapped a matching scarf around my neck and reached for my heaviest mittens. I would then exit out the door into the frigid wintry weather. A brisk walk would be enough to take me the half a mile to a two-story farmhouse, my favorite place in the world. Inside, there was always a mug of steaming hot cocoa and a plate of some kind of goodies waiting for me. But, better than that, Grams would be waiting to warm me up with a huge hug.

She wasn’t really my grandmother, but she might as well have been. We were closer than close. And Tuesday afternoons were "my" times there. That was the afternoon I left all my siblings at home, just have a heart to heart talk with Grams.

Over the years, we discussed just about every topic, I think, and I always clung to Grams’ wisdom. Somehow, I had this notion that Grams knew everything, or at least almost. Whatever my problem was, Grams had the answer. And she could cure everything with a cheery smile and a piece of pie.

her house, and I was surprised when she found a large stack of letters prettily tied with a dainty ribbon. I was even more surprised when I discovered that they had my name on them. I clutched them to myself. They even smelled like Grams.

I decided that I would open one every Tuesday afternoon. It would be just like a visit. Almost.

Dear Joy,

You are still young, still carefree and cheerful, yet I am growing old. Every week I am blessed to live on this earth, I think of how much closer I am to leaving it. I am not sorry to go, for my Savior is there waiting for me. But I am sorry for you because I know it will be hard for you.

I am so grateful for the times we’ve had on Tuesday afternoons. I pray for you every day. You have faced some trials already, but some are yet to come. I wish I could say that I will always be there for you whenever you have questions or hurts. There is so much I want to say to you, more than I have the time left to say, I think.

Above all, my greatest prayer for you is to keep the Lord first in your life. That is the most important thing in your life, and all other things will stem from your commitment to Him. I know I have told you that before, but it is something I cannot say enough.

I’ve been blessed to watch you. I watched you with that new excitement when you first came to trust in the Lord. I watched you when you first struggled with questions about faith. I watched you grow stronger in your faith because you had the courage to face those questions. And through it all, my heart rejoiced. The Apostle John wrote, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." (III John 4) The same is true for me as well.

I thank you for living your life in a way that allowed me to see that. Your life is an encouragement to me because you live to prove your Savior. Oh, I know you struggle sometimes because you are so different. You feel weak because you are not the same as the next girl.

But, I say, you are strong. Strong to stand up against the temptation to try to fit in. Romans 12:2 says, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Because you have resisted the temptation to mold your life after the pattern of the world, you are a vibrant witness for Christ. You think no one notices, but they do!

As a born again believer in Christ, you were predestined to be conformed into the image of Christ (look up Romans 8:29!). I thank God for the many ways you have allowed Him to work through you.

That is my greatest prayer for you, that you will continue to keep the fire of your belief burning so brightly hot that it touches everyone you meet. Only eternity will tell what kind of an impact you will be able to have!

Touching others’ lives is important. One of my favorite passages of Scripture is in Matthew, chapter five. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (It’s verses 14-16, if you want to look it up.) If you keep your life for Christ open for everyone to see, instead of hiding it as though you were ashamed (and, sadly, I have seen far too many who take that approach!), you will be witnessing for Him, because it will point others to Him. It’s one of the best ways you can minister for Him. If you are faithful to live a life fruitful in Him, He will be faithful to honor that, in ways you can only dream of.

This is my greatest dream for you. There is no limit to the number of people you can reach for Christ if you live this way. Everyone is accessible to your witness: the bank teller, the postmaster, the young teen packing the grocery store shelves. You can shine for all of them! And, I pray every day that you will continue to do so for as long as God gives you life.

Think about what I have said here in these pages. I hope you will take it to heart!

All my love,

Grams