A Treasured Christian Legacy

Reading words written in decades past is an exciting experience in and of itself. Reading words belonging to those in my ancestral line is doubly thrilling. Reading the words of previous generations regarding their walk with the Lord is, to me, an absolute treasure.

Recently, I've been researching the history of my Dad's side of the family. While I was visiting my parents a couple of weekends ago, I was able to look through a large file of pictures, e-mails, and newspaper articles about our family's history.

One special treasure was the letter pictured above, from my great great grandmother, Charlotte Lyons, to my grandfather, Norbert Lyons. It was so exciting to hold the letter and envelope, look at the 3 cent stamp and 1944 postmark, and marvel at how the post office could deliver a letter to its destination with only the addressee's name, city, and state listed on the envelope.

But, what was even more exciting, was reading the words my great great grandmother wrote:

Corunna, Michigan
May 7th 44

Dear Norbert,
In looking through Grandpas treasures, found this little letter written by you 20 years ago. Thought you might like to keep it. Hope this will find you all with better health than when I was there. Baby Wesley was the only well one.

I think in the past if we had all looked to our Heavenly Father for guidance, things would have been better for us. We wouldn’t have made so many mistakes. But now may we look to Him in time of need. Thanks for the many things you done for us during Grandpas illness & death. He didn’t know about it. But always spoke of your kindness & care for us. I hope you can get the kind of home that’s best for you. The only way I can help you all is by the way of the throne. Ethel will be better when she gets her teeth. Don’t try to come out. It takes money to buy gas. I am able to walk a little better.

While I am lonely sometimes, friends are kind & God is with me.

With lots of love,
Grandmother

In recent years, I have come to see how privileged of a background I have come from. Having had grandparents, great-great grandparents, and beyond, who knew and loved the Lord, and were faithful in telling their children about the Lord and salvation through faith in Him, is of incomparable worth.

I am so thankful for the generations before me who have lived in obedience to the Lord and did their best to help their children to come to a saving knowledge of the truth, which is found only in Christ Jesus. While their lives may have consisted of rather ordinary, routine work and care of house and family, their faithfulness to the Lord, in the time and space in which He placed them makes their lives anything but insignificant.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 3:14-15