Advent Devotional 19
It took me a few days to mull this question over when Keri Lynn asked me if I’d share – I could have gone several different ways with the question “What is the greatest gift I’ve ever received?” But if I’m being honest with myself I think the greatest gift I ever received was my husband’s unwavering guidance in my faith journey.
You see, I didn’t grow up going to church – my mom was a single parent just trying to make ends meet and dealing with a mouthy teenage daughter only 20 years her junior – it wasn’t a priority at that time in our lives. It wasn’t until I met my husband at the age of 22 and realized that it was important in HIS life that I began to open up to the prospect of having a meaningful relationship with God.
While it may not seem like a “gift” to you all, you have to understand that I’m a very strong-willed person. If he’d seemed like he was pushing it on me, I would have rebelled; but at the same time, if he’d just left me to come around on my own, I would have been lazy and ignored the calling. It was his love for me and his insight as to how to best nurture me in a way that would lead to our spiritual growth as a couple that I will be forever grateful for. It was the gift of his sharing his love of Christ and the benefits of growing up in a household that included regular worship that made me see the never-ending bounty your soul receives when you do that. Not sure I ever would have figured that out on my own without my husband’s loving, Christian presence and THAT is a gift that will last me a lifetime.
Andi Robertson
