The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 27:1, “Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

Twenty-nine excited athletes and their coach were traveling a mere 164 miles to play in a

championship game. I can only imagine what they were saying to one another:

“We’re going to smash ‘em!”

“We’re going to be the champs!”

“I can’t wait to get on that ice!”

“We’ll show ‘em how the game is played!”

I’ve traveled on school buses with athletes. There is every expectation of success and glory.

There’s boasting and bragging about their own abilities. Victory is in the bag!

But on this trip, 15 will soon be dead and 14 will be injured. The game will not be played.

There will be no victory, only anguish and fear and death and mourning.

I wonder: How many left home, having prayed with parents? or how many were praying for

success in their venture? How many even had the slightest thought that this would be their

last day on Earth?

I’m not seeking to inject morbidity into this letter, much less into your life. But, things like

what happened to these young Canadians do occur! No athletic team would think of

contending with another team if they had not prepared. The exercised, they skated, they

practiced shots on the ice. Moreover, they had a game plan. But, were they prepared

for the eternity they were about to enter? Hopefully, they were. We may never know.

What we can and do know, however, is that eternity in Heaven awaits the arrival of all

who know the LORD Jesus Christ and have embraced Him in true, spiritual faith. We do

not save ourselves by what we do, but we rely and trust solely in Him and what He did

for us on the Cross. His victory there was substantiated by His Resurrection from death!

May each of us so live for Him daily that even the tragedies of life cannot smother our

assurance of His love and protection. And may our example before others show the

victory we anticipate because of Him!

Our love and prayers for you are offered daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”