The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 103:1-6, “Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;

3 Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases;

4 Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

5 Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The LORD performs righteous deeds, And judgments for all who are oppressed.”

Whether you know it or not, you were born to praise the LORD! It was always His desire to have

friendship and fellowship with you. And you and I were created to remember His divine blessings

and to praise Him for the outcome of all things, because everything He does is for His glory.

The whole of Scripture uses the word “bless” (blessings, blessed) more than 530 times. And David

uses it no less than 15 times in this psalm alone. You and I were literally born to praise and glorify

the LORD. Thus, as Barnes notes, “The call here on (our) souls is not to forget these divine dealings,

as laying the foundation for praise.”

The LORD God possesses the power to forgive sin and to heal all diseases. In some instances, He

elects to use physicians, who are knowledgeable and skilled, but all instances of healing ultimately

come from the LORD Himself. We may express gratitude to doctors for their knowledge and skill,

but we must never forget that it is the LORD who made us and it is He who puts together what sin

has displaced in our lives.

The LORD’s righteous deeds extend to the oppressed, whether the oppression comes from “harsh laws,

unjust governments, human slavery, or ungodly decisions by courts of law, which derive from human pride

and the power of wicked people.”

Rose Marie, my dear and faithful companion of 63 years, oppressed in health and hospitalized with yet another major surgery, has through multiple medical tests been cleared of all impediments and is scheduled to return home as soon as her strength has sufficiently returned. For this, we Praise the LORD exceedingly! We are not alleging uniqueness in this matter, for many of you have experienced the same or worse health troubles than she. But, we are seeking to be faithful in not forgetting the LORD’s gracious and bountiful mercies and compassions that are “new every morning” (Lam. 3:23).

We thank you exceedingly for your faithfulness in praying for her! Her unique expressions of humor have delighted her doctors and healthcare providers. What is more, the opportunities to witness to them have been multiple! And for that we praise the LORD, also! Thus, we invite you to join with us in a community of praise to Him, who created us for the same.

Heartily and thankfully in the LORD,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”