We’d just been through a time when we hadn’t been able to get our granddaughter, Sarah, to church in awhile because of our schedule and hers. I was beginning to feel anxious when I remembered that I could do a flannel graph Bible story with her when she was with us on Friday. (I have all the flannel graph stories my father used to tell stories to the children in his congregations years ago.)

Sarah wanted me to choose the story so I chose David and Goliath, a story we’d talked about recently. She loves helping me put the flannel graph figures on the board, so the story went well.

Then I remembered that I’d saved a television broadcast for Sarah to watch of Konnor Griffin, a Christian Pittsburgh Pirate baseball star. She agreed to watch, and I was again in awe of the bold testimony of the 20-year-old they are saying is the “face of the Pirates.”

When the reporter asked him how he’s handling all the fame and hype, he shared that the Casting Crown’s song, I’m Just a Nobody, is his “walk up” song when he walks up to the plate. (We had heard the song with delight every time he walked up to the plate when we attended a Pirate game recently.) He shared the refrain, I’m just a nobody trying to tell everybody about Somebody that saved my soul, saying that’s what he wants people to know.

Sarah listened intently, and I told her how on Konnor’s birthday, his wife told the reporter, “I can’t wait to see how Jesus will shine through him this year.” Then we talked about Konnor saying that being a baseball player isn’t the most important thing in his life, but sharing the gospel and preparing for a life in heaven is his priority. I was so glad I’d saved the broadcast to share with her.

Later in the car, as we took her home, Sarah said, “Grandma, when did God begin?”

I smiled as I remembered two little girls coming to our door to ask us that question in Penn Hills on an Easter Sunday morning many years ago. “God had no beginning, He has always been. Do you remember how the first verse in the Bible begins?”

Sarah shook her head, and I quoted, “In the beginning, God…” God was there “In the beginning.”

Then I pulled up Genesis on my IPad, and we went through the first chapter verse by verse. I told her, “Verse three says, ‘And God said, ‘Let there by light,’ and there was light!’ That’s all God had to do was speak, and it happened! Isn’t that amazing!”

My own sense of awe heightened as we continued through the Creation chapter and Sarah’s eyes sparkled. I gave God thanks again and again at Sarah’s interest in spiritual things, and I remembered again what our son-in-law, Matt, had said to me a couple of years ago when I expressed my concern that Sarah wasn’t getting to church as often as I would like.

He said, “I don’t mean to negate the importance of going to church, but the biggest spiritual influence in my life, hands down, was my godly grandparents. And I wasn’t with them nearly as much as Sarah is with you.”

Once again, my heart was at peace as I recognized the opportunities God was giving me to talk to our precious granddaughter about the most important things in life. It is obvious that He is sparking a hunger for spiritual things in her and a love for Jesus.

I’m praying that if you have grandchildren or children in your neighborhood who aren’t in church (or even if they are!), that the Holy Spirit would prompt you to share with them stories that will cause them to hunger for more.

Lord Jesus, thank you for your faithfulness in providing opportunities to share our faith with those we love most. Give us ears to hear the voice of your Spirit as He prompts us to take advantage of those opportunities. Your hand isn’t shortened that you cannot save them, neither is your ear heavy that you cannot hear (Isaiah 59:1). Amen.