My brother and I were very blessed as children growing up. We were blessed enough to have and get to know four of our grandmothers and three of our grandfathers. As a child I thought that is how most children grew up, around their grandparents. But once I was older, I realized how truly blessed my family was to have each one of them.
We are going to zoom in and focus on one of them now, just one of my favorite memories with him.
John Henry Westfall, father of my beautiful mother. This man was a MAN! Big, burly, strong as a horse male, that did not take anything from anyone, at any time. But deep down he was a gentle giant that loved to play checkers.
Almost every visit I had at his house; I would ask him to play checkers with me. And every time we played…I lost. It did not matter how young or old I was, he was relentless when it came to this game and defeated me with finesse and ease. He showed no mercy, no hints, no warning. He could win a game in just a few moves and laugh at me when I would ‘pout’ because I lost. But secretly I loved that he would not let me win. It made me a better checker player and strategist while playing.
One game, somehow, some way… I won! After years of playing and trying to beat Grandpa John, I won!! I ran screaming through the house telling the world! But Grandpa John did not seem that surprised at all and took his defeat well. Little did I know, he had let me win. I heard him telling my mother about it and I jumped all over him. He wanted to make me feel special because I beat the checker master and I was having nothing of it. If I had not beat him fair and square, I did not want that win. He tried to convince me that I won without his help…but I knew better. And he could not hide the sneaky grin on his face.
Now the world does its best to convince us all of something. Convince us that it does not exist and never has.
That is God.
Like my Grandpa John, trying his best to make me believe that I had won…the world tries even harder to convince us that God is not there. Explain everything away like some science big bang, hibbity bibbity, ‘I used to be a monkey’ hoopla.
But just like I could see straight through my grandfather’s grin, I can see straight through the worlds masquerade and plot to hide God behind their façade.
I personally have had so many things happen in my life that is unexplainable without God in the picture. They all happened BECAUSE of God. God working His way in my life, working His way in my family and friend’s life. I could sit here and type out a book of things God has done in my life in the past five months. You CANNOT convince me there is not a God. As real as the breath in my lungs, there is a God (my God) sitting on His throne and living within me. My Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the world wants to cover Him up like dirt under a rug. Excuse me?!
He has answered prayers that have made my jaw hit the floor and take my breath away with just how fast He answered them. (If I could go into detail on them, believe me I would!)
I watched one of my grandfathers go through cancer, suffer in pain for months. And he had such peace and grace about it all, up to his last breath.
I watched one of my close friends do something that I never thought she would do because she put all her faith and trust in God to get her through it. I sat there watching in amazement and praising God for allowing me to witness it, all the while keeping my tears from spilling out of my eyes like Niagara Falls. It was beautiful to watch and such a blessing and encouragement for me! Thank you, Lord!
He saved me from what I used to be. I am forever changed because of God, my God!
The world can pretend that God is not real. But for me…
…there is a God!
And you cannot convince me otherwise.
I found this document on my laptop, written in September of 2020. It was meant to be shared then, but I had forgotten about it.
I believe it was God that made me 'lose' it until now. I needed this post today. Thank you, God, for letting me find it!
Today makes 6 years since my Grandpa John passed away from cancer. Its very special that I found this when I did. <3