In times when we are most vulnerable, we sometimes can be the most receptive to God’s message. Facing a fatal cancer diagnosis proved to be that turning point for Vali Vida Gibbons‘ father.
Much like the father in the Christian blockbuster movie I Can Only Imagine, Vali reports, “as his body began to fail, his faith grew.”
Ten years after her father died, Vali found something remarkable in the margins of his Bible. His handwritten notes were “the highest gift” she had ever received. It gave her a “documented path” on a journey of faith.
She wrote on her Facebook page:
I still don’t know how and when I received his bible. But well over a decade after my dad died, I opened it.
His notes were everywhere. The most beautiful penmanship written with his favorite black pen. Along with dates. Highlights. Underlined phrases, words, passages.
A spiritual journey…Now, in my hands.
I held antique-like pages of the book he received on his wedding day -over 50 years ago. Inside it was a documented path.
The contents within the margins of the pages explained so much:
Why everyone at his funeral said he was their good, if not best, friend.
Why grown men had tears in their eyes.
Why my grandma died suddenly, not long after his passing.
Why my mother never remarried.
Why our hearts were broken.His life was filled with incredible depth. He loved selflessly. And unconditionally. My mother knew she was IT in his eyes; So did his children.
And now, as I flip through the roadmap he provided in Romans, John, James, Jeremiah… I know beyond a shadow of a doubt during the last months of his life, he was at peace. And he knew, unequivocally, where he was going.
Gifts like these continue to bless me. Some moments they are crystal clear; other times they wash over me like a gentle breeze. They are there; All I have to do is open them.
Thank you, Dad.”
What an amazing gift! Ten years after his death, Vali was able to have her father lead her on her journey towards God. The Bible is the gift that keeps on giving!
Share this if you believe in the message of God’s love!
Source: Faith It