Faith Of Our Fathers

As I wrote in my August 2nd post, I have taken up some of my genealogical research again. I actually ran across a very, very distant relative who had some information on my family that spanned 5 previous generations. She asked that I check the family Bible for some information on my branch of our shared branch. While looking through the Bible, I came across a letter I’d not read for a long period of time and had actually forgotten was in the Bible. The letter was from my Great Great grandfather to his daughter, my great grandmother. It appears that my Great Great Grandmother had moved some distance away from him and she wasn’t able to see him often. I thought I post this beautiful letter written by Benjamin Franklin Layton. As you’ll read in the letter, he’s reached the end of his life and is in a great deal of pain. He’s bedridden for the most part and has a great deal of time to augment his letter with artwork and block letters resemble the Castellar font. Rather than writing the word “Cross” he’s drawn the cross and he has inserted a Bible and other books in various parts of the letter.

Stratford Dec. 30th, 1896

Dear Children: I feel as though it was my duty to write you a few lines. I hope when you receive them, you all will be well. We are usually well. Your mother suffers a great amount from overwork. My sickness has added a great deal more. The boys are busy about their work, and plenty of mud. My condition is on the decline very fast; I realise it very much and can hardly bear my weight on my feet. I keep my bed, and am very tired of it. O’ how sweet to pass away from this sufferings, and be forever at rest. My assurance has been my light. I see nothing now in death but the beginning of real life. No dread of an angry judge , but a sweet rest and peace which is of God.

New Year’s Day 1897.

The (cross) should be in view. Our faith must rest in him the victim of our sins. A large percent of mankind doubt and will not believe. But I do know the manifestation of himself to me, has satisfied, and is a reality. My peace is secure. I hope dear children, you will be ready at anytime you are called and not fail. Do meet me there. We never part again. Remember it is an eternity. This is New Year day, and I am feeling quite comfortable today. Jan 5th “/97. Since I began this letter I have suffered a great amount of pain. I am happy in soul, a feeling of readiness to go or stay as God sees fit. All the care for my comfort is manifested, I could ask for. All is done that can be done. I love my family, and I wish I could see all of them every week. I can hardly realise now that you was here last fall. Oh if it were possible to see you all again.

Grandfather Layton had a strong faith in Christ and an enviable peace in his heart as his life on this earth draws to a close. He died the following month, February 10, 1897, in Stratford, Hamilton County, Iowa. I feel a strong spiritual connection, through my faith in Christ, to this grandfather I’ve never met. In his New Year’s Day letter, he writes, “I hope dear children, you will be ready at anytime you are called and not fail.” Subsequent generations would drift slightly away from the Lord, but in his grace, the Father would draw them back and into the faith. His granddaughter, my grandmother, accepted Christ on her deathbed, and received the “Assurance” Grandfather Layton writes of in his December 30th letter. Attending church and Bible study were not encouraged or discourage in my mother’s family and yet, my mother, his great granddaughter, accepted Christ as a young girl, after she started attending church at the invitation of a classmate. I had the blessing of knowing Christ through my mother’s teaching and prayers. The Bible tells us that we do not teach our children the ways of our Lord in vain:

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. ~ Deuteronomy 11:18-21

Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD. ~ Psalm 34:11

I had fellow believers share their despair that their children have drifted away from their faith in Christ. To them I would offer the following encouragement, never give up, continue to pray for them, asking the Lord to continually called to their children and seek them out, draw them near, and encourage their hearts to return to him.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Picnic In The Park

Our church had our annual picnic last Sunday. There were plenty of activities for all ages. There were jump houses, games and face painting for the kids, & a concert featuring Jeff Anderson and Esterlyn in the Julia Davis Park Band Shell.

One of the highlights of the picnic is the water baptism that was conducted in the Boise River. The river banks were lined with hundreds of people, those who are being baptized and those who were there to support and cheer them on. Baptism is an outward sign of a decision that is made in the heart, a decision to accept the gift of salvation that Christ has offered to each one of us.

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. Romans 6:3-5

Baptism is a picture of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Into the water is death & burial and coming out of the water represents Christ’s resurrection new body and new life.


You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:26-28

Carpenter's Cross Ministries - 20 Years

The sign in the front of the chapel read “Congratulations”, and congratulations were definitely due. In 1987 God launched the next step in his plan for the world. He decided to send a clown to tell his children around the world of his love for them and his desire to save them. Sometimes this clown would wear a red wig, blue overalls and make up, sometimes not. 20 years ago Sue Carpenter accepted his call and left the security of her home, family and position as a Children’s Pastor to trek out into the unknown. She gave the name of Carpenter’s Cross Ministries to this work.

Since that time, God has sent Sue to many nations; Belarus, Cambodia, India, Australia, Mexico, to name a few, to teach the children, and children’s workers about God’s love, & Christ Salvation. Sometimes Sue has slept on dirt floors, sometimes soft beds, sometimes those beds included spiders. Throughout her travels the message God has given her to share is always the same, God loves you, Christ died for you, make him a part of your life, and accept the gift that has been offered to you.

As the work became greater, God sent Carolyn Boyd to help her with this work. Together they’ve spread God’s love and his message throughout the world. Sue and Carolyn remind me of another great missionary pair.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13:2&3

Many times throughout the past 20 years, Sue and Carolyn have been sent off to do the work that God has called them to do. Congratulations to Carpenter’s Cross Ministries for the impact and blessings you given the children of the world. May the next 20 years be filled with many more blessings and success.

The Acorn Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

We spent last weekend at a family reunion. It was nice to see family members who I’d not seen in a while and in some cases I’d never actually met. This was my grandma’s family and she used to go into great detail on the coming and going of her clan. This meant I knew all of the names, but not necessary the faces. My aunt is very into family history and I must admit that I’ve also some researching of the family tree; Any Stuarts or Laytons out there? My interest stems more from my love of history. History seems to come more to life for me when I connect my ancestors into it. That earthly lineage provides a connection for me that spans the centuries.

We also have a spiritual lineage that is offered to us through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:4-6 tells us:


In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

In love, God has adopted us through his grace, through his Son. This glorious gift is “freely given” to all us. Thanks you God, for this wonderful gift.