My grandparents loved the Lord and passed that heritage down through the family. They immigrated from Sweden to Chicago as members of the Swedish Evangelical Free Church. In the final days of Alzheimer's my grandma forgot everything from her life except her Swedish, hymns, and above all her love of Jesus. My Dad carried on that faith and with courage and gregarious affection for Christ and others left a heritage of faith for me. During our 11th move, and 10 years after my dad's death, I held a book in my hands. One I had never seen before. With awe, I beheld a 1934 hymn book, "Worship and Praise," property of the First Swedish Evangelical Free Church of Chicago, IL.
Reverently I looked through the familiar hymns and almost cried seeing a hymn about heaven penciled on the back page by one of my grandparents. My dad was born in my grandparent's older years, therefore they died when I was very young but I knew of their testimony. Yet this hymn book was a tangible gift of their faith being passed down. Without my knowledge, my Dad had cherished this book enough for it to end up in my possession decades later. I cherish books and the history they represent even more valuable when that history is personal carrying the most important message of all, Jesus' love and all the treasure of Heaven.
by Ali Guldseth
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