"He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age." Ruth 4:15

There he was, big brown eyes, brown curly hair, and a look of bewilderment on his face as he was plopped down on the floor in front of me for the very first time. This little 7 month old guy was so adorable I couldn't resist the urge to reach my arms out to him to see if he would come to me. I fully expected him to resist, having just met me, but he smiled and lifted his arms towards me. As I swept him up off the floor and into my arms I told myself not to fall in love with him because my son was just recently dating this little guy's mother. "Don't give your heart yet", my head told me. But, my heart was already in trouble. I could just feel it.

My son eventually married the little guy's mother and since that day I have been enjoying every single benefit of being a grandmother. There has been babysitting, sleepovers, hide and seek, story time, hugs and snuggles, and best of all, seeing him put his faith and trust in Jesus as his Savior. He was even baptized by my husband AKA Papa T. All the benefits of of being a part of the family are now his. This beautiful boys name is Cayden.

Reading through the book of Ruth recently, I was reminded that "biology" doesn't make you a family, but pure Godly love does!! Naomi had a daughter in law, Ruth who vowed to stay with her mother in law even though her husband, Naomi's son, had passed away. Ruth eventually remarried and had a son of her own. Naomi became the official grandmother to Ruth's son. She was not the biological grandmother of this boy, but he became her "restorer of life and nourisher of her old age". (Ruth 4:15) All of the benefits of having a grandchild were hers through this child. (plus it put her right into the lineage of Jesus)

That's exactly how I feel about my grandson Cayden. You see, Cayden isn't biologically related to me, but he has most definitely been grafted into my heart and soul from the moment I met him. He's almost 14 years old now. He still likes to hang out with me and his Papa T. He once told me that he would take care of me in my old age and that I could always come to live with him. Isn't that the sweetest?

Friend, the same is true when we put our faith and trust in Jesus. God reaches his arms toward us and welcomes us into His family. We can enjoy all the benefits of being a child of God. From the moment He stretches His arms to us and we reach back to Him in faith, allowing Him to pick us up and carry us through life, we are forever grafted into His heart and He in ours. If you want to be a part of this family, God is stretching HIs arms to you right now. Won't you reach back to Him? He will be the restorer of life and nourisher of your soul.