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Above and Beyond the Greatest Gifts - Wholly Loved - October 23


Above and Beyond the Greatest Gift

By Kristen Terrette

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1

Have you ever witnessed a near-death experience? Watched someone deliver CPR to a lifeless body? Or administer the Heimlich maneuver on a choking victim?

Once a large, chalky pill got lodged in my throat, and it was terrifying. I was in the bedroom by myself. I couldn’t scream, much less breathe. I began to knock on my stomach while bent over, while my lungs felt ready to explode, and with everything in me, forced out a cough.

Praise God, my meager efforts dislodged the medication. As it hit the floor and I took a reviving breath, tears flowed down my face. I was relieved yet shaken by the knowledge that I’d almost died. I’m certain paltry efforts while choking couldn’t have worked on their own. God saved me.

This experience made me contemplate salvation and how, through Christ, God rescued us from death and brought us spiritual life. But unlike an emergency responder, God doesn’t save us then return to the fire station or rush off to the next emergency.

He welcomes us into His family and adopts us as His children, making us heirs to His royal and eternal Kingdom. Do you see how deeply God goes loves us? If your earthly father has disappointed, hurt, or abandoned you, you now have a Father who will never fail, injure, or leave you. If you’ received Jesus as you Savior, thank the One who saved you and calls you His precious child.

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Kristen Terrette is passionate about storytelling and helping people take their next steps in their relationship with Jesus. She lives forty-five minutes outside of Atlanta, GA. She served as a Children's Ministry Director for many years, and with the support of her husband and two children, she now stays home writing Christian fiction and non-fiction. She also serves on the women's leadership team at her local church and writes for Crosswalk and Wholly Loved Ministries. You can check out her articles and novels at www.kristenterrette.com.

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Originally published Wednesday, 23 October 2024.

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