It was a beautiful spring day and we were ready for an adventure. We decided to go walking through the woods to see what we could discover. We saw beautiful pink and yellow lady slippers that stood eloquently amongst the green of the forest. The chipmunks and squirrels amused us with their antics.

I was looking up at a beautiful and majestic pine tree that had a nest in it. I noticed the baby birds peeking out into the world and waiting for the nourishment that their mother would soon bring them. I tripped and I fell in a big heap on the forest floor. My friends were laughing at me and than all of sudden we saw it…. It glittered in the afternoon sunlight. The glimmer of gold specks caught our eye and we were silent for a moment as we weighed the possibility in our mind that we had stumbled upon this rare treasure. At that moment we knew that we had discovered gold and that our lives would never again be the same.

We lugged the precious gem back to our house, we took turns carrying it. The excitement and anticipation of showing Mom and Dad what we had found in the forest filled us with the giddiness that only fifth grade girls can produce.

Dad and Mom tried ever so gently to tell us that our precious find might be fool’s gold but we were convinced that it was the real thing. Dad knew someone who could perform a test on our rock for us and he agreed to have that done as soon as possible.

We dreamed about all of the things that we could buy and do with the gold that we knew we had found….. Our dreams of fortune quickly faded when Dad came home to tell us that our rock was fool’s gold.

I chuckle as I remember my adventure from long ago. I have since discovered that there are things more important than finding gold. My life has been filled with precious moments that are now priceless memories.

I know that even though I did not find gold that day, I have the most "rare treasure" in my life. You see long ago, my parents knew the best gift that they could give me was to make sure that I knew Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I thank and praise the Lord everyday for the loving Christian parents that He gave me.

My prayer this day and always is that you have this gift that is worth far more than diamonds or gold. God is calling you, He has loved you long before you were even born. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:1-2

God’s greatest joy would be for you to walk with Him each day, and when you do your life will never again be the same.