It’s not uncommon to hear people talk about wanting to change the world—whatever that may mean. The truth is that change happens when hearts are changed, one heart at a time. That’s the lesson of A Call to Grandparenting: Lessons Learned on Papa’s Pond by Mark Adcock. I recommended this book to you a few weeks ago. Now, with Grandparents’ Day just around the corner, I thought it would be good to hear directly from the author about the relationship with his grandfather and the impact his life had on Mark.

I believe the lessons of this story will both inspire and motivate you to stay the course and not lose heart. I pleased to be able to share Mark thoughts with you this week.

[Mark Adcock] What has happened to the institution of the family? In just a few short decades, we have seen the average American family change drastically. And in my opinion, the changes have been devastating. Depending upon what polls you read, nearly 50% of the children of this country will go to bed tonight with no father in the home. Most sociologists say that we cannot even begin to predict what this breakdown of the family will do to our culture over the next two generations. But almost all agree that the impact on our nation will be devastating. Even more concerning to me, is the impact that this will have upon the church and the faith of our children and grandchildren.

In short, the breakdown of the family has led me to ask the question, “What can we in the church do to assure that our children grow up with a love for the Lord and a sense of moral responsibility to the family?” When I began to personalize this question and ask myself how I can do my part, I had to acknowledge that I am but one person and may well be powerless to change America. But I do have the ability to at least affect one family, my own. And if enough of us will join this grassroots effort, with God’s help, we can change America. After all, Philippians 4:13 says that “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

As I pondered how I might shape the future of my family tree, I had to ask myself, “What was it in my childhood that profoundly influenced by character, my choices and my faith?” In each of these areas there was one relationship that seemed to impact me more than any other. It was my relationship with my maternal grandfather.

A Call to Grandparenting: Lessons Learned on Papa’s Pond is a heartwarming collection of stories about how one ordinary man, my Papa, with an extraordinary love for his grandson, me, led to a lifelong pursuit of God and faith. It is my story. Surrounding the stories is an abundance of practical lessons designed to help any grandparent become intentional in their call to live out Deuteronomy 4:9 which says, “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children…”

In April of 1999, I stood beside my grandfather’s grave and thanked God for his life and for the investment he made in me. I promised myself that one day I would write our story. For many years I procrastinated often using the excuse that I was not a writer. But in the summer of 2011 I was blessed to become a grandfather for the first time.

As I sat in the waiting room awaiting the arrival of my first grandchild, my mind was flooded with amazing memories of my grandfather. My granddaughter, Harper Joy Adcock, was born on July 15^th, 2011. The next day I sat down and began to put my story on paper. By the time Warner Press picked up the rights to the manuscript and published it, my second grandchild, Landon Ernest Alder was born. And just three months ago, God added to our blessing with another grandson, Lincoln Mark Adcock.

Over the past several years I have come to realize how desperate the world and the church are for godly men and women, who have a mature relationship with the Lord, to speak into the lives of the next generations. A Call to Grandparenting is simply this man’s feeble attempt to change the world…one grandchild at a time. You are invited to join me in this great calling!

Share Your Story: How has a grandparent impacted your life? What are you doing to impact your grandchildren—one grandchild at a time?