Grandma’s Legacy

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

—2 Timothy 1:5

Above all else, what we remember about Grandma Hybels was her faith. She prayed for us consistently and asked us pointedly where we were going to church and what we were learning from our Bible reading. She modeled for us her deep belief that faith is the center of everything.

At the heart of Grandma’s faith was servanthood. She didn’t want to be the center of attention. Even at the very end of her life, when she needed something from the nurses, she’d ask, “Would that be too much trouble for you?” They teased her and finally started telling her, “Jerry, this is about you!” She never, ever thought it was about her.

On the last afternoon Todd and I spent with her, she told us that all she wanted at the end of her life was to know that each of her children and grandchildren trusted Christ with their lives. I don’t think she cared a bit if we went to good colleges, or how we looked, or if we made a lot of money. She cared about our spiritual well-being and prayed fervently and consistently for each one of us.