Our Family Verse

By Debby Giusti

May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you. ~ Psalm 33:22

“Let’s donate a stained glass window,” my husband said some years ago when our church was being renovated. Parishioners were asked to fund various upgrades, which included the side windows in the main sanctuary. As a military family, we had traveled the world, and after putting down roots in Georgia when my husband retired from active duty, we wanted to give back to our welcoming parish.

A stained glass window seemed the perfect way to express our gratitude for the Lord’s blessings as well as for the community that had so warmly accepted us into their church family.

Selecting our Verse

Part of the donation process included choosing a Scripture to be incorporated into the beautiful glass. We enlisted the children’s help, and all five of us poured over our Bibles, looking for the perfect verse to express our trust in the Lord. After a great deal of deliberation, we picked Psalm 33:22, “May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you.” Much to the children’s delight, we quickly claimed the line from scripture as our personal family Bible verse.

Little did we realize how often Psalm 33:22 would appear in the daily readings. Over the years, whether proclaimed by the Lector at Mass or prayed privately during our morning reflections, the verse has always brought a smile to our lips. It gives us a sense of connection with the Lord as if he was reminding us of his loving presence.

The Lord’s Providence

Our ever-faithful God has supported us in times of joy as well as in times of struggle. He has listened to our supplications and responded to our needs. From high school graduations and college acceptances to job offers and marriages, the Lord has guided us at every stage of our lives.

The children are grown now with families of their own, yet the verse on our stained glass window remains a visual reminder of God’s unconditional love and mercy. We continue to place our trust—our hope—in Him.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for your many blessings, for protecting our family from harm, and for keeping all of us in your care. Continue to direct our steps according to your Holy Will so when our earthly time is over we can follow you into Eternal Glory.

Call to Action

Are you looking for a special way to connect with the Lord, either personally or as a family? My suggestion is to choose a scripture that gives meaning to your life. If you have children, enlist their help with the selection process so the verse is relevant to the entire family, both young and old.