By Chuck Bentley

According to a story released by the Associated Press, A western Illinois couple recently celebrated the birth of their 100th grandchild. You heard that correctly—number 100.

Leo and Ruth Zanger of Quincy have 53 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. The birth of great-grandson Jaxton Leo on April 8 made the number 100.

Like me, you may be wondering how many children it took to achieve this impressive supersized family tree. The Zangers have been married 59 years and have 12 children. The youngest, 31-year-old Joe, was already an uncle ten times when he was born.

How do they explain this? Leo Zanger tells The Quincy Herald-Whig “the good Lord has just kept sending them.” He says the family “could start our own town.”

Do they have too many? Not according to Ruth Zanger, who says “there’s always room for one more.”

Most of the family live in the Quincy area. When they get together, they rent a church hall and it takes 50 pounds of ham or ten turkeys to feed everyone.

I love this story because God loves families. One of the primary reasons young people say they are delaying marriage and having fewer children today is that they believe they cannot afford it. However, the data tells a different story.

Marriage improves your net worth. Fathers earn more than their single counterparts, and healthy marriages and strong families are the backbone of a nation.

So my hat is off to the Zangers. I thank God for your large family, and may you continue to be fruitful and multiply as the Lord keeps sending you more.

Originally posted 6/17/2015.