Joy

Sorry about bombarding you with the whole 2-blogs-in-one-day thing, but I just had to share this moment before its imprint left my heart.

Tonight after our mid-week prayer service was over and most people had left, I walked back into the sanctuary to find my husband and tell him I was heading home. I found him talking to an 8 year old girl from our children's ministry & her mom in the front pew. As I got closer and sat down 2 rows behind them (trying not to make too much noise as to disturb them), I heard them discussing this little girls desire to be baptized.

First of all, that right there brings joy to my heart because this little girl was making the biggest, most important decision she will EVER make in her entire life. I'm getting a little teary-eyed even now, just like I do whenever I witness someone actually getting baptized, because I know the blessing it is to follow Christ and serve Him with your life. I pray that this little girl, although she thinks she understands and probably does understand (at least to the best of her ability right now) what it will mean to follow Christ, will come to know this overwhelming joy more fully as she grows up.

This moment blessed me in a second way because she asked Brett to be the one to baptize her. What an honor! As many of you know, Brett was the full-time children's minister at the church for a year and half in addition to being an intern and working with the young kids before that. When moments like this happen, it seems to validate all the things that he has been helping teach them and it shows that he is producing fruit in his ministry. I am so honored, as I know Brett is, that this little girl (along with 3 or 4 other kids before her) asked him to be the one to participate in this important day!

Finally, just to hear the way Brett spoke to her made me smile. His voice was so gentle and loving. His words expressed how proud he was of her for making such and important decision. He told her the truth, ever so tenderly, about how this was going to change her life forever.

I just had to share how blessed I was to witness this conversation and how proud I am of my husband for making such an impact on these little lives. It makes me excited for the future and our hopes of raising children to love Christ and follow Him with everything they have!