Sisters in Christ

"Mom, I don't want to be baptized."

"That is ok, you don't have too." End of subject.

That was several months ago.

Ladybug and I have had some great conversations lately and I mentioned to Chris that she is getting close.

Now from the mom perspective, I was very cautious not to push her or persuade her. I know it is my job to teach her and she loves to learn and she soaks up the information.

But this is a huge decision and I wanted no part of it to come from me and my desire for her.

If you would have asked her, she would have said, yes, Jesus lives in my heart. I didn't talk about taking the next step and praying the prayer or baptism. I had no doubt in her heart she knew Jesus.

So I just sat back and waited.

Oh, so many conversations about good decisions and bad decisions.

When the subject came up, we talked about people who don't believe in Jesus. I wanted to make sure she knows that there are people who choose to believe other things.

This is a personal decision. This is what you choose to believe. This is your faith for so many of the unknowns in life.

Then Thursday, the note came home from school about this boy that she reached out to.

Then Friday, she jumped in the car and was so charged up because sitting in the pickup line, where they couldn't talk, this boy said that he was bigger than God. Ladybug jumped in the car and almost ran back out to her teacher to let her know that this boy didn't "know God". She needed to tell him that God was bigger than him and that he couldn't beat God. "We need to invite him to church," she said.

Then Sunday night 3/14/10 we finished reading our books, got Batman to sleep and I tucked her into bed. She has memorized 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind.... and we say it each night before bed and we are memorizing Psalms 23. As we were reciting our verses, she just looked at me and said, "I want to get baptized."

So we talked some about what it means and why she wants to do it. I have a book that I have been holding onto that walks you through John 3:16 and we read that, even though I know she knows it and can break the whole verse down for you and tell you what it means.

Maybe we should have prayed then, but I told her this was a big decision and I wanted her to think about it. Then I wanted her to talk to daddy about it. So we left it there and went to sleep.

Monday she got up and went to school. I picked her up and she said mom, I want to take my bible to school tomorrow. I asked her why and she said she needed to read a verse to her friend. She found out today that he goes to church but she said that "he just doesn't get it".

We got home and I sat down at the desk and she came into the living room and said "mom, I am ready to pray."

I stopped everything and we walked in her room and sat down and she prayed. With no prompting or guidance from me....

"God, please forgive me of my sins. I want Jesus to live in my heart forever."

" Mom are you crying?"

Then we prayed together. I was so proud of her. I told her she needed to talk to daddy.

I quietly told Chris when he got home.

He just smiled.

I didn't mention it again and we all ate dinner and cleaned up together and then the kids and I sat to read books. "Mom, can I go talk to dad now"?

So I let her go by herself for a few minutes before I joined them. Her and daddy talked.

I could see the wetness in his eyes.

We are both so proud of her. The faith of a little one is so pure. And the amazing thing is she really gets it. We teach our kids so much these days at church and at home about things and concepts that I didn't even get as an adult.

We are saved by God's grace. He has a plan for all of us. We all sin, God created us that way but he loves us anyways. Kids are a perfect example of this, they strive to do the right thing but it is so easy to not to. God loves us anyways.