When I posted yesterday morning that going on the mission trip to the Navajo Nation was a positive influence on my own children, I really had no idea the full extent of that truth. By yesterday afternoon, my eyes were open real wide!
Jersey #2 Accepted Jesus as her Savior yesterday! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Her story is so precious (and so very different from her older sister). Our only "clue" that she was even starting to question things was a comment she made to The Referee when he went to tuck her into bed Monday night. She asked her Daddy if she had asked Jesus into her heart yet?, was she going to heaven?, and was her Daddy going to heaven? Her questions often catch him off guard, so I assured him I would follow up with her the next day.
When we had a chance to talk, I inquired further with Jersey #2 about her questions the night before and what was going on in her head (she is our "deep thinker" after all). She shared with me that she wanted to go to heaven, so she wanted to know how can she ask Jesus into her heart. So, I talked to her a little and asked her some questions so I could see where was her level of understanding. Did she know what sin was? Did she understand that she sins ("does bad things" in her words)? Everyone sins. No one is perfect (except God, she reminded me). There is a punishment for us not living up to God's standards.....eternity in Hell (she has known this answer for a long time, and boldly announced it to her AWANA Cubbies class when she was 3 years old). What is Hell, and why would we not want to go there? (This was where her amazing VBS teacher must have had the most impact--because Jersey #2 was very convinced that she did not want to go to Hell when she died, that she wanted to be in Heaven with God). Did she understand that God gives us a "way out" of that punishment? Jesus died on the cross for our sins, taking the punishment in our place. Why was Jesus able to do that? Because He is God, and only God is perfect, so only He could die in our place to cleanse us of our sins. Why would God do that for us? Because He loves us. Do you know that Jesus died for everyone's sins, so everyone has the ability to go to Heaven if they choose to accept Jesus? How do we know that Jesus is in Heaven? He rose again 3 days after his death. God loves everyone, and He wants all of us in heaven with him.
Jersey #2 asked me what does she do to get to go to Heaven? In VBS we teach the ABC's of salvation....Admit you are a sinner....Believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins....Confess your sins to God and ask forgiveness. In the adult world, we refer to this specific prayer as "The Sinner's Prayer." Some people wish it was the prayer itself that saves you--but it is the condition of your heart that really matters. I explained to Jersey #2 about praying to God to let Him know that she knew she was a sinner....that she knew Jesus died on the cross for her sins...and to ask for forgiveness of her sins and ask Jesus to come into her heart and help her make good choices. She was ready! She first asked if we could pray together. I told her that I would love to pray with her, and I would start by saying a prayer with her, and she could then continue with her own prayer. She liked that idea, so we held hands and I prayed for my little girl. She relaxed while I prayed, and I almost felt the strength and determination come over her. As soon as I finished praying, I looked up to her and asked if she wanted to pray. My bold, independent, doesn't-follow-the-crowd daughter, said she wanted to go to her room and pray to God by herself. With a "Thanks Mom," she turned and left me speechless!
A few minutes later, Jersey #2 returned from her room, wiping the tears from her eyes, and climbed into my lap and gave me a big hug. She continued to wipe tears while she talked to me about how she had talked to God. She then told me the history about how she had been thinking a lot about being saved, after her VBS teacher mentioned it that first day. She said she thought about it the whole car trip back, until we got to the airport. She stopped thinking about it for a while after the airport. Then, she started thinking about it again. I thought she had been ill on Monday, because she was so tired, sunken, and blah all day. Apparently, she was doing some heavy thinking! I cherish that moment of getting to sit and hold her and tell her how proud I was of her, and how big a decision that was. We talked briefly about being a Christian, and how the angels in heaven celebrate every time a new Christian is born. It didn't take long for the teary eyes to dry and the JOY to emerge! She wanted to tell her Daddy before telling anyone else, so we tried to call him at work. He was in a major meeting all day, so we had to wait until he came home to share the good news! Next on her list was to tell her Granny & PawPaw, because she thought they would be so happy for her. She wrote them a note. She spent the rest of the evening, smiling, singing, and dancing, celebrating the Victory!
Jersey #2 Accepted Jesus as her Savior yesterday! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Her story is so precious (and so very different from her older sister). Our only "clue" that she was even starting to question things was a comment she made to The Referee when he went to tuck her into bed Monday night. She asked her Daddy if she had asked Jesus into her heart yet?, was she going to heaven?, and was her Daddy going to heaven? Her questions often catch him off guard, so I assured him I would follow up with her the next day.
When we had a chance to talk, I inquired further with Jersey #2 about her questions the night before and what was going on in her head (she is our "deep thinker" after all). She shared with me that she wanted to go to heaven, so she wanted to know how can she ask Jesus into her heart. So, I talked to her a little and asked her some questions so I could see where was her level of understanding. Did she know what sin was? Did she understand that she sins ("does bad things" in her words)? Everyone sins. No one is perfect (except God, she reminded me). There is a punishment for us not living up to God's standards.....eternity in Hell (she has known this answer for a long time, and boldly announced it to her AWANA Cubbies class when she was 3 years old). What is Hell, and why would we not want to go there? (This was where her amazing VBS teacher must have had the most impact--because Jersey #2 was very convinced that she did not want to go to Hell when she died, that she wanted to be in Heaven with God). Did she understand that God gives us a "way out" of that punishment? Jesus died on the cross for our sins, taking the punishment in our place. Why was Jesus able to do that? Because He is God, and only God is perfect, so only He could die in our place to cleanse us of our sins. Why would God do that for us? Because He loves us. Do you know that Jesus died for everyone's sins, so everyone has the ability to go to Heaven if they choose to accept Jesus? How do we know that Jesus is in Heaven? He rose again 3 days after his death. God loves everyone, and He wants all of us in heaven with him.
Jersey #2 asked me what does she do to get to go to Heaven? In VBS we teach the ABC's of salvation....Admit you are a sinner....Believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins....Confess your sins to God and ask forgiveness. In the adult world, we refer to this specific prayer as "The Sinner's Prayer." Some people wish it was the prayer itself that saves you--but it is the condition of your heart that really matters. I explained to Jersey #2 about praying to God to let Him know that she knew she was a sinner....that she knew Jesus died on the cross for her sins...and to ask for forgiveness of her sins and ask Jesus to come into her heart and help her make good choices. She was ready! She first asked if we could pray together. I told her that I would love to pray with her, and I would start by saying a prayer with her, and she could then continue with her own prayer. She liked that idea, so we held hands and I prayed for my little girl. She relaxed while I prayed, and I almost felt the strength and determination come over her. As soon as I finished praying, I looked up to her and asked if she wanted to pray. My bold, independent, doesn't-follow-the-crowd daughter, said she wanted to go to her room and pray to God by herself. With a "Thanks Mom," she turned and left me speechless!
A few minutes later, Jersey #2 returned from her room, wiping the tears from her eyes, and climbed into my lap and gave me a big hug. She continued to wipe tears while she talked to me about how she had talked to God. She then told me the history about how she had been thinking a lot about being saved, after her VBS teacher mentioned it that first day. She said she thought about it the whole car trip back, until we got to the airport. She stopped thinking about it for a while after the airport. Then, she started thinking about it again. I thought she had been ill on Monday, because she was so tired, sunken, and blah all day. Apparently, she was doing some heavy thinking! I cherish that moment of getting to sit and hold her and tell her how proud I was of her, and how big a decision that was. We talked briefly about being a Christian, and how the angels in heaven celebrate every time a new Christian is born. It didn't take long for the teary eyes to dry and the JOY to emerge! She wanted to tell her Daddy before telling anyone else, so we tried to call him at work. He was in a major meeting all day, so we had to wait until he came home to share the good news! Next on her list was to tell her Granny & PawPaw, because she thought they would be so happy for her. She wrote them a note. She spent the rest of the evening, smiling, singing, and dancing, celebrating the Victory!
Here are a couple pictures of the VBS class and that amazing teacher who was able to reach Jersey #2!
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