Landry prayed to accept Jesus into her heart tonight! Several weeks ago I started asking her at bedtime if she could tell me how we can know we'll go to heaven. I was a little surprised that first night to hear her stumble around and mention things about doing good things and that when we die God just takes us up to heaven. It was a great reminder to me that even though I feel so intentional about surrounding my kids with scripture, prayer, and a biblical worldview, something that fundamentally simple, but profoundly important can slip through the cracks. Wow! So every so often I would ask her again and we'd have great conversations. I would remind her about the simple truth found in the Bible about believing what Jesus did on the cross and choosing to follow him. One question would lead to the next. She always asked really thoughtful, deep questions.
Tonight I did it again and she was closer, but I still wanted to hammer it home. I knew she truly did believe in the cross and desired to follow Jesus so I asked her if she was ready to pray. She politely declined saying she might when she was older. It eventually came out that she was a little unsure how she would be or how she would feel after praying such a prayer. She was concerned that it would mean she would have to be perfect and have a higher standard for life and she just wasn't sure she could do that. I thought that was such a sweet concern. I reassured her that she would be the same girl, but would have God's power in her to help her have the ability to love more, have peace, patience, etc. Then she was concerned about having "power" in her and what that would look like. I told her it was perfectly fine if she wanted to wait if she wasn't quite ready. She asked if I thought she would still have enough time before she died. She's aware of hell now and I know that idea certainly scares her. I told her of course she would have plenty of time and that God knows her heart. I left for a minute to grab my phone (she was dying to see a picture of a real heart after all this heart talk) and when I came back she told me she'd just been getting ready to pray to God! I asked her if she'd like me to join her and she said yes. So together we prayed and I listened with tears in my eyes as she poured her sweet heart out to her Lord and Savior. I pray I'll never forget that moment. She told God she loved him and that she wanted to do what He wanted. She thanked Jesus for dying on the cross and erasing the bad things she does. Then she told God that she loves Him 200, 000 billion million. When we finished she had the biggest smile on her face and was on a cloud. I had told her how special it is to ask Jesus into your heart as a young child because you have that much longer to love Him and get to know him. She was so happy and just radiating, even in the dark of her room.
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of this precious girl. Thank you that she knows you and loves you and truly desires to live a life for you. Please make yourself real to her. I pray she would develop a real and personal relationship with you all her life. I pray this decision would take root deeply and firmly in her heart. Please protect her and draw her near to you. To you be the praise and glory!
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