My little girl became a Christian a few days ago. October 28, 2010. What a blessed day. A day of rejoicing and a day of answered prayer!
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| This is a picture of her right after she got saved. Look at the joy on that little face :) |
Over the past several months Rylie has been begging me to go to heaven. Probably everyday we got into some sort of discussion about Jesus and it would always end the same way. She would say things like "mom, I just want to go to heaven to see Jesus" and "please mom, I really really want to go!" Staying true to her drama queen nature, she would even work herself up to tears sometimes. This brought forth a few conflicting emotions in me: joy that she has such childlike faith, uncertainty on how to deal with this, and probably the most instant feeling was fear.
I felt fear that she's too young for me to tell her how to get to heaven. Can a 4 year old truly comprehend salvation? I wanted it to be her decision and not a coached one. I felt fear that I wouldn't know how to explain it right. Then there's the fear that if she kept begging to go to heaven that God would decide to give her that wish. Which gets down to the ultimate fear of letting go of control of your child and putting them completely in God's hands.
Well the other night before bed we were having prayer time and Ry began to beg again to go to heaven. Subconsciously, I think up to this point, the fear of losing my girl overshadowed my need to tell her how she can actually get to heaven. I would just say things like "someday we'll go to heaven" or "it's up to God to decide when we get to go."
So on this night I gave in and finally said, "did you know there's only one way to get to heaven?"
"How mom?"
"If you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and and you ask him to come and forgive you of those sins and live in you, then you will go to heaven someday."
Then she said what I was afraid she was going to say, "okay I want to do that now! I really really want to mom. I want to go to heaven and be with Jesus."
(Wince) Please Lord don't take her from me!
After some more explanation and lot's of "are you sure's???" Eric prayed with her.
She prayed slowly and surely (very out of character) and was beaming from head to toe afterward. My heart lept. Rylie is in the Kingdom of Heaven. Her name is in the Book of Life.
After calming down a little she said, "Okay, now Austyn has to do it too."
She has been very concerned about Austyn's salvation ever since.
My girl said her prayer so confidently and with so much emotion. She knew what she had just done and it showed on her face. She was beaming. A 4 year old knows. She may not have all the answers yet, but I truly believe she is a Christian. I knew the Holy Spirit had been speaking to her, my fears had just been getting in the way.
I don't know if she will remember it as the moment she was born again. But, I will. I hope throughout her life she will be continually reminded of her need of a Savior and will always feel that intense childlike love for the Lord that she does right now.
I'm proud to say that Austyn has been evangelized to many times and even led in a prayer that included a lot of jibberish followed by a matter-of-fact "Anen!"
If you were saved at a young age like this I would love to hear your experience. Do you truly believe that was your salvation experience? Do you remember it?
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
7 comments:
Wow. What a beautiful thing! I love your little girls and praise God for the work he is doing in their precious hearts!
My Grandma Jost prayed with us all at a very young age. I was probably around Ry's age. It was when I was baptized in middle school that I truly understood what it all meant. I new I was going to heaven because Jesus was in my heart, but when I was that young that's all I really understood. That's great that Ry did and Gavin asks a lot too about going to heaven and seeing his great grandparents. Especially since he never met his great grandpa Jost. I love how their little minds work.
Great post, I was hoping you'd share Ry's asking Jesus into her heart in more detail. I needed to hear how others are dealing with their small kids asking these hard questions. :)
Oh Tam- this is very sweet. I'm so glad God has given her a desire to know Jesus. God has also given her two awesome parents that know Jesus and can show her what it means to follow Him. Love ya!
Tami: Shane just recently became a Christian as well. I have been praying for several weeks for Shane's salvation understanding it may be awhile since he is a young child. We talk about praying/talking to God. He asked me if Jesus was standing right beside him and I said Jesus will always be with you if you ask Him into your heart. So he asked me can you help me do that? I had many questions running through my head then as well. But, I went ahead and had him repeat a prayer saying that he was sorry for the things he has done wrong and that he wants Jesus in His heart and for Jesus to be in charge of his life. I worried too that he was too young, but I was very young as well. I went to a private Christian school and they had an assembly about how Jesus takes away your sins and saves you if you ask him. So I prayed that prayer (without any adult help). I believe I was saved then and that the Holy Spirit entered me at that young age. Looking back I can see that many of my questions and thoughts were indeed the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life to help me grow spiritually. God is faithful to a little child's prayer. They may not understand all the doctrine and so forth but knowing all the doctrine isn't what saves you either. Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." I have decided to trust that just as God was faithful to my simple childhood prayer, he will be faithful to Shane's as well as your daughter's. Congratulations!
Erika Pritchett
Oh Tam, that just made me cry. That is so sweet and the biggest answer to prayer as a mom and dad. You'll have to show her this blog one day down the road.
Oh, sweet Ry! Welcome to the family of God! This is wonderful news! Tami, I totally understand those feelings about not wanting your little girls in heaven yet. Alayna has told me she would like to go to heaven soon so she can give Jesus a hug and it just pulls so many emotions out of me. We dedicated our children to the Lord for a reason...to say "she is Yours" but then I find myself wanting to ask God to never test me on that. This was also good for me to read and then look at my life and see whether I am even close to living a life that might help point my girls to Christ....I've got some work to do!
Tam - I was 5. I know I was saved but making that REAL LIFE relationship decision didn't happen for me until later in life...probably about age 20 for me when I threw all caution to the wind & realized that there's SO MUCH more to salvation than a prayer. Trust, faith, hope, joy...it all became so much more real to me. When Jesus became more than just my Saviour, but my ALL IN ALL...
I'm so glad for you that you were able to be such a big part of Ry's "coaching" keep it up & she won't be 20 when the relationship part finally hits home!!! :)
Stacie Koth
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