Forever changed....

The hub's and I had one the proudest moments as parents yesterday (1/15/12).  We go to kinda of a large church so once a month they have a worship and communion night as a whole congregation.  This month's was created specifically for families.  They had exciting, loud worship music (don't want to sound ancient but it was loud :) ).  They had hilarious skits and fun science experiments.  The underlying theme of the evening was the phrase. "Out with the old, and in with the new."  All evening they spent time explaining about how God sent Jesus to earth to make us new again.  He wants to take the "garbage" out of our lives and replace it with a new, clean creation.  After all the fun they had us take time as families for a devotional.  We put the stages of a caterpillar in order for Brynn and Bella put the verse we were studying in the right order.  We read the story of Zacchaeus and then discussed the story.  Some of the questions were Would you climb a tree to Jesus?  Zacchaeus cheated people out of money.  How did he make it right?  What are some things that you need to make right?  What are some areas of your life you'd like to see God make "new?"  What does it mean to you to become new?

After the last question our family discussed asking Jesus in to our heart and how He comes inside of you and makes you new again.  I told Bella if she ever wants to say that prayer and ask Jesus into her heart she just has to ask.  Actually, I've probably said this to her a couple of times over the last year but she never really brings it up again.  I just didn't want her praying it because it seemed like the right thing or because everyone else was.  I also wanted to make sure she really understood the concept and the step she was taking.  I think The Chapel did an awesome job the whole night explaining this concept and putting it in a way even a 5 year old could understand.  So this night was different, I truly felt she was ready.  So when she followed up with us again and said she wanted to pray that prayer.  The hub's and I happily prayed with her.  One of the proudest moments as parents for us. :)

We are so proud of you Bella and pray that your relationship with Christ continues to blossom over the rest of your life.  May you turn to him when trials come and praise Him when blessings come your way.  So thankful you won't be doing life alone, but with our Lord and Savior by your side, and us too of course! :)

Wanted to post these videos too.  The first is of a couple of the wonderful leaders of our church in a, umm, different light.  They were having a time of improv Bible story time.  So they acted out the story of Zacchaeus but had to act however another leader directed them to.  So he asked them to perform the story as pirates.  It was one of the funniest things I've seen at our church.  I recorded a little clip. :)

The last video is of the last song they performed that night.  This was immediately after the family devotional time and when Bella prayed the prayer that changed her life forever!  Such a beautiful memory.  Hard to see but Brynn and Bella are in the center in green dresses.  Couldn't have ended with a more appropriate song. :)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

2 Corinthians 5:17