Stabs of Joy

This weekend we went home for my family's annual Christmas get together.  While we were there, we visited my brother's church, Simpsonville First Baptist.  We often visit this church when we are home visiting family.  This is a great church that is working mightily for the kingdom of Christ.  Every time we attend we walk away feeling challenged and charged!  This past Sunday the service consisted of church members standing up and telling their "Stab of Joy" for the 2010 year.  Each speaker was given approx. 3-5 mins to tell about a blessing they received or a new path that has been revealed in their Christian walk this year.  These stories from complete strangers touched my soul and have inspired me to begin a new Christmas tradition in our family.  This is my "Stab of Joy".........


Yesterday morning I was on the phone with my best friend arranging a babysitting swap in order to complete my last minute Christmas shopping.  As we were going over our schedules for the next few days we began discussing her children's upcoming baptism.  SG (with her selective superior hearing) overheard my comments concerning this joyous event and began to pepper me with questions as soon as I hung up the phone.  I calmly answered her questions about who, what, when, and why despite feeling the urge to apply a little pressure in hopes that she might respond with a desire to be saved as well (not the best approach to use with her).  I then proceeded to finish cleaning the kitchen and retire to my room to get ready for the day.
As I was taking a shower (sorry if that is TMI) SG comes into the bathroom and tells me that T asked Jesus into his heart.  I was stunned and could not get out of the shower fast enough (again sorry about TMI).


SG was given a book called What God Has Always Wanted by Charles F. Boyd, by some dear sweet friends of ours several years ago.  We have been reading this book to her and T periodically from the time they were toddlers.  It clearly outlines the simple gospel message for children from Genesis through Revelation and has a prayer of salvation in the back.  After my conversation on the phone, SG was telling T about their friends' baptism and he said he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart.  SG remembered the prayer in the back of the book, found the book, and read the prayer to T while he repeated it.  Then they came and told me.  I quickly hopped out of the shower, dressed, and gathered them on my bed so that I could ask them some basic question about what it means to believe in Jesus and to be saved and then prayed the prayer of salvation with them. 


They then had questions about the age of accountability and how to live like a Christian.  I could not believe the spiritual depth they had for ones so young in age and faith!!!  Fortunately God had prepared me that morning during my quiet time to answer exactly those questions.  I read the third chapter of Colossians and just happened to outline how to put on the clothes of Christ.  WOW!  Again my breathe was taken away by God and His tender mercies.  Not only did He answer the prayer I have been praying from the moment I conceived, but He prepared me in advance to begin my children on their spiritual walk.


God will always equip us with everything we need, He awaits anxiously to bless us beyond our wildest dreams, and He is ALWAYS right on time!!!  Thank you God for loving me, for loving my children, and for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to make things right between us so that we would not have to be separated from You and Your love forever.