Angels Rejoicing!!!!!!

I am super excited tonight!!!!  Our sweet Olivia gave her life to Christ!  The angels are still probably throwing a party!!  It makes me awe-filled when I think of our stories of how God woos us, saves us, has patience with us, and loves us!

Here was our tonight...normal day, normal turned up noses at our dinner: chicken pot pie, normal squeals of delight at some ice cream for dessert, normal bathtime...you get the picture...

Personally, I have been begging the Lord for some not-so-normal for a little while now. My "normal" can be trying to do things on my own, not relying on God, not having a passionate prayerlife, etc.  Nothing in me wants normal.  I want to be radically sold out for Christ.  Radically trusting Him.  Radically submitted and a source of support and encouragement for my sweet husband. Radically loving and patient with my children.  I can do nothing without him.  Sure, I can do "behavior modification" for myself or my children, but I do not want that at all.  I want what He wants.  He is an amazing God.  I have been wrestling through  that lately and trying to be aware of my self-reliance when I fall into that. 

So anyway (that was for you, Carrie!), back to our "normal" night...Olivia was pestering Austin trying to beat him to the stool to brush their teeth.  I hear them bickering as I give Eliana a breathing treatment.  Austin is trying to be patient with her and then comes in to me..."Mom, didn't you say for me to brush my teeth first and then help Olivia??"  Yes..."Olivia, come here, please..."

Olivia (as precious and free spirited and joyful as she is!!!) has had a bit of a new normal lately:  SIN.  She has been trying to antagonize, disobey, annoy her siblings to get a reaction, struggling with a lot of fear, etc.  Well, I sat there on the floor in Eliana's room, and just prayed to myself, "Lord, I have no idea what to do.  You need to help me.  This is so frustrating. (this has been happening a lot and obviously we haven't solved the problem)."  Well, I just started talking about sin, and how hard it has been for her lately, and then talked about how she had power over that if she gives her life to Jesus and trusts him for the forgiveness of her sins and relies on Him for her strength in that...

We just talked about the gospel...what it really meant that Jesus died for her sins...what it means to be forgiven...what it means to live to glorify God.  I told her (very seriously, b/c she tends to almost never be serious!) that this was the biggest decision she would ever make...she said she wanted to be a Christian, and wanted to pray with me! So, we did!  Sweet little her...oh, it brings tears just typing this!  She prayed so seriously and was SO EXCITED to be a Christian!  Daddy was gone, so we called him, and then she wanted to send out some texts to share her life change!

Here is a picture of my sweet girl...and my sister in Christ:

Father God, thank you so much for such a great, miraculous night.  Your grace is amazing to me.  Only through you, we can have peace, joy, love, forgiveness, kindness, repentance.  Thank you that Olivia is a Christ-follower!  I pray that she would follow you passionately and whole-heartedly ALL the days of her life.  I pray that she would obey you not out of obligation, but out of love.  I pray that she would have a deep relationship with you and that in the overflow of that, she would love others well and show them who you are. Thank you that tonight, she is a NEW creation!  I love you, sweet Jesus!!!