New Birth #1

We want to share some very exciting news with you that we have been praying about since we first found out that we were expecting our first child. It is our greatest desire and prayer as parents to see our children put their trust in Jesus and make Him their greatest treasure in life. This past Saturday Samuel did just that.

In our family devotions through the book of Revelation (I know, leave it to Jonathan to pick an easy book) we had seen an increased uneasiness in Samuel as he began to comprehend the punishment that is due to those who do not trust in Jesus. On Saturday he said he wanted to trust in Jesus. Our kids could have easily said "the" salvation prayer long ago, but we have never pushed it, trusting that God would make it evident to us as parents when it was a genuine desire of their own. I put the other two kids down to bed while Jonathan took some more time with Samuel to work through some different questions and thoughts. After some more discussion and because of Samuel's feedback and responses it seemed that he truly wanted to put his trust in Jesus. It was such a precious moment to hear Samuel praying in his own words of confession "Jesus, I'm so very very sorry...I want to trust in you...thank you for dying on the cross and saving me."

When he came up the stairs a while later I gave him a great big hug and told him how happy and excited I was for him and he responded with, "and Jesus heard me!" It has been neat to talk about how Dr. Woelfel fixed Samuel's heart (in November), but how Jesus filled the whole in the middle of his heart. Our prayer since Saturday was that we would see evidences of a transformed heart. Samuel on several occasions has brought up the discussion of Jesus saving him and that has been reassuring for us as parents. We continue to preach the gospel to Samuel and trust that God will work out Samuel's salvation as he perseveres and grows in his knowledge of Him.

The angels are rejoicing and so are we!!