What A Day!!

This morning was set to be a special morning. While Trinity had already talked to Pastor Jerry and Pastor Scott about her decision to follow Jesus as her Savior, we felt that she also needed to do the "official" thing and go down in front of the church during our service's invitation. In our church, kids from kindergarten through second grade leave the service early for a Kids' Worship time, so she was not familiar with the invitation part of the service. She couldn't understand why she had to go up front and tell Past Jerry what she had already told him.

We told Trinity that it was simply a way to show the whole church that she had made a special decision. There would be a special time at the end when she would walk up. We expected that it would flow as it usually did - Trinity would go up and tell of her decision and then she would be taken with an Encourager to talk through her decision. However, it didn't go that way.

Pastor Jerry concluded his sermon and invited anyone who had made a decision to come forward. We had told him as we came into church that she would be coming forward, so he was "expecting" her. Trinity heard the words, "If anyone has made a decision . . ." and she was gone. We actually called her back and told her to simply wait until he had finished talking. She walked up, so boldly, so unfazed, all on her own. Pastor Jerry bent down on one knee and smiled at her. He asked her if anything had changed and she said no. Then he simply asked her to sit back on the front pew.

As the invitation song concluded (after another child came forward - praise God) and Pastor Jerry invited her back up to the front. He told her story to the whole church - that she had made a decision to invite Jesus as her Savior. We then were greeted by most of the church as they filed by to congratulate her. It was so precious to be encouraged by our church family. (We kind of expected to do that next week after she was baptised.) Many of these families have been around us since her birth, so their support has meant a lot over the years.

Throughout the whole thing and as she has told many people, one response has stood out to us. Craig was standing next to her as she told our associate pastor, Pastor Michael. He said (something along the lines of), "It is wonderful to see God working in your life." What an amazing way to keep the focus on God, not on something she did.

Next Sunday is her baptism. We are greatly looking forward to celebrating with friends and family. All day today, she has been saying, "This is the best day ever. I know I keep saying that, but it is." What a wonderful and precious gift God has allowed us to be a part of.