It's My Birthday!!!!!

I'm 30 today!!!! Spiritually speaking, that is. Thirty years ago today I gave my life to Christ. We've had some rough moments through the years. I've been stubborn and willful and didn't always want to listen. There were a lot of times I thought I was in control and didn't need Him. There were a lot of desperate times when I was on my face crying out to Him with nowhere else to go, knowing that no one else could help. His word has corrected me, lead me, comforted me, and at times, been all that sustained me. My times of prayer have been sweet and hard and everything in between. Very few things have turned out the way that I would have wanted or planned, but He's been with me each step of the way. It's a decision I don't regret at all.

The whole process started for me when my two best friends were killed in a house fire. I was crushed. Life ground to a halt for awhile. Everything was turned upside down in the time it took for my dad to say one sentence. I imagine that's how my children felt when my daddy delivered the news that their daddy was gone. Oh, how I pray that this hard time in their life produces the result that hard time produced for me: Salvation. Nothing comes our way, good or bad, that doesn't first go through God's hand. No hard time comes that God can't redeem, even the death of His saints. Oh, Father, let this be the final piece in their little lives that brings them to You. Let today be the day of salvation for Sophie! Let today be the day of salvation for Ethan! Call them. Adopt them. Steal their hearts. Teach them to love you with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Use every history, math, science, reading, handwriting, and grammar lesson to draw them to You and prepare them to share You with all they meet. Give them hearts that hunger and thirst for righteousness. Teach them to love their neighbor as themselves. Teach me to let go of them and release them to You. You love them more than I ever could. You desire them to run to You, follow You, and for them to pour out their lives loving You and loving others. Teach me to lead by example in all of those areas that they may be drawn to You.

Lord, thank You for the beautiful gift of Your salvation (for me, for Kevin, and for my children.) Thank You for dying in my place. Thank you for arresting death and reclaiming true life. Thank You for 30 years of ups and downs, joys and tears, ease and hard, beautiful and ugly. I look forward to 30 more here (unless You have a better plan) and an eternity with You (which I can't even fathom.)