Join us for a celebration!

Printed on green and brown construction paper:

Please join us
as we celebrate
Jacob's
Lagoon Miracle
on Thursday, September 3
at 5:00pm
at the kitchen table
(Please wear green or brown)

The invitations were handed out to grandma and grandpa downstairs in their apartment yesterday. Today marks the 3 year anniversary since Jacob fell into the lagoon and was saved. God is so good, I cannot help but praise His name every time I think about this day. For those of you who may have never heard Jacob's story, I invite you to read it HERE. This is my blog entry from 2008, but I included the account that I had written to share with some online friends within days of the accident. I remember how raw my emotions still were and how thinking of the worse case scenario made me catch my breath.

We are also celebrating Jacob's 1 year SPIRITUAL birthday at this time too. September is a special month for Jake. God has been faithful to call Jacob and to begin preparing him for the work He has laid before him. We do not know where this road will lead, but we are excited to see day by day where the Lord is taking him.

"I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD."

- Psalm 40:1-3

So in 2009, this time has come again and this year, we are celebrating the baptism of Jacob which happened this past Sunday afternoon! Praise the Lord!!! What a privilege for a daddy to baptize his son. God is good...all the time!

Don't you think the picture says it all?

Blessings,
~ Marcia ~

The Saving of Jacob (Part 2)

Saturday evening, Jason ran up to the church office to photocopy the bulletins for the next morning. While he was gone, I gave the boys a bath (Joey took a shower downstairs) and explained to them what was going on the next day. Jacob and Jesse's friend was getting baptized after church. Talking about baptism brought up questions from Jacob about what it is and why we do it. So I talked with him as I tucked him in and explained that we do not believe that baptism saves people. He seemed ok with thinking about that for a while.

When Jason got home, I asked him to go in and talk to Jacob too. I certainly didn't want to push him, but I didn't want to ignore what the Holy Spirit was speaking to his heart too. So daddy, the preacher, went in to kiss him goodnight.

Well, a few minutes later, Jason asked me to join them and my heart leaped within my chest as I thought about the eternal significance wrapped up in this moment in time. Wow! So I joined them and Jacob said that he wanted to ask Jesus in his heart. We talked about why we needed to do this (because we all have sinned and that our sin separates us from God) and what happens when we do this (the sacrificed blood of Jesus Christ wipes away our sin and He sends the Holy Spirit to help us live like Him and to have a relationship with Him).

So we all held hands as he prayed. What a wonderful moment as a parent. I know this is not "fire insurance" for my child to keep him from hell, but I know that his heart is soft to the leading of the Holy Spirit and he was ready to make this step in his own faith walk.

My prayer is that he continues to keep his heart soft and that he will strive to listen to the voice of the Lord in his heart.

Lord, help me to seek You first in everything so that I may be well-equipped to lead my children to do the same. Thank you for the gift of salvation through the shed blood of your perfect Son, Jesus Christ!

See yesterday's post for Part 1 of The Saving of Jacob.

Feeling incredibly blessed,
~ Marcia ~

The Truth Project

Jason and I have been going through this DVD series from Focus on the Family with the leadership of our church and it is so powerful! I grew up in good, strong Bible teaching churches, I attended Christian schools, I have a great Christian heritage, I'm a pastor's wife and yet my eyes were opened through this class! Even with my great "Christian genes" I have been sucked into seeing some things through this world's eyes instead of my Father's eyes! The class brings all the pieces of what I know together into one cohesive view of the world...it's a biblical worldview.

The Truth Project asks the question, "Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?"

The Truth Project equips us a a biblical worldview. I want everything that I see and do to be filtered through the truth of the Bible and the character of God. It is imperative in this day and age to do this or you get so caught up in the lies of this culture.

I encourage you to find a Truth Project small group near you or attend a Truth Project training seminar so you will be equipped to share these DVDs with people in your life who need to be grounded in the truth.

The Truth Project will change your life!

What???

My husband and father-in-law went to the grocery store with my youngest son Jesse. As they were walking through the parking lot, Jesse asked, "Why is that man on a toilet?" Huh? What is he talking about? "Why is that blue man on a toilet?"

It took them a few seconds before they realized that he was talking about the handicap sign painted on the parking space. They chuckled as they explained to him that it was a wheelchair and not a toilet.

Isn't it interesting how children just see things through totally different eyes sometimes?

I was reminded of this as I was talking with my boys about Easter and the resurrection of Jesus this past weekend. They are such precious sponges! I want them to know all about my Savior and Lord! I want them to love Him with their whole hearts. To desire to share His love with everyone. I want them to always see Him with totally different and trusting eyes than we as adults. May they never lose the wonder they feel when they think of the miracle of Easter!

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 says, "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

As a parent, this is my highest calling!

~ Marcia ~