Olivia Belongs to Jesus

About 2 weeks ago we were dropping Eric off at work in the morning and I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to talk to Olivia about Jesus living in her heart. I have to be honest, I didn't expect that and I didn't know what to say. We had a brief and somewhat uninteresting discussion..she didn't seem too interested so I just left it where it was and figured it would come up again eventually.

Fast forward 1 week later...little Layla Grace was becoming a regular topic of discussion in our home and we had been praying for her for some time. As she grew weaker our discussions changed and many new topics were broached. Olivia walked into Levi's nursery one night while I was praying...face down...crying...and a blubbery mess. Hmmm...how do I explain this to a 3 year old? She seemed concerned that I was crying and we discussed how sometimes when we pray and believe God for something we can feel so strongly that tears are the only way to express those strong emotions. As Layla grew weaker still I talked with Olivia about how God sometimes heals us by fixing our bodies here, on the Earth, and other times He heals our bodies by giving us a new one. She seemed intrigued by that. Still, she remembered multiple times a day to ask Jesus to "please make Layla's body so that it isn't broken anymore and that she won't be afraid" (her words).

There is a worship song by Kathryn Scott called "I belong". The lyrics simply say
"I belong, I belong to you...I belong...I belong to you. Nothing can take me from your great love, forever this truth remains...." When I was praying for Layla and her family this song ministered to my heart...reminding me that no matter what, here or in Heaven, NOTHING can separate us from the love of God. Nothing can separate my little ones from the love of God...nothing could separate Layla from His love...it remains the same, constant and unchanged...in life and in death. His love holds our hand as we walk through trouble and heartache...it holds our hearts in uncertainty...and it holds us when what we face we do not understand.

I sang the song over and over and the girls sang it with me...in the car, while cooking, folding laundry. It's a simple chorus and means so much.

Today as we drove to pick up Eric from work, Liv said "Mommy sing the forever song" I had no idea what she was talking about. Eventually we came around to her singing "forever your love remains" and I understood what she was talking about. I sang with her as her brother and sister napped and a sweet spirit settled over us in the van with our worship. After a while of singing she smiled and looked at me in the mirror...

"Liv, do you know who mommy belongs to?"

"Daddy"

"Yes...but more than that Mommy belongs to Jesus...Do you know why?"

"Yes"

"Mommy belongs to Jesus because I asked him to live in my heart...I belong to Him now and forever"

"I asked him to live in my heart, too"

"You did? What did you say to him?"

"Ummmm...."

"We just ask him by saying, Jesus...please come live in my heart....be the Lord of my life...help me to know you and love you and obey all the things you tell me to do"

unprompted, she repeated the prayer after me.

She started singing the simple chorus again and I sang with her...and cried...as we drove down the highway - we talked about how special it is to ask Jesus to live inside of us and that she belongs to Jesus...how much He loves her and that He will always protect her. I reminded her how Layla went to Heaven to be with Jesus and that now, she too, would go to Heaven some day and maybe she could meet Layla there :).

Such a special time...driving down the highway....with all the other drivers none the wiser. It's amazing how eternal moments happen while others continue on with daily lives, phone calls and conversations. I'm so glad my minivan, complete with toys and old french fries isn't too humble for the presence of God.

I feel humbled and blessed by the sweet presence of the Lord in our home, our car, and our lives today.

Thea