The Resurrection is synonymous with new life, but this year, it has taken on a special poignancy. New life paid a glorious visit to our family the other night as our oldest daughter committed her life to Christ.

I truly believe this is a decision her heart has been set on for a while. The work of the Spirit is beautiful to observe in any life, but it is unutterably precious to watch faith bloom in your own child. I look back and see this steady journey from tiny sprout to full flower. I remember the sweet surprise of its beginning. I was driving down the road with the radio on when suddenly her tiny 2-year-old voice erupted, “My God’s not dead, He’s surely alive, He’s living on the inside, roaring like a lion!” I recall her 3-year-old rendition of Easter. “Mama, Jesus was bleeding. He was bleeding! For sins. He had boo-boos. And then on Easter, He wasn’t bleeding any more and no more boo-boos.” I could never forget the anxious questions of her 4-year-old heart, wrestling with the fearful reality of hell. And then came a season where her inquisitive 5-year-old mind kicked in full steam. She became a churning mill of questions about all things theological. Toward the end of that year, I saw her desire for Jesus ignite. There were still questions, but trust in this incredible God was taking root. And perhaps the most wonderful thing of all has been listening to her 6-year-old lips labor in prayer over people and places who don’t know Jesus. Her list is quite long and gets longer every week, but her faithfulness is dogged and lovely.

In the last few months, her readiness for this decision has been increasingly evident. She frequently brought up the subject in conversations, talking about what it means to follow Jesus and expressing that she had decided she would follow Him. But the other morning, God so amazingly confirmed that her heart was indeed fixed on Him. She and I always pray together in the mornings before my younger daughter awakes. She went through her typical litany of people and places for whom she prays, and then it came:

“Lord, I accept your sacrifice. I want to follow You. I love you very much. I want to follow You. I will sacrifice myself for You. I will.”

I held my breath hearing that sweet surrender spill from her lips. As soon as she said “amen,” I rushed to write down her words, wanting to capture the moment.

That evening, my husband and I sat down with her and walked through the Gospel once again. The Bible on her lap, our daughter wonderingly read aloud each successive verse. I believe her heart had already made the decision, but her little-girl voice confidently confessed her faith in prayer. Holy hush met exploding joy. We have prayed that she would make this decision, but that moment was inexplicably delightful in a way I never imagined. To be there as this precious child of mine ran into the arms of the One who made her…it was sacred, sacred beyond words.

Our newest Christ-follower

She ended her prayer by telling God she would do whatever He wanted, be a missionary wherever He wanted. I don’t know what God’s plans are for this little one He has entrusted to us, but hearing her offer herself so unreservedly…that kind of faith is arresting and it’s a gift from the God of the universe.

Her own joy went off like fireworks:

“I can’t wait to see heaven! I just can’t wait to see heaven!”

“Can you believe a 6-year-old can follow Jesus?!?!”

“It’s too late for Satan to tell me not to follow Jesus because I’ve already done it!”

“The angels are saying, ‘Glory to God in the Highest! There’s a new follower of Jesus tonight!'”

Her joy gloriously showered our little corner of the world. She shouted “I’m free from my sins!” over and over as she jumped on her bed and pulled off one backflip after another. You can say, that’s a 6-year-old kid for you. But I say, we should all be that overcome with the wonderful truth that in Jesus, we are free!

“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” — John 8:36