January 4th

Lately we have been listening to Steven Curtis Chapman's newest album Beauty Will Rise while we're driving around. The songs are so beautiful and heartwrenching - many focus on the sudden and tragic death of his youngest daughter from China, Maria. When we first started listening to the album my face would be drenched with tears, but now I have moved past the sadness to hearing his message of hope and trust.

Both girls love the album too, and many great conversations have stemmed from numerous songs on it. One particular song they've wanted to hear again and again is Heaven is the Face. It starts with "Heaven is the face of little girl with dark brown eyes that disappear when she smiles. And Heaven is the place where she calls my name and says Daddy please come play with me for awhile. God I know it's all of this and so much more, but God you know that this is what I'm aching for. "

The other day I realized that both girls were singing along with the song - we had listened to it so much that even my 3 year old knew the words by heart. On a side note, it is sweet little Ava's face that I picture when SCC sings the first line of that song - if you've seen Ava smile you know that her eyes completely disappear when she smiles. This song has prompted many discussions about death, Heaven, Jesus and eternal life. Hannah especially has asked deep and heartfelt questions. I would love recordings of these conversations, but more importantly I know that God is using these songs and our discussions to impact their journey with Him.

Which brings me to today. We were listening to SCC's song February 20th, where he sings about the day his daughters Maria and Stevie Joy asked Jesus into their hearts. Both he and his wife were there for that incredible moment. They didn't realize what a precious gift it was until a few months later when Maria unexpectedly left this world and ran into the arms of Jesus. While we were listening to this song, Hannah asked question after question and tried to make sense of it all. In that moment I realized that God was using this song as a way to draw Hannah and Ava closer to him. I asked Hannah if she wanted to pray and ask Jesus into her heart. She replied with an enthusiastic "Yes!" and then she prayed "Dear Jesus, I love you. Please come and live in my heart forever. Someday I want to come and live with you. Amen."

It was a beautiful moment. Hannah and I asked Ava if she'd also like to ask Jesus into her heart. She said yes, so we prayed with her too. Hearing her sweet little voice echo Hannah's was precious. When we were done, we sang "Jesus Loves Me," one of her favorite songs. What started out as an ordinary drive in the car ended up as an extraordinary moment that I will always treasure.

I'd like to end with the final words of February 20th, slightly altered to fit our moment on January 4th. "God only knows everything that happened in that moment. God only knows what he whispered to their hearts. God only knows how thankful I will always be that He gave me January 4th, 2010."