A New Creation

Tonight, something that I prayed (and continually prayed) before Sage was born and as she grew was answered. Yesterday, I had posted about the young girl that we had been praying for that passed away the night before. Her name was Heather Spivey, and she was a teacher at Word Alive Academy, which is also where we attend church. Sage went to preschool there for several years. When Sage was 4, she was in class with Collin, Heather's youngest son. Though I'm still not exactly sure what happened and why, Heather was diagnosed with a rare cancer just two months ago and died Monday night. It was/is heartbreaking for her family and all that knew her.

She was just 34, and she had 3 young children. Honestly, it is just not right. It seems unfair. It is unfair. She was young, beautiful, and full of life. It is a reminder that life is a precious gift. It makes the day-to-day complaints that we think are so important suddenly seem otherwise, and it's because it's true: those things are UNIMPORTANT. Because, as the saying goes, "The most important things in life aren't things."

So, I thought it was important tonight to ask Sage to specifically pray for Collin. I told her that even though his mommy (Ms. Heather, as she knows her) is actually WITH Jesus now, he won't get to see her here on this earth. Then to my surprise, she said something like, "But Jesus and all of us will come back to establish His kingdom here, right?" Um...YES. She said, "So when we die, we come back to life later?" I said, "Well, there's a part of you that makes you YOU. It's the part that laughs, the part that makes you silly, the part that makes you love, that makes you like to have fun...THAT part, it never dies. If I have a puppet, and I put my hand in it to make it talk and suddenly take my hand out, what happens to the puppet? It stops moving, right? But what made it move? My hand. THAT part of YOU, the inside, lives forever. So that part of you will never die, and we'll all be together again."

Then it happened. She said, "So we'll all be with Jesus? Everyone will go with Him?" I said, "If you've asked Him into your heart." She said, "Have I?" I said, "Have you?" She said, "No." I said, "Would you like to?" She answered, "Yes." And I prayed a sweet, simple sinner's prayer with her trying not to cry too much the whole time, something like: Dear Jesus, I believe in you. I believe you died on the cross and rose again for all I've done wrong and ever will do wrong. Come into my heart as Lord and Savior of my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen." I said, "That's it! You did it!" It was the most precious moment. She said, "Mommy, I felt Jesus come inside my heart. He kissed me."

Then at bedtime, I read her a devotion from one of her books, and she said, "Mommy, I'm new now." Just out of the blue like that. And I said, "You are so right. The Bible says that, 'If anyone is in Jesus, he/she is a new creation. The old has passed away and all things are made new.'" The last, precious thing she did was right before she climbed into bed and said, "Mommy, when we are eating ice cream at school tomorrow and we are allowed to talk at blue table, I'm going to ask anyone if they'd like Jesus to come into their heart." I mean, come ON! This girl is going for it! I am so proud of her and, even more so, THANKFUL to my Lord for answering those prayers that I prayed for her before she was born and as she grew: "God, let Sage come to know you as Lord, Savior, and Friend at a young age. May she always run TO you and never from you". He hears and answers our prayers!

And sweet Heather, your life and death was precious seed into this salvation. I'm betting you may be one of the first to welcome Sage in on that day. See you again!

Jesus' Friend