I hope you've been doing fine! I miss talking to you and being close enough to have hang-out time with eachother and our families!
Guess what! I have some very exciting news to share! It happened just last night!
CALEB ACCEPTED JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT WAS A PRICELESS MOMENT!!!!! We were telling stories at the dinner table of when they were little and Alisia wanted to share her best story. She said it was when she accepted Jesus in her heart, but she didn't really remember the details. So I told them to her. I said "once upon a time...." And told her about how she wanted to accept Jesus in her heart because she wanted to go to Heaven. The whole time I was telling the story Caleb's eyes were huge. They were so big, I thought he was just tired and trying not to close them to go to sleep. But after I finished the story, he looked like he was going to cry and said, " YOU? are YOU going to die? I don't want you to die." I didn't want him to be scared so we talked about it for about 15 minutes then we read a story about how Jesus died on the cross for our sins and if he is in our hearts, we can go to heaven when we die to live forever with Him. I told him that Alisia was going to be there, and me and Angel, and he put both hands on his chest and said "me too! I want to go to heaven!" I said "you want to have Jesus in your heart too?" He said "yes." with so much enthusiasm. I said well, you have to pray. He said ok and
grabbed my hand and bowed his head. It was such a simple sincere prayer. He said "Jesus thank you for this day, I hope we don't die, and I hope you can be in my heart," then he looked at me and didn't know what else to say, so I helped him finish. After he was finished praying, he had such a big grin on his face and he said "We're going to Heaven! with Jesus--we won!" In his best big boy voice! While I had his 100% attention, we talked a little about how when you're nice to others, you can share Jesus' love with other children. And how not fighting and hitting or pushing, or doing other mean things, can help someone see that you love Jesus. 
Then he called Grammy (my mom) to tell her the exciting news! He was so excited to tell her the whole story and I could tell that he was encouraged as she rejoiced with him. It is such a humbling experience, one that I can never prepare for and I know it is the Holy Spirit moving in his little heart! I never imagined Caleb ever being ready for this as early as ALisia did (at age 4 1/2), but the Lord sure did! I realized at age 3 1/2 the Lord touched his heart and gave him understanding and the perfect words to say! Today was such an exhausting day for me and I know that I was not "ready" or "prepared" at that moment to go through that. But I knew that God's time is perfect and I didn't want to put it off until I was ready or more prepared. I don't know why God chooses to use us as unworthy parents to do such a high-calling job! I think about our role as parents when Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (19:14).
I see how they tie of family --which doesn't even exist in heaven -- is so important on earth, because they are the people you yearn the most and pray for to know the everlasting love of our Father. I used to share the gospel with friends and strangers and yearn for them to understand and accept Christ, but when it comes to your own child, it far passes any yearning I've ever known.
Now Caleb keeps asking me about his cousin, and a close friend, who are also his age, if they will be in heaven. I can see his excitment for the Lord to GO and tell others, a little missionary. He wants to be sure they know Jesus and will be in heaven too!
Now for the hard part, to be faithful parents raising two children in the Lord who have called on Him as their own Savior of their life. I feel like my role as a parent has somehow changed, even though it's the exact same as it was yesterday. I know that they will be looking to me more now as an example of what it means to live for the Lord. Please pray for Angel and I as we face the daily struggle of knowing our children will pick up our mistakes, and that we may use that as an opportunity to point them to the cross. Pray that we will teach them more of what that means, and how special that is, and point out to them how God is working in their life as well as helping them recognize gifts they have that can be used for His glory! Pray that the fire Caleb had tonight for Jesus to be in his heart, will only grow stronger as he gets older. And the excitement Alisia had to share that story with her brother will only grown into an excitement for her to continue sharing how God called her as His child.
I am excited to share this story with you as a mother and know that I AM praying for you and your family, and an children you may have in the future.
Rejoicing In his love,
~Brooke
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