Joel is a New Babe in Christ!

I've been wanting to share this great news on my blog for weeks! But my heart
was so full I just didn't know where to begin.

Joel went away to New Life Bible Camp the week of June 21st, and during that time
God drew him to Himself and redeemed him through Christ. A counselor named Tian (very tall Jamaican dude) who co-counseled the 2nd-3rd grade boys with Stephen, simply asked him at one point during one-on-one devotions if Joel wanted to ask Jesus into His heart . Joel said "yes!"

Funny thing the way I found out in this day and age: Sarah texted me.

My first reaction was pure joy, bubbling up. The answer to 8 years of prayer! Then my second reaction was clearly from the Enemy to make me doubt. Words like, "probably one of those campy, peer-pressure, feel-bad-about-sin, "pray the sinner's prayer" with a grown-up, and then return just like he was." I can't tell you how I battled to fight the attacks. My oldest son, Ben, felt demonic oppression, too, and I had to say it is no coincidence. Satan no longer had my littlest arrow, God did! And he battles to get arrows back out of God's hands, doesn't he? But God prevailed. He always does! "No weapon formed against you will prosper." Satan wanted to use my last arrow in his kingdom . He'd already lost the first three to God. And yet in our quiver, God had graciously put four that He decided before the foundation of the world would be plucked and straightened and readied for straight flight in HIS kingdom!

Oh, what a happy mom I am!

To say "Booyah!" to Satan, I have already seen Joel bear fruit of repentance:
1. He's more obedient the first time, and with cheer (usually). "Joel, will you please put away the silverware now?" And he gets up and says, "Sure!" (Is this MY kid?)
2. He's ready to read the Bible. We are reading through Matthew together each morning, a portion of a chapter. (It's cute to see his interjections; the other day we came across the part of seed yielding fruit "thirty, sixty, a hundred fold." Well, my little mathematician said, "Shouldn't that be 30,60, 90?")
3. He woke up one morning and immediately started singing a worship song in bed. I stood outside the door and just listened, eavesdropping, resisting the urge to run in and hug him while he was worshiping. I nearly wept.
4. His whole countenance is different. His eyes sparkle and his skin seems to glow. I mean, he's always had beautiful eyes and skin, but his face (to me, anyway) has a "touched by God" appearance now that I can't explain .
5. He is more gentle, less critical, more encouraging, and has greater self-control. The greatest evidence came the very Sunday he returned from camp and was sitting in assembly during Children's Church. Normally he either starts or joins in on the talking with his buddies, not keeping hands to himself, not really caring what the adult up front had to say. But that very first Sunday after his salvation, his eyes were glued up front and he was called on to participate.(To note, the lesson seemed to be for me about putting on the whole armor of God.) He gently resisted his classmates' attempts to distract him and he's been getting good reports from his teachers. (Selfishly this feels really good because, at our church ,if parents ask how their kids were during class, they get honest answers.) I am not naive enough to think that he will always get good reports, but I am confident that "He who began a good work in [Joel] will continue it to the day of Jesus Christ"!

So, rejoice with me in the God of our salvation! For saving Joel from the enemy and redeeming him for Himself!