I know many of you check our blog for ministry updates and there are certainly many of them! I will put together a fun post of the many things God is doing at KU soon. We are thankful 2 new students have placed their faith in Christ already! Many others are getting connected to community within Cru and excited to grow. More to come, I promise!

For today, I have a personal update for you. I have been anticipating this week for months. Ruth started preschool today. Whoa. I never thought I would be one of those, “time goes by too fast” people, but seriously, it does.

Our week started differently than I thought it would though. Our friends lost their baby girl, Sophia, to anencephely on Sunday. Read their story here.  She was more than a friend’s daughter to us. As odd as it might sound, she was my girl’s friend. We spent the summer directing Walt Disney World Summer Project with them. Ruth loved to draw pictures for Sophie, while she was in Lindsey’s belly. She loved to talk to her and feel her kick. She loved to talk about Sophie’s castle in Heaven. She wants a room right next door : ) Our hearts were so much in love with our little friend. She helped us to treasure Heaven as a family and dream of our forever lives there. Her Mommy and Daddy helped us to trust God’s goodness in the hardest of times.

In this much anticipated week I had built up to being all about my little girl, Jesus reminded me that its always all about Him. Baby Sophie passed away. She was our first friend as a family we have known to pass away. Thats a big deal. In grieving, I honestly asked the Lord to remind me that He was good. And He did. As a Christian, I am certain that I will live forever with Jesus in Heaven, a Perfect world. I don’t get to go there because I have earned it. In fact, I am utterly incapable of earning anything except separation from God. But in His great love for the world, He sent His Son, Jesus, to be perfect on my behalf. And now I have confidence that by the Son’s merit and not my own, I can enjoy God forever in Heaven.

I forget though. Instead of storing up treasure there, I make a treasure out of preschool. Of course, preschool isn’t a bad thing, it is SUCH a sweet gift. But, when my heart gets out of step with the heartbeat of the Maker, I start loving the things He makes more than Him. Gifts like back to school clothes, and haircuts, and school supplies become way too important to me.

In the midst of our week of firsts, God gave us a very sad but hopeful first to set our eyes and our prize in Him and the gift He has given us in Heaven, life forever with Him and His people.  This week has been full of questions about Heaven from Ru girl. Who will be there? When will we go? Will we be sad? We have been thankful for the promises all over the Bible about the joy we will have there!

This morning was sweet. Ruth slept in braids so she could have crimpy hair and we went headband shopping for the perfect one. And get this, though I have cried hours on end just thinking about her going off to school, I was tear free this morning. Just thankful for grace. Thankful that God gave us a affordable preschool where we can send her with teachers that will kiss her cheek and pray with her and sing her songs about Jesus.

Here are our mandatory first day of school pictures that I took way too many of and got increasingly obnoxious trying to get just a few more out of her. That is like a mommy rite of passage right? I think so.

Thanks for stopping by. Please pray for Baby Sophie’s parents, Kevin and Lindsey, this week as they celebrate her life and grieve their loss.