special september sunday...

started off with a gathering a first graders ready to receive their bibles.

i love my church for a long list of reasons, but this particular sunday we participated in just one of them-- our church gives the gift of God's Word to each first grader.  what a precious gift given at the time when these little children are just learning to read.  it's perfect!!  olivia was super excited to get her bible presented by our friend and now children's pastor, ivy.

o and ivy with her brand new bible. 

all the first graders that were getting their bibles with their bible fellowship teachers.

olivia and daddy looking up some verses that ivy was sharing about what the bible says about this special book.

after a small presentation upstairs in the children's area with just parents, we headed down to "big church."  there each child was called up on the stage and our whole church prayed for these children that they would seek God's Word in their daily lives.

olivia getting her bible.  she was excited to have her bible but nervous to be on stage in front of everyone.  :)

as if that wasn't special enough, at the end of the service olivia made the decision that she was ready to share some big news with her church family.  she bravely walked down front and told pastor ellis that she was ready to be baptized.  she explained to him and ivy that she god spoke to her heart on april 1, 2012 and she prayed and asked jesus to be her savior and best friend of her life, but was just now brave enough to walk forward and share that news with her entire church family.  it was so great to celebrate her new relationship with jesus with our church and now we look forward to her baptism.

olivia and some of her biggest fans after the service.   pop, olivia, gram lois, b and nana.

what a special day!  truly the lord has blessed us (mark and i) with this precious little girl.  i am so grateful that she knows him personally at such a young age and that he has given her a heart for him.  she desires to read his word and know him more.  what a gift to witness and what a challenge it is for me to have the same child-like faith that she has along with a daily urning to know him more intimately.   thank you god for allowing me to be her mommy.