Dear Parent,

Isn’t it the coolest thing to witness your child experiencing the world and things for the first time? 

• As an infant, watching them discover their hand is astonishing
• Them taking their first steps
• As a toddler, writing their name or drawing a picture that you actually can tell what it is
• Watching a caterpillar turn into a butterfly (we get those kits a lot in the warm months)
• Tasting and enjoying one of your favorite foods
• Scoring a goal, point, or run for the first time 

This list can go on. When these things happen, we tend to record it on video, take a photo, or even write it in a journal or baby book so we can always remember it.

As I was sitting in church the other day, the thought came to me: I wonder if God experiences the same joy we do toward our children when we experience Him for the first time.

Does He…?

• Throw a fist in the air when a child asks to be anointed by themselves for the first time
• High-five Jesus the first time someone brings Him up in conversation, regardless of how old we are
• Grin from ear to ear the first time any of us realize we were touched by Him
• Do a happy dance when someone asks to be baptized

Of course, I don’t know the answer to this, but I would like to think He does. Despite how many people there are in the world, God knows and loves us all. And He WANTS us to think about Him and incorporate Him in our lives all the time.

So, how about remembering this going forward? And not just for the first time we experience Him, but for every time we remember to call upon or talk about Him. 

Just picture God…

• Fist-pumping the air when we ask to be anointed
• High-fiving Jesus when we bring Him up in conversation with our friends, co-workers, and neighbors 
• Grinning when we pray before eating or going to bed
• Doing a happy dance when we go to church

I know life gets busy and stressful, and sometimes it’s easy to be distracted away from God, but perhaps envisioning God’s excitement for us serving Him – even in the smallest amounts – might cause the distraction to be a little less.

Cheering you on with a little fist pump and a happy dance,

Sister Stefanie

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.