Dear Ella . . .

In the morning you and Mommy and Daddy get to do something very special. We will stand up in front of our family and our church and have you baptized. We get to acknowledge God's love and prevenient grace in your life - did you know it's already there for you even now! Mommy and Daddy will publicly affirm our own faith and commit to teaching you about Jesus and living our faith for you as an example.

Oh how I hope and pray that you grow up loving Him from a young age! And one day after you've made your own decision to love and follow Jesus, you can stand up in front of our family and our church to acknowledge your baptism and confirm that you are committed to serving Christ. But that's still a few years from now.

Until then, little one, just know that God loves you - even more than Mommy and Daddy can. It's hard to imagine a love so big that it makes my love for you seem small, but that's just what God's love is. It's that big and more! Rest in that for now, baby girl.

I love you so much!
Love,
Mommy

Dear Ella . . .

With Mommy and Grandma, Mother's Day Brunch at Faith UMC - Corinth, Texas

Today you got to visit our church for the first time. We went to a Mother's Day brunch with Grandma and everyone just oo'ed and ah'ed over you. Faith UMC is such a beautiful place. It reminds Mommy of her favorite place to go - Camp Sumatanga (you'll learn more about that later). Even more important though is that Faith is full of beautiful people. I can't wait for you to get to know more of them and let them help Mommy and Daddy teach you about Jesus.

You're not quite big enough to go to a worship service on Sunday mornings yet. There too many people and germies to worry about right now. But in a few short weeks you will get to go and I know you will just love it! My hope and prayer is that you will grow to love the Church and always have a willing heart to serve wherever God calls you.