Mama, what happens when we die?

That is the way my conversation with Katie started this afternoon.

She climbed up into my lap and I explained to her that the bible tells us that when we die, we either go to heaven or hell. Heaven is a nice place where Jesus lives. Hell is a scary, bad place where naughty people live. She told me she would rather go to heaven.

We talked about sin. I explained that everyone in the whole wide world sins, even Mommy and Daddy. She knew that telling a lie was a sin, and that taking something that didn't belong to you was a sin. Hitting and fighting are sins, too.

Last Sunday during church we saw a clip from "The Passion of the Christ", which showed Jesus being nailed to the cross. At the time, she reminded me that they had talked about Jesus dying on the cross during Cubbies. It was pretty graphic for a 4 year old, and I could see the wheels turning in her head at the time. I believe it set the framework for our conversation today.

I explained to her that only Jesus can take away her sins, and he died on the cross a long time ago just for her, and just for me, and just for everyone who prays and asks him to take their sins away. She folded her hands, bowed her head, and said, "Dear Jesus, please take away my sins. I'm sorry I sin. Thank you for letting me go to heaven."

These are the moments parents pray for! We are so blessed to have a church family that builds on the foundations we start at home.

The angels are having a party in heaven today in honor of Katie Clark!

"When He prepared the heavens, I was there..." Proverbs 8:27