Isabella's 6th Spiritual Birthday

Mark 10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.


What a joy it was on Sunday, October 7, 2001, when our six-year-old granddaughter, Isabella, called Grandma and Grandpa to tell us that she had gotten saved while talking to her Mommy after church that Sunday morning. Just 3-1/2 months earlier, Isabella had been adopted from an orphanage in Ukraine. Her English was coming along but still quite broken, but isn't it God's AMAZING GRACE that she had heard about God's wonderful plan of salvation for HER at home, at church, and in the first grade at school and that she understood the conviction of the Holy Spirit in her heart and called upon God to forgive her of her sins and invited Jesus to come into her heart. I will NEVER forget that phone call to my dying day. (Or at least I hope my mind stays good and I will remember that special call.) We answered the phone and Amy said for both of us to get on the phone as Bella wanted to tell us something. She still had a heavy Russian accent and it was difficult to understand her, but I remember hearing: prayed....Jesus....heart and said to her, "Isabella, are you telling Grandma and Grandpa that you prayed and asked Jesus into your heart today?" She answered excited with that roll of her Russian R's... "Yes, Grrrrrrrrandma, Yes!"


Isabella has grown into a lovely young pre-teen girl who loves the Lord and is growing in her faith. We were honored to take the family to Sunday dinner in honor of Belle's "Spiritual Birthday" and enjoyed her choice of Golden Corral. Happy Spiritual Birthday, Isabella, and many more!! ~~Love, Grandma and Grandpa Dean

(Note: the picture of Belle on the phone was not made when she called to tell us about her salvation but was made just 3 months earlier when she was on the phone during their stop-over in Poland as they headed home with Belle and Josh from Ukraine. The pics of Belle in the orange dress were made on Sunday's Spiritual Birthday at church at Azalea Trace.)