When she was just four years-old, my daughter and her friend Eden were playing at my mom’s house.

Ashtyn is “first born-ish”. (Her brother is 14 years older so she THINKS she’s first born). Her friend Eden really IS first born.

I guess, when you’re a “first born” you just think you’re always supposed to be FIRST.

Things Got A Little Bit Out Of Control!
The girls started fighting; clawing each other over cookies and HITTING each other over important stuff – Barbies.

So my mom said, “Okay girls, I’m sitting you at the kitchen table and you’re going to do some crafts.”

Kids Say The “Darndest” Things!
As they were doing their crafts, my mom was working in the kitchen and could hear their conversation.

Eden said, “Ashtyn, you know when you hit me…that was a SIN!”

Truly repentant (or maybe more defiantly) Ashtyn said, “I know.”

Then a couple of minutes later, Ashtyn said, “Hey, you know when YOU hit ME…that was a sin, too, right?”

Eden said, “I know.”

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes!
My mom picked up the phone and called me, almost in TEARS.

She said, “What Ashtyn said NEXT…really changed everything for me.”

My little girl turned to Eden and said, “But you know, when I said ‘SORRY’ to you and to God…that made it all GO AWAY.”

Wow!!!

The Enemy Condemns
It’s crazy how the enemy will come to us (even four year-olds) and try to beat us over the head and tell us how WRONG we are.

Maybe we MISSED our prayer time or we didn’t go to church one week.
Or something’s going on in our lives and we accidentally told a LIE.

We all MESS UP!

But God Knows Our Hearts
Even King David, after ALL he had done (lying, adultery and murder) he repented and said, “God, I can’t believe that I’ve done this and I’m SORRY!”

• When Ashtyn said “SORRY” to Eden and to God,
• When King David said “SORRY” to God and to the people,
• When we say “SORRY” to God and those we might have injured,

God said to David (and likewise to us), “No, you’re not a bad man. You’re a man after MY OWN HEART!!!”

God doesn’t condemn us.
He doesn’t care what we’ve done in the PAST. He loves unconditionally and just wants to prepare us for our FUTURE.

Prayer For Today
“Father God, we’re SORRY if we’ve failed you today. We want to do better. Thank you, for erasing our past so that we can move on to a bright new future. In Jesus’ name.”