Marya is 4

As we finished singing to Marya this morning she said, mom I am going to obey now, I am four.  Everything in her little heart thought that that was true.  Later in the day when she was not obeying and we had to have a spank she was crying and saying, mommy I just can't obey my heart just doesn't understand.  I said, yes baby you cannot obey apart from Christ.  You so desperately need Him.  This wild girl of mine has been such a blessing.  I have cried so many tears of love for her, tears of fear for her, tears of anger and frustration, tears of sadness.  All those tears have turned me to Christ.  Although Marya will not remember the hard years of discipline, I will.  God gave her to me to produce perseverance and I am so, so thankful.  The other night we were praying together and when we were done she looked at me and said, mom, we have worked so hard to get me to obey and I said yes baby we have, we will continue to ask God to change your heart every day.  I just love to hear her pray and ask God to give her a heart that wants to obey, it just melts my heart.  Thank you Jesus for this precious gift!!