Madeline the Brave

Maddie's pastor always tells the kids "God transforms you when you step outside your comfort zone".

She has really had to keep that in the forefront of her mind, as there have been a couple big things for her to overcome. For some kids, these things are no big deal, but for her it was a very big deal. Two big things within a few days of each other - first was a blood draw - little darlin' has been so sick in the last few months, just a whole host of infections, viruses, it has gone on and on and she has literally missed weeks of school if you accumulate it all. So we decided to do some blood tests, to just put our mind at ease. But trying to convince her that letting someone stick a needle in her arm was a GOOD IDEA was not going to be easy. (Results came back totally normal, thank goodness)

The other event was a big dentist appointment, getting a tooth pulled and a cavity filled. I personally know what physical anxiety at the dentist feels like when you are laying back in the chair, and anticipating it - that is hard for even a person who doesn't spook easily.

Here's the cool, amazing thing... God wants to free Madeline from her anxiety. This is happening day by day by walking with her through scary things. She is gaining self confidence and learning she is an OVERCOMER, each time she gets through something hard.

They say self esteem cannot be gifted to your child by way of flattery. Self esteem truly only appears when a person actually does something meaningful, and then as a result they get the gift of confidence because they actually DID IT. It is not going to work for me to just tell Maddie she is brave, that she is an overcomer. I can totally encourage her in that truth, but she has to walk in it herself to truly be transformed. And she did.

Remember those necklaces from the baptism? Well, as luck (nope, not luck) would have it, her amazing teacher presented her this necklace the week of her two big appointments, and I will tell you that little girl clutched her necklace through it all, as a tangible reminder of the verse printed there. Psalm 32:7 ~ "You are my hiding place, you keep me safe from trouble".

We pray for each other so that BIG things like this will happen in the lives of our kids. Thank you God for inviting us to pray, to lean on Your power and be transformed.

The face of victory

Her rewards: self confidence, and milkshakes :)