Praying for Marissa

I have mentioned a few times that I love my awesome church. One of the things I love is the children's choir. I love the earnest elementary kids who sing without reservation and the toddlers who sometimes sing and sometimes wander. Every performance fills my heart with joy.

Another thing that warms my heart is the father love. Many of the children at my church come with their dads. The dad's are super involved in the children's programs. The altar steps are filled with men holding their babes in their laps for the children's story.

Marissa and her dad have caught my eye many times. She is a beautiful eight year old who sings with all her heart. Her father hides behind her, holding her up so that she can stand with the other children in the choir. There is so much theology in their example that it leaves a lump in my throat.

Today everyone at my church is pausing at 8:00 to pray for Marissa as surgeons at the Children's Hospital of LA operate to strengthen her legs and hips so that she can walk without crutches. I pray that her father's days in the children's choir are numbered and that he soon will be able to enjoy Marissa's performance from a seat in the audience.