For quite some time, my sister-in-law and I have been jointly bemoaning the fact that our church doesn’t have much emphasis on children’s programming. Someone must have overhead us, because last night was the launch of Pioneer Club, a new program for the grade 5 and under set. Did we shuffle our schedules to make Wednesday night church attendance a new part of our weekly routine? You bet we did! And possibly the best part is that now Kent and I get to attend a popular adult class taught by a faculty member from Florida Christian College. The class is currently focused on exploring bible history, and we both found it educational and fascinating. We can’t wait to go back.

But really the best part is what happened as we were leaving. In the parking lot, Maia’s Sunday School teacher made it a point to find us and let us know what a pleasure it is to have Maia in his class on Sunday mornings. Having just started third grade, she’s new to the class of 3rd-5th graders, but according to her teacher she already knows more than the kids he’s been teaching for a year or two. He said it’s refreshing to have a student who “knows her stuff” and is eager to learn.

It’s not the first time we’ve heard this type of feedback about Maia’s faithfulness. Several months ago a fellow deacon in our church told Kent that his wife, who occasionally teaches the 1st-2nd grade class, often talked about Maia at home with the same kind of praise. And during the summer the substitute leader for her junior worship service told us she’s the only one who actually took him up on his “homework” assignments to look things up in the bible and came prepared with the answers each week.

The thing I’m most proud of is that she is so engaged despite the lack of other kids around her who display similar zeal. She’s an amazing kid with a heart full of love. Both of my kids are, for that matter. Not to mention that they’re both extra adorable sitting here at the kitchen table in PJs as I type this, silently munching Pop Tarts for breakfast with the glazed eyes of kids who’d much rather still be in bed.