I met Stephanie 2 years ago. She was young, pretty, and a bit shy. Her son "Adam" had just turned one, and they were enrolled in our Healthy Start program. My heart was captured the moment I saw Adam, with his deep brown eyes, surrounded by enviable long eyelashes. The light in her simple but spotlessly clean apartment made it easy for me to see this young woman’s face as she began to share her story. She was clearly in love with her baby and we spent much of our early meetings together talking about his future. However, I could sense that there was a longing in her heart for more than day-to-day support and guidance. After months of visits and prayers, Stephanie was ready to “try church.” I gave her several options of local churches and one Sunday late in the summer, she agreed to go to church with me. I watched her fight back her natural anxiety and enter the building. She smiled politely at everyone who greeted her, but remained quiet. Stephanie leaned in to the sermon and bowed her head in prayer. When we retrieved Adam from the nursery, Stephanie whispered, “Why did it take me so long?” Fast forward one year- to the day- Stephanie was baptized into the family of Christ. I have never seen anyone come up from under the water with a smile like hers - pure joy, redemption, and hope radiated from her beautiful face. Droplets of life-giving water fell from her hair as she hugged me and my tears fell among them. What a blessing to be a channel of grace, guiding one of God’s children back to His embrace. I can’t wait to see what God does in her life and Adam’s as he starts his faith journey in the care of his mother who will hold his hand the whole way.