The school security camera caught it all.

But it wasn’t a crime or an act of indiscretion.  Rather, it was a scene of pure joy.

11-year-old Tannah Butterfield spent the last two years waiting and hoping that a judge would make her foster parents her legal parents, along with her two younger siblings.

Butterfield and her foster parents have a dear friend in Jackie Alexander, the office manager at the school where Butterfield and her siblings attend, American Heritage School of South Jordan, Utah.  Jennifer Fisher, Butterfield’s foster mother, called “Ms. Jackie” to inform her of the good news.  She also wanted Alexander to tell Butterfield the news when she came by for her daily visit.

The security camera shows Alexander coming out of her office to greet Butterfield.  "I grabbed her shoulders and said, 'Have you heard the news baby? You get your forever family,'" Alexander said.

The video shows Butterfield’s jubilant response.  She jumped into Alexander’s arms and clung to her tightly in sheer delight.

"My heart was so happy," Butterfield said. "It was like 'Ah!' It was like screaming."

"It's the biggest thing that ever happened to me," Butterfield reported with a huge smile on her face.

The moment was so touching that Alexander, with permission from Butterfield and her adoptive parents, shared the video.  The video has gone viral.  Watch it here: http://wnep.com/2017/10/11/video-captures-11-year-olds-joy-after-learning-her-adoption-is-final/

"I just needed to let people know there's a lot going on in the world and there's a lot of sadness that we see, but you know what? There's joy that happens every day," she said.

When you and I were essentially “orphaned” because of our sin, God gave His One and only Son to die on the cross to redeem us from sin and be adopted into His Family (Ephesians 1:7).

In order to be cleansed from sin and adopted into God’s Family, we must place our faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38).  Then, as we continue to walk in the light of His Word, the blood of Jesus will continue to cleanse us from sin (1 John 1:7).

If YOU will only accept His offer on His terms, it will be “the biggest thing” that will ever happen to you.

The Apostle Paul describes the blessings of divine adoption with these words: “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ … Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” -- Romans 8:15,17 NIV

Won’t YOU accept God’s offer of salvation, eternal life, and adoption?  It’s nothing less than sheer joy to become a child of God!

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “Video captures 11-year-old Utah girl’s joy after learning her adoption is final” by CNN Wire and Tribune Media Wire at www.kdvr.com and www.wnep.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org