Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: How to be Saved (07/02/26)
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TITLE: The Heart, the Cross, and a Little Girl’s Faith | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Meiners
07/05/26 -
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“Why does the phone always ring when I’m the farthest from it?” I muttered, hurrying up the steps to the kitchen where the phone hung proudly on the wall.
“Hello,” I answered, slightly out of breath.
“Hi Mom, are you free tonight?”
“Yes, I’m free. What’s on your mind?”
“Can you babysit? I want to take Cathy out for our anniversary, and I’d rather not have three kids in tow.”
“Of course,” I replied. “What time should I be there?”
We settled on six o’clock. After hanging up, I glanced at the clock. “Well,” I thought, “I’d better get moving.”
A quick shower, a change of clothes, and I was out the door. I arrived right on time.
“My, don’t you look pretty,” I said to Cathy with a smile. “I hope you two have a wonderful evening. And don’t worry about the kids—I won’t spoil them too much.”
Once they left, I turned to the children. “Okay! Your mom said grilled cheese…but how about pizza for dinner instead?”
“Yeah!” came the enthusiastic reply.
Soon pizza boxes were open, and we settled in front of the TV to watch their favorite show—The Brady Bunch. Laughter filled the room as we watched Marsha’s latest adventure. Then, unexpectedly, the mood shifted. Marsha mentioned that a friend’s grandfather had died.
Five-year-old Melissa turned to me, her big blue eyes serious. “Grandma, do you think he went to heaven?”
Her question caught me off guard. In the middle of a sitcom, I hadn’t expected something so profound.
“I don’t know, honey,” I said gently. “But the more important question is—are you going to heaven?”
She thought for a moment, then answered honestly, “I don’t know.”
I paused. This was one of those moments that come quietly but carry eternal weight. I could brush it aside—or I could lean in.
I chose to lean in.
“Melissa, come with me into the kitchen. I want to show you something. We’ll be right back,” I called to the others.
We sat at the table. “Go get your construction paper,” I said. “Bring a white piece, a black piece, a red piece, and some scissors.”
She returned quickly, eyes curious.
“Let’s start with a question,” I said. “Have you ever sinned?”
She hesitated, then nodded. “I hit my brother sometimes.”
I smiled gently. “That’s a good place to start.”
Holding up the white paper, I cut out a heart. “This represents your heart when you were born—clean and pure.”
Next, I had her cut small circles from the black paper. “These stand for sin—things like disobeying, being unkind, or not telling the truth. As we grow, sin comes into our lives.”
I placed the black circles onto the white heart - in the form of a cross. “See how sin dirties the heart?”
She nodded, watching closely.
“That sinful heart can’t be in heaven,” I said softly.
Her next question came quickly. “Then how can it get to heaven?”
“That’s the best part,” I said, cutting a cross from the red paper. “Jesus loves us so much that He died on the cross for our sins. He took the punishment we deserve. He died, but, He didn’t stay dead—He rose again.”
I placed the red cross over the black circles, covering them completely.
“When we tell Jesus we’re sorry for our sin, ask Him to forgive us, and invite Him into our hearts, He makes us clean again.”
I looked at her. “Would you like to do that?”
Without hesitation, she said, “Yes.”
Right there at the kitchen table, we bowed our heads. In simple, childlike faith, Melissa asked Jesus to forgive her and come into her heart.
When we finished, I stepped away for a moment. As I turned back, I saw something that made my heart smile.
Melissa sat on the floor, carefully retelling the story—heart, sin, and cross—to her very attentive dog.
And I was reminded of something Jesus said: “Let the little children come to Me…for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
That night began with a simple phone call—but it became a divine appointment.
Sometimes God uses the most ordinary moments—a ringing phone, a slice of pizza, a television show—to open the door for something eternal.
All we have to do…is be willing to answer.
What began as babysitting became heaven’s invitation. One question….one answer….Angels rejoicing over one small, sincere prayer.
Story is non-fiction
Scripture: Good News Translation
Matthew 19:14
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I have been a children church teacher for the last nineteen years and we use a similar cardboard cutout to teach the kids. Black for a sinful heart, red for the blood of Jesus that washes us clean, white for our new heart when we are saved, gold for heaven's streets where we'll end up, and green for the spiritual growth we need to achieve here on earth before we go to heaven. We call it the wordless book.
I am so happy to hear this was nonfiction. Thank you