Today was the best day! My middle child, Callie, was baptized. If you don't know her story, here is a snip-it. Callie has always been what you might call 'strong willed'. At age 2 she was already in the principal's office at her preschool. 1st grade was our biggest challenge. She would stand her ground to any and every person in authority. She would kick doors, throw shoes, and boy could she scream. John and I read books, met with behavioral specialists, held special prayer meetings and even tried Super Nanny techniques. Visions of that Callie as a 16 year old teenager would plague my mind and it was so easy to doubt that God would provide the breakthrough that we were so fervently praying for. We knew that prayer was our only hope and we also began speaking God's word over her. In her darkest moments we will still tell her that she was a joy and delight (Luke 1:14)--that was who she was on the inside and we just kept praying that Callie would choose to behave like that was true. Over the course of her 1st grade year, her teacher also poured into her like crazy. She would even have a co-teacher come in the room to take care of the OTHER TWENTY kids while she focused on our Callie. (This was one amazing teacher) She would take Callie in front of the mirror and have her look at herself to remind her of who she was. She taught her analogies such as "Is this a mountain or a little ant hill?" to try to enable her to choose her battles when it came to emotional outbursts. Anyway, by May of her 1st grade year we started to see a change in Callie. It came on just like answers to prayer often do--gradually. Answers to our prayers often sneak up on us and aren't like miraculous booms or fireworks shows. This was gradual and this was awesome! One night Callie even told me, "I'm just not the same child I used to be". PRAISE JESUS!!! So, over the course of the next 6 months she has drawn near to God and most recently decided it was her turn to get baptized. (Her twin brother was baptized last summer and Callie said she wasn't ready) Well, today was HER day!!!
Romans 6:3-4 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
The second thing that made today so great was to relish in the presence of the family of faith that God has blessed me with. If I'm honest, the thing I continually struggle with that seems to be a deep scar on my soul is the loneliness I feel from not being born into a biological family of faith. I am very disconnected from my parents who are not followers of Christ and who are also very uninvolved in my and my children's lives. This devastates me. This disappoints me. This hurts deeply. I so yearn for it to be different but it isn't and it wasn't. I have released them and I love them dearly. The super good news is that God does not leave us as spiritual orphans.
John 14:24-28 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
God is our Father, our forever and perfect family. AND, no matter what biological family we come from, God promises to provide for the deep yearning for a family who understands our love and commitment to God, a family who loves us unconditionally like Christ models for us.
Psalm 68:6 God sets the lonely in families.
Matthew 12:48-50 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
So now I give to you the faith family God has provided for me. I will cherish this picture forever because these two ladies have been moms in Christ to me. Liz Tuttle on the right has always believed in John and I. She is our biggest cheerleader. She gives the best hugs and always has a positive word to speak over us. She inserted herself into Callie's life in her roughest spots an loved on her. When no one else would watch our kids for fear of catching the 'gunk' (tummy bug every 6 weeks for 3 years, and no I'm not exaggerating) LIZ WOULD. She cleaned up puke and wiped booties. She is the epitome of unconditional, whatever it takes love. And, Cecilia on the left has walked me through so many things. She has held me tight when I thought I'd never stop weeping, she has come to my rescue and held my head up over the toilet when I was so sick with salmonella food poisoning that I had to be hospitalized. She prayed for the conception of my twin babies and came and changed their diapers once they were born. And today she stood by my side as the daughter we prayed for so diligently made the best decision of her life.
Lastly, I am so thankful for my sister in Christ Allison. It is terribly lonely being an only child. It has been ridden with insecurity and awkwardness in friendships. God was so good to me to bring Allison into my life nearly 6 years ago. She has been the sister I've always yearned for. I am super protective of her as she is with me. She has loved on my kids and been the hands on aunt that I have always dreamed of. I love her and cherish her!
So...God is good. He answers prayers. He is the Giver of all that is good and right. I love Him more than life!
