Our Bringer of Light

These past days have been filled with such a wide gamut of emotions. One day, a dearly loved elderly man in our church family went home to be with Jesus. Two days later, our friends gave birth to their little guy who would never breathe a breath on his own. He went straight from the warmth and safety of his mommy's womb to the strong, all-encompassing arms of Jesus. While we rejoice in knowing that he is whole and safe and complete, our hearts hurt for those left behind...

Last night we celebrated our graduates...the ones we've come to love like our own over these past 10 years. While there's such celebration and excitement as they reach this long-awaited milestone in their lives, there's that all-too-familiar pain as we fully recognize that they're about to leave us. And once again, as they do every year at this time, our hearts hurt.

And yet in the midst of the hurt, God sends amazing blessings...reminders that He is good. In the midst of the heaviness of these past days, we're celebrating today.

Today we celebrate the life of our "baby" who has now reached the ripe old age of 9. Where, oh, where has the time gone?

His name, Lucas, means "bringer of light." One could not be more aptly named. Our little man brings such joy and excitement and humor into everyday life---you can see it in his pictures, can't you? Oh, this little guy just melts my heart and causes me to bask in the joy of each moment...

While we're exceedingly grateful for his unique make-up and personality which enriches each one of our lives, our prayer continues to be that as he grows and matures in his faith, he will be used of God to bring His light and hope to those who are so desperately in need of a Savior. Oh, how we pray that God will capture our little Lukie's heart; that Luke will steadfastly follow after Him. Oh, he'll make mistakes. He won't be perfect. But through the mountaintops and the valleys of walking with Christ, we pray that his faith will be firmly grounded and rooted in the ultimate Bringer of Light.

We love you, Lukie, and we thank God for making you! Happy 9th Birthday...

Here are just a few of my favorite shots over the past 9 years...