Mike has impacted us in NUMEROUS ways. Zach & I have always loved listening to Mike's sincere, impacting, memorable sermons. Since Zach and I have been married, we have been led into conversation about many topics and issues because of Mike's ability to bring things to light. About 2 years ago, I started working at Highland in the youth office. At that point, Mike became a co-worker of mine! It was/is a blessing and encouragement to see how he loves his family and puts others before himself. On December 23rd, he gaves us words of hope, love, sorrow, and truth as we had to endure the funeral and burial of Tyler. We will never forget how he somehow made that day bearable for us.
This morning, Mike blessed our family with these words over our boys:
Will's Blessing:
We are grateful, Lord, for these twins with which you have blessed Zach and Kara. We're so grateful that they will be raised by this couple where love prevails in their faith, in their marriage, in their friendships and in their home.
Our prayer is that you'll instill faith in William from his earliest days. We invite you to use not only his parents, and his large family of grandparents, aunts, and uncles- but also to use us, as well. Use us as we teach through our messages and through our lives. May he grow up to be a man of deep faith in Jesus Christ.
Lord, we anticipate the day when he'll make his own confession of faith. And toward that end, please bless him from these earliest days. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and guide, we pray. Amen.
Levi's Blessing:
Lord, this morning we offer our thanks for the way your creating love is expressed in this child. For forming Levi in his mother's womb so that he is "fearfully and wonderfully made," we offer our gratitude.
We ask a blessing on Levi, that the love of Christ may always surround him and that he might grow up to be a person of deep trust in you. We ask a blessing also on Zach & Kara as they seek to raise him, with the insights, love, and counsel of their spiritual family- in an environment of love, faith, and discipline.
And now, this morning, Lord, we pray in hope as we anticipate the wonderful day when Levi will confess his own faith in Jesus, through whom we pray, amen.
Preacher Mike with us.
Getting ready for their Sunday afternoon nap.
And here are some random pictures from this week
These shorts were too cute. I had to take a picture...or few...of these guys!
Will is our spitter-upper. I woke up after a nap to find Will like this. Poor guy! (This picture doesn't do justice because the BACK of his outfit was soaked too!)
**click to enlarge if you can't see the white chunks**
