He's Here!

Dan-Jill-Caden 62105
Originally uploaded by wailer2000.

Yesterday, Jennie and I got to see our good friends Dan & Jill Bahry in Akron - and welcome their new son - Caden Joseph Bahry - into the world!! He came 6 pounds, 8 ounces, 19 inches long, at 10:56am.

Jill was on bed-rest in the hospital for about a week, and Caden was "breech" - meaning he was positioned "feet down" instead of head down. While I plan to tell you more about how happy we are for them, and how incredibly cute and precious Caden is...

I thought I'd post some words that Jill wrote this past week, about how God has blessed and encouraged her and Dan over the past year... She wrote this, and Dan read it to their young marrieds group at The Chapel, and e-mailed it out to many family and friends. Even if you don't know them, I think you should hear this stuff!!

"The way that God has affected me this week is an incredible, unique answer to a pretty vague prayer. For about 37 weeks, Dan and I have been praying for God to help us be good parents to Caden when he arrives. We had no real specifics in mind, just knew that we really needed God to be a part in this big change in our lives. This week God has answered that prayer in lots of little and not so little ways. I think to explain it better, I'll use the chorus to one of my new favorite songs. (by Natalie Grant called HELD). "This is what it means to be loved, and to know that the promise was when everything fell, we'd be held."
Even though this last month of our pregnancy has not been at all what we expected, God has taught me so much. He didn't keep us from troubles, he simply (and lovingly) held us the whole way. He allowed me to feel a peace that passes understanding when I was told that I'd be admitted to the hospital. He told Caden to kick adn play while I was sitting on the side of the highway with a flat tire, just so I would know he was doing alright. He kept Dan safe as he traveled at warp speed to get to the hospital to be with us. And He has (most of all), kept us calm, close, and resting in Him the whole way.
Most people who have kids have already warned us how much having a baby will change our lives and to always expect the unexpecter. For me (being a "planner" by nature), this second part was going to be a bit tough. This week, God has reminded me that He is the Master Planner and that no matter how hare I try, I could never orchestrate a day as perfect as He can. What a great lesson for parenting. I would have never chosen for all of this to happen, but WOW- I'm so glad that the choice was not mine. This reminds me of a couple of verses that I'll leave you with...

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughs." Isaiah 55:9

Even though we don't understand why God does certain things, our comfort comes from... Psalm 103:11

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him;"

It's awesome to know that for as much as we don't understand his ways, that's how much He loves us. His love for us is exactly enough to fill the gap. God is good."