And God Sent a Baby

Last week while reading a devotional from "Living by the Book" my heart was really touched. The passage I read was from Exodus and it talked about the birth of Moses. The writer of the devotional mentioned that often times when God wants to do something big he sends a baby. This got my mind going and I began thinking about all of those special babies mentioned in the bible.
There's Issac and the miracle of his birth to two people who were well beyond the "baby years"...He lived on to fulfill God's phophecy to Abraham that he would in fact be the father of many nations. And what about baby Samuel...the answer to Hannah's faithful prayers. And there is baby John born to Zechariah and Elizabeth who were once again well beyond those baby years. John went on to prepare the way for the most special baby who was ever born. God could have picked any other way to send Jesus...I am sure there were other ways that would have been much more glorious, but still he chose to send our savior as a tiny baby and the things God has done and the lessons we have learned from this precious baby are too many to even begin to count. God has defiantly used babies in a big way.
Since my mind was already on a roll, I started thinking about the things God has taught me through the babies he has allowed me to carry. I noticed a running theme...God does big things through these precious little ones.

Pregnancy #1- Kaden taught a lesson about God being our provision. While I was pregnant I was in a car accident and put on bed rest. At that point I was our main source of income as well as the insurance provider. We were young and totally scared about how we were going to get through it. God showed up big time and provided in ways we never dreamed...I even ended up being able to stay home with Kaden after he was born!

Pregnancy #2- Konner was anything but normal. What I learned from loosing him is probably the biggest lesson God has taught me thus far in my life. I learned that God is faithful even in the valleys. I learned the truth of "you give and take away...but Lord, blessed be your name." I learned the value of christian friends who are there to hold you up when you cannot stand anymore. I learned the sweetness of just sitting at his feet and letting him quite me with his love.

Pregnancies #3&4- they were short and to be honest devastating after losing Konner, but God still moved and used this time to minister to me and to teach me the power and sweetness that comes through worshipping him through the hard times. I learned that he is my hiding place, the shade at my right hand, and that no matter what he would not let my foot slip. I learned what a blessing having children is and that healthy babies aren't just born everyday.

Pregnancy #5- Karter! We learned a huge lesson about the power of prayer and that God is truly the ultimate healer and physician. Karter had more people praying for him than I could even count...I always say that he is a living testimony of the power of prayer.

Pregnancy #6- K3 (he is still nameless at this point). Wow, he is teaching me a lot about God's sovereignty and trusting in God's timing. Every time I am nervous about the thought of two little ones under the age of 2 I am reminded first of the blessing a baby is but also that God has promised to equip the called.

And God continues to use these precious children to teach me big lessons about who He is and his grace. I am so thankful for each and every one of them and I am looking forward to seeing how God will use them in the future.

So... what have your babies taught you?:)

Prayer Request

I am writing today to ask for your prayers. Don't worry...everyone is healthy and well and our still yet to be named baby boy is growing just fine. This prayer request involves praying for my family and the opportunities God has sent our way during the month of February.

As most of you know, Nathan and I met at a revival where he was preaching and I was helping lead worship. We met in the ministry and God in his graciousness has seen fit to keep us there ever since! However, most of the time we are ministering separately...he is preaching and visiting the sick while I am teaching children's choir and volunteering the nursery. It is a great privilege when we get to "go back to our roots" and minister together on the same stage. February will provide us with 2 opportunities to do this very thing.

On the 13th we will be doing a Valentine's Banquet where we will be encouraging people in their marriages. On the 17th we have to great privilege of ministering to those church staff members who were effected by the hurricane last year. Please be praying that God will use us in spite of us. That He will shine and get all of the glory. February is crazy month with the TAKS test coming up for me at school, the revival at our home church, and I will also be doing a Ladies Retreat during the 20-21. With all of that I am feeling like I don't have much to offer...I am trusting in the fact that God has EVERYTHING to offer, and hoping that if He can use a donkey He can use us!:)

Thanks in advance for your prayers!
I hope everyone is having a great week!

It's official

That's right we are for sure having another boy! The ultrasound went great and he looks very healthy. Please pray that he continues to grow and develop the way that he should!

Now the hard part...what are we going to name this little guy?
Here are a few of our favorites...let me know what you think!

*Keller
*Kason
*Koen
*Kolson
*Kyler
*Kooper

***edited to add *Kale

Yes, we are trying to stay with the "K" theme but I would be willing to consider another letter if was a really good name!:)

Empty Me

A friend of the family sent me the link to this video today. The words to the song have really touched me.


">

"Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride.
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Empty me of me so that I can be filled with you."

Wow! I love that last line. So many times I am so full of me that there is no room for God.

Please continue to be praying for the Stamps family and little Harper. Take some time to read her story over at Kelly's Korner.

A little Wii and a new hair cut

This weekend the girls from FBC Malakoff got together for a much needed girls night out. Instead of going out decided that a girls night in would be the perfect time to get in a little boxing, Wii style. After all, if you can't look like a total dork with your girlfriends then when can you be your real self?
After some great food, there is always food involved when we have a girls night, the boxing began...

Kourtney and Julie hashing it out...Kourtney was the 5 time champ...she said it was all in the legwarmers!



Even a very pregnant Flo got in the action!



To add to our exciting weekend, Kaden got a new hair cut! This was exciting, however, this hair cut was not one that we planned.
This morning I decided that I would spike Kaden's hair since we were going to see some old friends for dinner. He wasn't fond of the idea...but hey, I don't have a little girl with bows so the least he could let me do it spike his hair. After some coaxing I was finally able to get the hair spiked.
We went about the rest of our day like normal until we were about to leave for Tyler. A friend of mine asked if something was wrong with Kaden's hair. When I looked I just thought his spikes had fallen down. Upon closer inspection I realized something was very wrong...his spikes didn't fall down...they were GONE!
He told us later that he didn't like his spikes so he cut them off! It was one of those try not to laugh while you discipline your child moments.
Here are some pictures...what do you think, does he have a future as a barber?

Prayers for Harper

Please say a prayer for the Stamps family. Their little baby girl, Harper, was born tonight and is not doing well. This is a precious family that has waited a long time for this little miricle. Please Pray!

Christmas 1,2, and 3!

This was our first year to spend Christmas morning at our house with just the four us. I was a little hesitant at first that it wouldn't be as fun without all of the holiday family hoopla, but we really had a blast making some of our own memories.

We decided to start some of our own traditions this year. We went through the drive through light park on Christmas Eve and allowed the boys and me :) to open one gift each.

Christmas morning was good...we even had our own little Grinch (Kaden woke up in a terrible mood).

After some fun with our toys we headed out for Christmas #2 with Nathan's family in Shreveport. All 10 grandchildren were there and it was a chaotic blast...I love that kind of stuff.

We came back home for a couple days and then we were off again for Christmas #3 at my parents house. We rolled in at 11:30pm and the boys were so excited we had to open gifts right then.

All in all it was a wonderful holiday filled with love, laughter, and LOTS of time in the car!! Thank goodness for the DVD player and headphones!!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the holidays:

Driving through the lights in our pjs! We got a Wii! (It has been so much fun)

Christmas Morning

8 of the 10 grandkids...that's what I call a kids table!

Karter and Julie having fun

The Grinch reappeared for Christmas #3!