Baby dedication

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." 

Proverbs 22:6 

   On Sunday we, as a church family, had the privilege of standing before Jason and Faith and agreeing together that we would help them raise their beautiful little girl in the way of the Lord. 
  I never knew how powerful it was for the parents to see all of us get out of our seats and stand up before them, until we dedicated our son. We know that we have full support from our families and our close friends, but to see the church family standing before us with Pastor John holding Gavin, brought tears to my eyes.  

  I know full well that not every person in the church will have a personal impact in Gavin's life, but it was the picture, the symbol, of everyone standing together, that was most meaningful to me. 

  So I'm left here on a Tuesday, wondering what is next for Claire.
 
    The nursery volunteers will care for her next week when she is crying in the nursery. The people who are in the toddlers will read stories from a children's Bible to her. The ladies in TinyTown will encourage and teach her that God loves her. The leaders in Kidztown will teach her stories from God's Word and show her how she can see God in her life. The teachers in Sunday school will encourage her to store verses from the Bible in her heart for when she needs encouragement in the future. The leaders from KidzClub will show enthusaism when she invites her friends on Tuesday nights so that they will also hear about the Lord. 

  Looking at the number of babies and young children that are in our church, it can be overwhelming when it seems like we don't have enough leaders or volunteers or that our spaces aren't big enough to contain everyone. When I look at these families though, it is encouraging that they are choosing this church to worship every Sunday morning and Tuesday night. Why is that? It's not because we have a fancy children's ministry area, or because we have a high tech Kidztown, or because our kid's worship is out of this world, it's because the children see people who love them, who care for them, and who want to see the Word of God take shape in their lives. 

  That is what is next for Claire. That is what is next for all the babies that were born this year, for the unborn, for the ones in toddlers and the ones beyond. They have a church family who loves them and who wants to see them grow and thrive.