Dedicating the Boys

We decided to go to the Vineyard Church in Clarksville and after just three weeks of attending. Kevin asked the pastor, Landon, far right below, if we could dedicate the boys there. Kevin's mom, Jennifer, came, as did Kevin's sister, Laura, her husband, Joshua, and their son, Elliot. Laura and Josh are also Caleb's godparents. Their visit was very timely, as Kevin will be leaving soon and it meant a lot to us to have family stand with us at the boys' dedication.
Kevin spoke about why we gave the boys their names. I wish we'd gotten a video of it. I'll try to do his words justice. Caleb and Joshua were great warriors in the Old Testament. They were courageous spies in an enemy land and they stood up for God's will when the other spies wimped out with the threat of a hard fight. It was their courage and bravery that led Kevin to the names, and their faith and strength of character that convinced me. Besides these qualities of courage, bravery, faith and character, we also pray for a relationship between the boys similar to the one Caleb and Joshua had. We pray that they would encourage each other to stand up for what is right and to face danger and criticism head on.
These are the verses that we prayed over the boys before they were each born, and continue to pray over them:
The Lord said of Caleb: "My servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly." Numbers 14: 24
The words the Lord spoke to Joshua: "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. " Joshua 1:6
After Kevin spoke, Landon anointed the boys, and asked the church to join him as he prayed over them.

We hadn't dedicated Caleb yet, because we never really felt at home at our church in Fayetteville. For me, having Caleb dedicated is about entrusting him to the Lord, acknowledging His ownership of our son, and committing to raising Caleb in the knowledge and grace of God. But it's also about asking the Church to come alongside Kevin and I, to hold us accountable to be godly parents, to teach the boys, and of course, to pray for their salvation through Jesus Christ. I never felt like I'd be able to ask that of the people in the church in Fayetteville, but somehow, after just three weeks here, we felt like this was the place, and these were the people. I'm trusting God that these people will become our family here, that they will pray for our boys and help us be godly parents.

However, if I could make my Church family out of all the people in our lives, if I could assemble all of those that I want to be involved in my life and in especially in my boys' lives, it would include a lot of you out there reading this blog. So I'm asking those of you who are fellow believers, as someone who cares enough about us to read all the way through this post, to join with us in praying for Caleb and Joshua. I apologize for the impersonal nature of this supplication, but I truly desire your prayers. God has called us to the Army, so I will continue this impersonal method of communication with those I esteem, love, and miss. Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.