(The first picture we ever saw of our sweet Noble's smile.)
September 2012
We don't even notice anymore, the gaps and reminders of where our son had been. Where had he been, Lord? Wherever he had been, God was with him every breath. That much we do know. He will always be with Noble.
"For he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'"
Hebrews 13:5
But the decay, the result of malnutrition, it's time to leave it in the past. What a joy to restore one more component of what was lost. The gaps, in heart and gums, they are to be restored.
God allowed them all, even planned from long ago the voids He'd choose to fill for Noble.
"My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them."
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them."
Psalm 139:15-16
To be a part of God's great plan for one noble little life, what a gift! To watch redemption unfold before our eyes, what a testimony of His amazing grace, His thoughtful, careful, eternal, intentional, wise, and praiseworthy grace bestowed lovingly upon His child.
Tomorrow morning (Monday) we go in for surgery. It will require anesthesia which is never really a parent's first choice, but to entrust our sweet son to our Father's loving hand is. We release control, willingly. We're excited to rid Noble's mouth of past (and current) pain, praying the same for his tender heart and God is good.
Would you pray for Noble with us? Would you lift up his doctors and his heart, both spiritually and in the flesh? Would you join us as we ask the Lord to bring our son one step closer toward the full restoration He has planned?
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11
Adoption is beautiful. Our adoption into God's family is chosen. Our adoption of our children is reverence toward that which our Father God has done for us. It feels as if it's almost a natural byproduct of His grace. It's a privilege and a blessing to take part.
We're lifting up Noble's surgery and placing him at the alter of Christ. Not one tooth was left unharmed by the past God chose for Noble, yet not a hair on his head could be harmed apart from the will of God. We know that. No breath is breathed without providence. There are no mistakes with God.
With Noble's surgery, we move nearer toward wholeness as we praise God for placing this little boy in a loving home where he is nurtured and provided for. We lift up history and future and offer thanksgiving for both because we know that God will us it all for good. It's a joy to see children being brought into love, into God's family through adoption. It is precious to see Him work out His plans. We're feeling grateful for that today.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us or adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:3-12
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3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us[a] for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known[b] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us[a] for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known[b] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
