AUDREY (of noble strength) ARABELLE (prayerful)

My baby girl Audrey Arabelle was born on Tuesday. She was 3 1/2 weeks early, but perfect in every way. I spent the majority of the first day in the hospital alone with her, and as I looked down at her in my arms, inspected her beautiful face, watched her perfectly formed fingers curl around mine, and counted her tiny toes...I was so overwhelmed.

I have been in a season of remembering; as I have exited 2012, I have entered 2013 with a prayer for a year of peace. 2012 was a painful year; it was filled with separation, life-altering loss, physical upheaval and emotional chaos. Don’t get me wrong, it was also punctuated with immense blessing and God was faithful every momentl; I experienced much peace while walking, stumbling or crawling through the trials that met me each day of my year. His promised peace surpasses understanding, and I fought for it daily and found that He never fails. But while 2012 brought new depth of promised peace, it was not a peaceful time and I didn’t look backwards as the calendar switched.

And because of what my year held, as I look down into my beautiful baby’s face, I know that God has covered her and protected her and all that I walked through did not touch her. What a merciful and unlimited God. When she was in the womb, my prayers for her reflected a child who would have much strength. Before we found out the gender, I was struck by how different my prayers were for this baby than for Myla, I figured it was either a boy or a very strong woman...and here in my arms is this tiny, delicate creature who against all odds I could offer (i.e. a failing body with a troubled mind to carry her while she developed all she would need to survive and thrive outside of me), was unscathed, untouched, healthy...lovely. When I see her, I see God’s faithfulness; I know His strength is always greater than mine; I sense His promise of a lighter season; I see beauty arise out of ashes.

My dearest Audrey Arabelle, I pray you would draw your strength always from the right source--your almighty Creator, the Sustainer of your life--and that you would be one who sits with Him continually in His throne room of prayer, firm in faith in the One who is always faithful. I look into your face and through my mind rolls one statement, full of hope; “You’re going to move mountains, baby. I just know it.”