Joshua's baby dedication

Joshua was dedicated in our church today! That means that we, as his parents, promised to live our lives in a way that helps him to see the difference that Jesus makes to us, and that we'll consistently teach him about Jesus. It also means that our church family promised to help us as we walk this journey as parents, and as Joshua grows up.

Here is the letter I wrote for Joshua to read someday, when he's old enough to understand:

5/19/13, 5 months and two weeks

Dear Joshua,

This morning was your dedication to the Lord! We are so thankful for you, our son. We brought you to the 9:00am service at Grace Road Church in Rochester, where we’ve been attending for the past year. You always seem to love the music and the many faces we see each time. Your Grandma and Grandpa Burr and your Nana and Grandpa Landin were able to be there, and they were so excited to see you! 

You snuggled with Grandma Burr for much of the service, and you enjoyed hanging out with Grandpa Landin and Nana when you woke up. Pastor Kevin preached from Mark 12:35-44, and reminded us that following Jesus means to lay down our whole lives and to trust his leadership. You wore an adorable outfit that Nana Landin made for you, complete with a cute little hat. 

 

You were so well behaved, smiling and cooing as we arrived, falling asleep during the sermon (in Grandma Burr’s arms), and waking up happily, just in time for your dedication and the final songs. 

 

We sang “How Great Thou Art,” “All the Poor and Powerless,” “Oh, Our Lord,” (both by the group All Sons and Daughters) and “In Christ Alone.” (Getty & Townend) We had delicious cake after church, too! Your Daddy read this in church this morning as we dedicated you:

"Since we found out about you, we've prayed that God would make you a strong leader for his kingdom, like your biblical namesake. We pray that you'll always follow God's leading and trust Him completely. We love your frequent smiles and your boundless energy; may you use both to encourage and strengthen those in need. 

We hope that you'll see in us not just how much we love you, but that we love Jesus. We pray that as we teach and guide you that we will give you grace, just as we have been given boundless grace through Christ Jesus. May our words and actions clearly show you how to live for Him. 

We hope that our marriage displays love, faithfulness, forgiveness and integrity as we seek to honor God with our commitment to each other and to our family. "

We love you, baby Joshua!