My Dear Boy,

Your imminent arrival is a pressing reminder that I wanted to share so many thoughts and lessons with you these past months.  As you will eventually learn, as we tell you the story of this recent move to the States as we wait for you, life doesn’t turn out as we plan.  In fact, what I’m still learning is that God’s will often clashes with our preferences.

When I first moved back here, over ten weeks ago, it was the beginning of Lent.  My son, you will soon learn that this is a time where we prepare our hearts for the time of Easter, the week we commemorate the sacrifice, suffering and resurrection of our Savior and Lord.

This year, I read a study which taught me more than I’ve learned in years about what Jesus sacrificed so that we might have eternal life (40 Days of Decrease by Alicia Britt Chole). My prayer, dear son, is that you would grow and walk in such intimacy with the Father. Though I’ll want to protect you from every ache, scrape and pain, greater still will my desire be that you know Jesus personally, that you share His heart for the hurting and lost, and that you don’t run from suffering or sacrifice.

In John 18:11, Jesus so honestly states, “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”.  The reality, son, is that we, too, will walk through suffering.  In fact, the grief or pain you will know will, at times, be unbearable.  It pains me to think of your future suffering, and I haven’t even met you yet!  This is why my prayer is that you know our Father, the Only One who can truly bear your burden.  May we both choose to trust in Him, knowing that He has not left us to drink the cup alone.