A Time to Rejoice!

Today my dear friends George and Joni brought their two new daughters, Jaden and Eden, home from the hospital! They were born two weeks ago at 3 lbs 10 oz and 4 lbs 10 oz and had to spend their first two weeks in the NICU, but that's it! This in itself is amazing because the nurses said that they never send twins home together because they develop differently, and especially the fact that one was THREE weeks behind the other in growth. They are totally healthy, and the reason I'm writing this is because their lives are really a miracle! In fact, so is their mom's! About halfway through her pregnancy she started having complications, and the doctor told them there is no chance that both babies will live. As Joni says, "I am so aware of what the doctors said, 'you have a zero chance of making it with these babies.' God can do plenty with zeros." Praise the Lord for this miracle! I don't always know why God allows us to go through dark valleys in life, through circumstances that are totally beyond our control, but one thing I know is that so many times it seems that He just wants to show us that He alone is the One who is in control of our lives, and He desires that we put our trust solely in Him- that if the doctors give us a zero or a one hundred, in the end the result is up to the Father. Joni herself went through severe physical complications after giving birth to the twins, and according to our human standards almost didn't make it. But here again God was clearly showing us that His hand was with her all along and He IS a God who desires to show us His power by coming through in miraculous ways.

I know that sometimes God answers our hearts cry in ways that give heavenly joy and sometimes He allows us to through pain that our humans minds simply cannot understand or see purpose in, and I know that He calls us to respond with joy in every circumstance (James 1:2-4, 1 Thess. 5:16-18).

You give and take away, You give and take away. My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be Your name.

We are forever grateful that this time He responded with YES and chose to let Joni, Jaden and Eden continue to live with us!

The girls are welcomed into their family by their big brothers and sisters, Zhana, Tyler, Stephen, Corey, and Story.

Jaden

Eden

Jaden Eden