Child,

Lara is already an amazing mom and as beautiful as can be - just a natural at caring for and loving Judah. She has that special touch of a mama and it's been a joy to see that come to life even just in the past couple of times I've seen them together. While she's been recovering and making sure Judah is growing and thriving, Tyler has been attentive and helpful at every turn...including when I stopped by to take some photos for them over the weekend. 

When I looked through the photos later, I was most struck by Tyler's tenderness with his son, Judah. And as I now gaze at him peacefully sleeping, knowing he is completely cared for, I can't help but think of our Heavenly Father. 

May these images comfort you, dear believer, in the troubles of life this very day. You have a Father in Heaven, the very One who created you, who knows you and loves you as his very own child. He sees you. He has united you with himself by Christ, through the work of the Spirit, so that you can actually participate in his triune life. Nothing can separate you from him. Because of Christ, you are not fatherless (John 14), but you are given the greatest love, which has no end. Take heart and remember who you are in him. 

"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children." - Romans 8:15-16

Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Romans 8:34-39)