THE TETHERING PLACE

For each of my boys, I have prayed. Prayed for a lot of things… Prayed for their health and their safe delivery, prayed that they would grow in wisdom and in compassion and strength and love, prayed that they would know Jesus as their best friend, prayed for the friends they will walk with through life, the mentors that will guide them, and the women they might one day marry.

And I have prayed for a word from the Lord for each of them before they were born… a word that might give me insight into who He has woven them to be and how I can build into what God has already begun before I even knew their names.

For Tucker, the word was peace. It is curious, as the older he gets, he certainly is not the most peace-full kid. He gets anxious easily as he is a perfectionist and is terrified of making mistakes; he hates surprises. He loves to be in control and has remarkable focus and an incredible attention span… and what it comes down to is that he LOVES peace. He loves when things are calm and predictable and ordered. He loves quiet and responds best to a soft tone and an un-rushed environment.  I trust that one day he will be a strong leader who brings peace and order because he craves it so much. And it makes me excited that Jesus, the prince of peace, will be the only one who will be able to satisfy this little man’s soul. I trust this very central character trait of Jesus’ will be the thing that draws Tuck close to him and keeps him near.

For Bennett, the word was joy.  Bennett loves to laugh. He has the softest, most nurturing heart. He can be volatile but I think that is just part of being 5… and the boy has the most amazing giggle. He is shy and often takes time emerging from his observant shell, but when he does light up, he woos everyone in the room. I love that his joy is infectious, lightens our home and brightens our days. My dear friend sent me a text the other day that remarked “joy without wisdom is mere sentimentality”. I pray that his joy would be infused with wisdom over his years as he seeks Jesus and receives insight and strength that will bring life and light to everyone in his life.

For Wesley, ironically enough, the word was wisdom. Now, the kid currently has a crazy potty mouth, a ridiculous amount of sass, already is doing flips on the trampoline at {barely} 3, and some would argue boasts the most joyous personality of the bunch… yet wisdom is the word I am to pray for and sow into him. And in light of the statement about joy with regard to Bennett, I trust that all that personality in Wesley is going to be beautifully  tempered by wisdom. I pray that as he observes 3 brothers’ triumphs and failures, and as he grows in trust of the Lord and in the knowledge of scripture, that he would be bursting with life and insight and words that are as life-giving as the energy he gives off.

As for this final little man, I have been asking for flexible and docile, but the word given to me {via a treasured friend who was praying for our family} was balance. It struck a chord in my spirit, and have been praying it over this little one ever since. Again, I don’t know what shape each of these words will take over the course of these little men’s lives, but I trust that this fourth will bring balance… in numbers, surely, as he will even out the brood {there is already one always left out!}, in the dynamic of our family, and that he might be balanced – in character and in commitment, and in personality. What a beautiful picture, that he might be one day known as a “balanced” man in a world that is prone to extremes.

These final days before this last one is born have me so curious. Who will he be? What will he look like? How will our family swell to incorporate yet another personality? Will he be a ginger? How will we have the capacity to care for, love, train up and provide for them all?

And yet the God of peace, and of love, of joy and and of wisdom, the God who is sure and unchanging, the God who is provider and healer and counselor and friend and savior and father and king, the God who is author of us all, has given me peace and hope and joy… to trust that He will be the source of wisdom and of balance and all that we possibly could need in a season when Marsh and I feel we have so little to offer. It’s because of this that we could not be more excited to meet this little one.

It’s almost time…