Dedicated to the Lord

This evening Bryan and I had the honor of dedicating our sweet baby girl to the Lord.  We are simply acknowledging that this darling girl is a gift from God and that we will pour truth and love into her. We will pray for her, teach her, and lead her to the Father. We know that He created her with a purpose and a plan and we vow to raise her for HIS glory!

We were asked to pray and ask God to give us words that reveal a little about who He created Allison to be. After Bryan and I prayed separately, we shared our words and realized that God had spoken many of the same words for Allison to each of us.  

Allison will be a helper, a joy-bringer (Proverbs 10:28, Romans 15:13), compassionate, a sweet aroma (2 Corinthians 2:15) a listener, a healer, kind and an encourager. How amazing is it to know these things about our little princess?! This is who she will become as we point her to her Heavenly Father.

Allison Elizabeth Shaw

Shaw Party of 6

I don't talk about this much but in 2007 I had a miscarriage. This was before Bryan and I had any children.  It was a very hard and scary time and I was so worried that I would never have any children. I remember listening to "Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone," over and over again. There is a verse that says, "The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures." Every time I heard that song I just knew God was saying to me...."Tori, I promise good to you." 

As we stood on the stage tonight, dedicating our 4th child to Lord, I couldn't help but rejoice within. This baby girl and her brothers are proof of God's faithfulness. These little ones are the good God promised! 

Today I am grateful for this sweet baby girl and her big brothers. I would have never imagined that Bryan and I would have 4 children but my heart is so full now! This is exactly the "good" He had planned and His ways are so perfect! I am also thankful for the chance to publicly dedicate this little lady to her Heavenly Father. My heart overflows with prayers for her daily but more than anything, I pray that she will always know how loved she is and that God has so many wonderful plans for her life. I hope she walks through life being sure of her identity in Jesus and that love will just ooze out of her!

One of the words God laid on my heart for Allison is "joy-bringer." That isn't a typical word but I kept hearing this! And isn't true already? Allison has brought so much joy into our home and family. (I mean, her brothers are absolutely smitten with her!) She smiles with her entire body and lights up a room with her sweet face. Everyone that interacts with her can sense the joy she contains almost immediately. God is going to use her to carry His presence around and bring joy to everyone she meets. Oh, how blessed I am to be her mother!

Thank you Jesus, for this baby girl. We dedicate her life to You.