Do you like Good News?

Not all news is good news. If you've lived long enough, I'm sure you can verify that my statement is truth.  However, the Good News, is that God is good, even when situations aren't.  The Great News is that somehow, He can work all things together for the good of those who love Him, particularly if you are praying and believing for Him to do this.

Last year, May 26, 2012, my brother and sister-in-law went in to deliver their baby boy.  In the process, something went terribly wrong, and even with an emergency c-section, Dylan did not make it.  We had all so anticipated his arrival.  He was perfect.  So cute,.... he simply looked as if he were sleeping, however, he had already went right back to heaven where he came from.

We wept with Jonathan and Melissa, we wept for ourselves, we wept for Dylan's big brother, my nephew, Tyler.
Something happened though.....We celebrated the beautiful purpose that Dylan's life had accomplished even before his actual birth.  He had already drawn his parents even closer, gave each of us excitement over the new beginnings that were taking place in our family....so much accomplished by his life, before he ever made it out of the womb.  We grieved, we prayed, and I watched as God took two people, and turned them into a Man and Woman of God, as they allowed God to come along side them, to comfort them, to strengthen them, to draw them even closer to each other and closer to Him.  They became examples of God in reality....God with us.

About four months later, after God had already been working healing in the hearts of each of us...Jonathan and Melissa announced that they were expecting again!  What?!  Instantly I was both elated, and gripped by the thought of fear that something might happen again....I pushed that fear away and refused to dwell on it...and that must have been exactly what Jonathan and Melissa did.  Never one time did I hear a doubting, questioning, fearful comment come out of their mouths. They were simply preparing and anticipating the arrival of their new blessing! What a testimony of God's Grace!

We then found out that they were expecting a little girl.  Of course Tyler was thrilled at the idea of being a big brother...although he did have to adjust to the idea of  little sister....but as you will see in the pictures..he is already madly in love with her.  I guess I jumped a little ahead of myself. ......  The Good News.....April 10, 2013 this family and this world welcomed Addison Grace Leonard!!!  A tiny, 6 lbs 3oz, 18.5 inch long miracle baby!!  So precious....every feature so delicate....her little cry, so cute (especially for those of us who won't have to get up at 2am with that cry! :) )  What a blessing!!
Tyler even commented to my mother that he needed to work to get some money!  She asked Why, wondering if he thought he had to help his parents take care of her.  He said, "Cuz I need to get my baby sister a present!"  How precious!!!

So....even before Addison Grace was born...the Good News is that God is there with us through every difficult season of life...The Good News was that the precious life of Dylan had purpose and meaning even though the days of his life were only in his mother's womb....The Good News is that if we let God, He can "work all things together for good for those of us who love Him"....The Good News is that He drew this family closer to Him and each other, by lavishing His Love, Comfort, Peace, Hope, and even Joy on them....and then of course the welcoming to this world of a perfectly healthy beautiful little girl - Addison Grace - who will, along with her brother Tyler, declare how Good God is all the days of their life! They will live and thrive, and love God all their days, and share Good News with everyone they meet.  They will be life changers!  It just makes me all the more thankful for my sweet blessings...my own son, Jacob, and my daughter, Grace!  The same God blessed me mightily with my own World Changers! God is Good....and that's the GOOD NEWS!!

Big Brother, Tyler, looking adoringly down at Addison Grace

Addison Grace Leonard! 

Aunt Theresa holding sweetness

Cousin Grace loving Addison Grace

One of my World Changer's - Grace- Holding her cousin with great Joy!
(My other World Changer, Jacob,  had a cold and couldn't hold her, but was there celebrating with us!)

Addison Grace - Gift from God