The Book of Lila

Throughout the Old Testament, there are books about specific people - Job, Ruth, Esther, etc.  In reality, these books are not truly about these particular people, but is their testimony on how God worked in them, through them and on their behalf.  These stories are ultimately about God and His relationship with imperfect humanity.  His love and mercy shines through in each of them and I believe that each of us has our own book of the Bible (forget for a second that we are commanded NOT to add to the Bible) that is our testimony of our relationship with God.  If we have children, our books will not only be ours, but will overlap our childrens’ stories.  

If you know me at all, you probably know my story. I am pretty transparent and love to brag on God and all the ways He’s working in and through my life.  I am amazed to see what He does and the impact that my little life has on others.  You are probably aware that my husband and I are in the process of adopting a beautiful baby girl, born last month, but do you know her story?  Today I want to share with you the first chapter of the Book of Lila.

To tell you this story, I have to start a little with the Book of Laura.  About 10 or so years ago, before I met my husband I received a word from God that I would someday have twins.  Fast forward to February 2011.  My son was almost 2 and we decided it was time to start trying for another pregnancy, one that I believed would fulfill that promise from God.  Time went on and we did not conceive.  During that time, we read ‘The Circle Maker’ by Mark Batterson.  At one point in the story, he shares that God told him to pray for 2 million dollars to complete a project he was working on.  He had no idea where the money would come from, but he prayed believing for it.  One day, a couple meets with him and tells him that God told them to give him 3 million dollars.  I felt after reading that that God speaking to me though that and that we would not only have the twins, but one more child would join our family.  In my mind, it was triplets, believing that my time was running short for two more pregnancies to happen.  I kept it to myself, thinking it a bit crazy, but as I was talking to a new friend one day, sharing my story about the twins (and nothing about the third baby), she said she believed that I would not only have twins, but that I would also have a little girl added to our family.  So I began believing more strongly that there would be three more children in our future.

More time went by and I realized I was showing signs of menopause and had been for a few years.  It took two doctors, several blood tests and about 6 months to finally have it confirmed.  In September of last year, I was told that I was unable to have any more children due to premature menopause.  The doctor said that our only hope for a biological child was surrogacy and that wasn't for us. To tell you the truth, I was actually relieved.  The pressure was off me and I could just relax and watch God work and that’s exactly what I told Him. Although we weren't planning to actively seek it out, adopting a child has always been on my heart and became even more so as I started becoming more involved and aware of abortion issues.  My husband wasn't as keen on the idea.  I wasn’t looking to adopt to fulfill God’s promise, in fact, I didn’t want that to happen, but I just felt strongly that it was something I was called to do. I had talked to my husband many times about it and he was always resistant to it, because he wanted to see if we would have our own, so I prayed that if God wanted us to adopt, for my husband to make the decision and say ‘yes’ to it. That was 2 years ago.  

About a month after being told that I was unable to conceive, on October 17, I got a call from a friend who had been made aware of a woman in need of an adoptive family for her baby.  I wasn’t really hopeful, knowing how my husband felt about it, but I approached him with it anyway, praying and knowing what I had prayed just a couple years before.  He was skeptical, but by that evening, he said ‘yes’ and we started the process.  A month later, we met the birth mom and she chose us right away.  I was present at an ultrasound and in the delivery room when my daughter was born.  God placed women in the delivery room that were Christians (and went to our church, although I didn’t know that at first) and I was able to have a room and stay right there with Lila.  One of Lila’s nurses after her delivery also goes to our church, which I didn’t know until just a few days ago.  Every new shift, our story would be shared and the nurse would come in the room asking me to tell it to her.  Lila had an impact from the very beginning. 

When we were choosing her name, we chose to put together one of Dave’s favorite names and one of mine - Lila Bryn.  Her name means, ‘You are mine from on high’.  Lila also means ‘Lilac’ which I liked because I felt that we had been in a winter season for the past 4 years and we needed spring.  She was due January 30, but made her appearance just an hour and a half after midnight on February 1, the very month 4 years ago that we had started trying to conceive.  In the Bible, 4 is a number representing a season and our season of barrenness has ended.  February in the Hebrew calendar is also a celebratory month in which they prepare for the coming spring.  Nothing is insignificant with God.

This little miss is such a blessing to us and I am excited to see what God has in store for her life. He has truly set her apart and placed her in a family who will guide her to follow Him, which would not have been the case otherwise. I still believe God’s word to me and am looking forward to bragging on Him when it happens.  Until then, we enjoy our ‘above and beyond’ baby.