I will exalt you, my God and King,
and praise your name forever and ever.
I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness.
Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
let them proclaim your power.
I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy about your righteousness.
Psalms 145:1-7

Joseph.
God will increase.
Robert.
Bright flame.

We are told to tell of the mighty works of God.
You are one of those works, Joey.

You are a miracle, you know that?
Never forget.
God has already worked in and through your life with might and for His glory.
Circumstances may have looked grim.
They still do sometimes.
Life may have looked scary.
It still does.
But there is a spark of hope still burning, flickering.
Alive.

You will learn soon enough that life is hard and you don’t always get what you want – or even sometimes all you need – but you will also learn that God is sovereign and has plan for you and even in the muck of life, He has a purpose for you and a plan for good for you.

But remember.
You are a miracle.
God sees you, He loves you.
He. Created. You.

Where there could have been devastation and death there is instead life and hope and provision and love.
Your life is a monument of the hidden, sacred miracles of God moving in our lives.

So many people have prayed for you, your parents, and your brothers. We have prayed in anguish over masses and things lost. We have prayed in joy for your birth (in Minnesota no less!). We have prayed blessings and protection and God’s will over you.

When I pray for you, I hear echoes of these verses from Isaiah 61.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
Strangers will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
And you will be called priests of the Lord,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.

Instead of your shame
you will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.

We marvel at all the little details God has worked out to bring you to life.
You are part of His Majestic, glorious splendor.

So. Welcome to the outside, Joey. Enjoy life. Get used to snow. Choose joy over sadness. Walk with Christ ever closely.
I love you.