Soul Sanctuary

http://soulsanctuary.ca/ They have a very unwieldy website. Almost impossible to find the address. Attendance 100
They are putting on a Syrian refugee dinner and dance Feb 14 6pm. I don't suppose the Syrians will appreciate the dance!

Special guests: Esther and Michael Schultz

Esther is pregnant.
Wants baby dedication before the baby is born.
Started driving together and living in the truck.
Found a new job and got pregnant. Lost the baby. Grief and loss. Michael took time to process. 2011 got pregnant again. Parenting in amazing. Malayna always brightens our world.

Started a trucking company. God was in the details. Got pregnant again.

Had a head-on collision in the middle of Saskatchewan. The phone quit. The gap.

Lots of issues with the pregnancy. Alianna was born with issues. Her brain was not working. 6 to 12 months life expectancy.

Had a baby dedication at home. On oxygen. Pulled the plug. That was hard. Expected her to die. She kept going. For 2 months. 

God carried us. It's a story I never would have chosen.

Kept the business going.

We celebrate Alianna. The condition is genetic.

Got pregnant again. Tested. Same condition for this new baby. Malayna is excited and named the new baby Eli. God

Many people pray. It's hard to get excited. Termination in morally reprehensible and might cause regret. Wanted the nightmare to be over.

Want to cherish this child right now. The Lord is close to the broken hearted. Got the book Holding on to Hope by Nancy Guthrie. Isn't real faith about pursuing God and what he wants not pursuing my wants.

Zach Hunter said life is not about comfort.

Suffering and grief we all experience. Life sucks. Share your story.

What does God want for us? It's easy to praise God on the mountain top. We're in a valley. Lots of dreams shattered.

God wants us to LOVE him and be thankful. Phil 4.
God cares about the details of my life. If I allow him. As a control freak that's hard.

What does God want for us? Success happiness? That's not my life. God wants me to trust him. Dependency on God makes life good. He cares more than I can imagine.

What is the one thing you want people to process today?
God always has your back. He cares.
Give God control. Invite him into your situation. Then he comes through in the way beyond me.

In the midst of this he is still God.

Do a baby dedication. Share the story. This is very unusual. A baby can't be baptized on confession of faith. But like Jesus was dedicated so we dedicate babies today to make a lifelong commitment to raise them in the love of Jesus and release them to God.

Jesus has already been using you big. Giving your child to God is a commitment.

Soul is a loving caring community.
Are you willing to accept God's will for your child? Yes.