Dedicating Faith

A few months ago Byron and I noticed that Baby Dedication Sunday was coming up at our church. Byron asked me to sign us up - we felt it was important to have Faith dedicated. So I filled out the form on our church's website. A few minutes later, I received an email that our information had been received and that we should get an email with more information within 10 days. Well, 10 days came and went, so I emailed the contact person letting her know that we had signed up our newly adopted 3 year old, but not received any further information. She replied back, very graciously, that she had to check with our pastor because of Faith's age. A few days later, we were notified that we would be put on the list for dedications and that she would give me a call the week before the dedications. The next thing I knew, an email was sent out to the adoptive families in the church that the baby dedication was now being opened up to families who had recently adopted a child!! We started something! 

How beautiful is our little girl in her "dedication dress"?

So, on March 8th, we got to church early to take part in the dedication service! My parents and my sister along with her family were able to come up and attend the service - we needed a whole row for our crew!

There were quite a few families of Denton Bible Church who participated in the Baby Dedication that morning.

Our pastor, Tommy Nelson, spoke about what a baby dedication is and the blessing that children are to their parents. Then he presented each child being dedicated by reading the parent's name and the child's name. A funny thing happened when he got to us. Denton Bible Church is a BIG church. We have many dear friends and family in the congregation, but, though we have met Tommy a few times, we really don't know him personally. For most of the families Tommy would say something like, "I present to you John and Jane Doe and their son little Johnny." BUT when he got to us, for some reason he said, "A daughter is born to Byron and Michelle Serna, Faith RenLan Serna." It completely took me by surprise. Out of all of those families we were one of two that had adopted our child and yet he said, "A daughter is born to". 

But the more I thought about it, the more I really liked that we were the ones that he said that about. I did not carry Faith in my womb. She was not made from Byron's or my DNA. I did not give birth to her, but she was born to be ours. Psalm 139:16 says that all of Faith's days were written in God's book before one of them came to be. God knew that we were her parents before we knew that we were her parents. She was born to be a Serna. 

A daughter was born to Byron and Michelle Serna. Faith RenLan Serna.

This is a picture of the big screen - look how proud Gabe is of his little sister and how Selah can't take her eyes off of her. 

Faith waved at everyone when her name was called and as we walked to our seats after the dedication. She was now dedicated back to the Lord. He has given her to us for a little while to love, to take care of and to bring her up in the training and instruction of the Lord. 

And so in Faith's dedication, we promised as her parents to do just that. We promised publicly to model a godly life to her and her brothers and sister. We promised to teach her about Jesus and that He loved her so much he died for her. And we promised to show her how important it is to be in fellowship with His church. 

We Praise the Lord for the gifts He has given us when he gave us Gabe, Selah, Mig and Faith. They are truly blessings and our treasures!