The One About Silas Philip

There is something about a son...that responsibility of raising him up to be not only a Godly man, but a radical man of God.  This is very much just as important with women, but women's role in the bible is a little different than a man's.  I am sure glad that I don't hold the burden of leading my family.  My burden seems easy compared to my husband's role as father/husband.  It's not a sexes thing, ladies, it's not a matter of superiority over us, but I do think that there is a divine calling and purpose of calling us to different roles.  I hope to honor my role as a woman, instead of demeaning my Creator and His vision by comparing. I will now step off that box....

Silas and Philip were great men who's lives were a showcase to what it means to be a true man, giving up themselves and letting Christ rule and be exalted through them. Philip was called an Evangelist, and some say that he was the only one in the bible with that title.  He went around proclaiming the Word of Jesus and in one story he actually teleports by the spirit?! Ya, I have no idea what happens...you should read it! (Acts 8:26-40) That can only mean that he was awesome.  Silas' most famous story was when he and Paul get thrown into prison while on a missionary journey and start singing and dancing! An earthquake shakes the doors open, and the sweetest part (my favorite)...oh..I'll just quote...
"When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.  But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!" And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"  They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." Incredible. 

This is our prayer for our daughters and our son...that they hear and learn from men such as these and see the true joy and value in following Jesus in a bold way, not just hearing a bible story.  That wherever we, as parents, may fall short, they know to rely on His Word for guidance and Truth.  And most importantly, they see through stories such as these, that salvation is a free gift to those who believe in Jesus Christ. We pray that they treasure the Cross and long to proclaim it to everyone. For His death gave us life...nothing we can do to earn it and nothing we can do to lose it.  We are justified at the Cross. 

You should know, that Jesus has held this baby boy in his hands from day one.  It wasn't hard to get pregnant with the girls, and we had smooth pregnancies with no complications at all, other than morning sickness.  He had them in His hands too, always protecting. 
Silas, was somehow conceived in the same month we miscarried.  In fact, when we went to our first appointment, around 6-7 weeks (we still don't know) we were even told that it was a blighted ovum, where there is a gestational sac, but no baby.  We waited 10 days, came back to a strong heartbeat.  A few weeks later, after discovering he was a 'he', the doctor told us that he had cysts on each lobe of his brain and that we had to run more test because he could have deformities such as trisomy 18 or 21.  After a month, we went back to a follow-up ultrasound to make sure he was growing normally to find out the cysts had completely dissipated and he was in the 92 percentile on growth/weight!!!
I've learned how to pray all over again through this...there is nothing that we can't ask our Father for.  Although I was okay if the outcome wasn't my choice, I knew that He wanted me to cry out to him with my fear and worry. It's only normal to want your child to be healthy. When I submitted to that, I carried a peace.  I still asked for prayer from our family and friends, but I really rested in a peace I can't describe.  He loves us and wants to carry our burdens...because they aren't burdens for Him.  I posted on my facebook a quote from David Platt, where he spoke about Jesus being our sympathetic resonance...because Jesus was human too, He knows heartache.  He gets it.  So, next time, if you are like me and feel guilty for asking too many things, there's no such thing. 
He hears our hearts, and answers prayer.  It's not always our way or quickly, but He hears and "His Grace is Sufficient."