God is Gracious

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It has been about 8 months since our last post. Our family is doing well and continuing to experience God's love in so many ways. The highlight of our family is the new addition that arrived on September 3rd, Clayton Hans Sweerin. Being 6lbs 9.8oz's and perfectly healthy our hearts were overjoyed. Melanie is also doing well and was very strong through the delivery.

As I have been soaking in the experience, I want to reflect on the lessons God has been teaching us. As many of you know, losing Elijah in September last year has changed our view of God in many ways. As Christians, we need to understand how when tragedies happen it isn't necessarily God punishing us, forgetting us, or a result of our own mistakes, but a result of the curse man brought upon itself.    Now September 3rd, 1 year later we have experienced God's grace in a new way. Clayton (meaning "from the clay") is an image that comes to our mind as we think of how God created us from the dust of the ground. He is the potter that sat at his wheel and molded and shaped the clay for His purposes to bring Himself glory. Hans (means "Gods is gracious") is the reminder that because of Man's sin we don't deserve blessings such as this. It is only by God's grace that we have loving families, purpose, peace, joy, or the strength to go forward if we lose it all like Job did.

At the end of the day we will only grasp the surface of the complexity of God's plan and purpose for our family. We do not understand why he chose to take Elijah from this life and has allowed Clayton to remain, but God has been faithful to us. Thank you all for your prayers and walking life's journey with us.

Love,
The Sweerin's 

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