Dedicating Charlie

This Saturday evening at our church, we will be dedicating Charlie Jude to the Lord. We take this very seriously, as we will be making promises to the Lord and to our church family about how we will raise our son, as we also surrender his little life to the One who ultimately owns it anyway. It is a very exciting thing for us, and it also grips our hearts a bit as we not only ponder the seriousness and significance of making these promises but as we surrender Charlie to the Lord, knowing he does not ultimately belong to us. Here are the promises we will be making. Please pray with us that with the Lord's help, we can uphold them and that Charlie will come to know Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord by God's grace.


1. We recognize Charlie as a gift of God and give heartfelt thanks for God's blessing.

2. We now dedicate Charlie to the Lord who gave him to us, surrendering all worldly claims upon his life in the hope that he will belong wholly to Jesus Christ. 

3. We pledge as parents that, with God's fatherly help, we will bring up Charlie in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, making every reasonable effort, with patience and love, to build the word of God, the character of Christ and the joy of the Lord into his life. 

4. We promise to provide, through God's blessing, for the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual needs of Charlie, looking to our own Heavenly Father for the wisdom, love and strength to serve Charlie and not use him. 

5. We promise, God helping us, to make it our regular prayer that by God's grace Charlie will come to trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of his sins and for the fulfillment of all his promises to Charlie, even eternal life; and in this faith follow Jesus as Lord and obey his teachings.

I have watched many a dedication service with tears in my eyes as the parents promise to "surrender all worldly claims" upon their child's life, because there have been many families who have lost the very children they dedicated. Now as I dedicate my own child, it is not any less emotional for me to think about God's absolute authority over the days of Charlie's life. But I trust and love a GOOD God, and I have to surrender not only Charlie's life, but my own life into His hands, knowing He knows best and loves me radically.

You are all invited to come witness this dedication at 5:30pm on Saturday, February 19 if you happen to be in the area. We would love to see you! (Click here for directions/information).