Welcome baby Levi Joel!

Dear Family and Friends,

It is with great joy that we announce the birth of our beloved son, Levi Joel, one of the greatest treasures ever entrusted to us. In his first few weeks of life, he has managed to capture our hearts with his sweetness and softness. He is truly a gift and a delight. The meaning of Levi is: Joined, attached. The meaning of Joel is: He that wills or commands and Yaweh is God. I have prayed this last year that the Lord would give us a name for our son, and now more than ever I have no doubt that He led us to name our precious boy Levi Joel. I know even already that one day his name will tell a story about him and about the Creator who made him. It was after I got home from the hospital that I found out that Levi means: Joined, attached. At that point, we had already found out that our baby has what is called Apert Syndrome, a very uncommon condition that affects about 1 in every 160,000 babies, characterized by premature fusion of certain skull bones, as well as toes and fingers that are fused together. We knew nothing and had never even heard of Apert Syndrome before he was born, but we can already see God`s grace and mercy over us as a family in the ways He has been preparing us for just a time as this and believe that God has a very unique and special purpose for this little one`s life. Throughout my pregnancy and now that he is born, we have and continue to pray daily over baby Joel`s life. Our biggest desire for him is that he can know Christ as his personal Savior and bring Him glory and honor. We face many surgeries in baby Joel`s future and many health risks, but just today I was again reminded that it is Jehovah who establishes our steps. He is God, He who wills and commands, and we have chosen to put our trust in Him alone.  As of now, baby Joel is doing great and is a very easy and content baby! Marvin, Michayla and I are all so in love with him and enjoying his newborn stage.

We are so thankful for all of the love and support poured out on us by family, friends and our church body. We have felt the prayers holding us up throughout this time and have felt God`s presence in a very special way. We covet your prayers on behalf of our son that the Lord would even now prepare him for the road ahead and protect his brain, his eyes, his ears, his lungs, his breathing, his heart, his hands, his feet, and every part of his body, that he will love and serve the Lord, and that his life will be used to bring glory to our king, Jesus. Please pray for baby Joel`s breathing, as he has, at times, seemed to have some trouble. Also please pray for direction, wisdom and grace for our family as we look down a long road ahead of us with many changes and challenges and face many tough decisions.

Emmanuel: God is with us, and we trust in His great love. To Him be the glory forever and ever! 

With much love,

Marvin, Sharon, (Michayla and Joel) Lopez