The Weary World Rejoices

If ever there was an apt description of the state of the world as 2021 closes, I think it could be weary. 

I know the difficulties faced by our family in the past month have at times felt overwhelming and consuming. How like God to lay on my heart something to share with our adoptive moms group about finding rest in the midst of the chaos. I would need those words and that group of women supporting me more than I could have predicted. 

And yet, the challenges we faced were quite small in comparison to what others have walked this year and continue to be faced with anew even this morning. 

A thrill of hope. Can you feel it? In the midst of illness, death, difficulties, politics. It’s there for the taking. The birth of a baby, coming to save the world so we can live eternally. 

I don’t like to put onto Mary what scripture doesn’t tell us, but I have to think of her in a stable, holding the light of the world. We perhaps cannot imagine worse circumstances or a less appropriate place for the Savior to be born. Yet, as far as we know, Mary doesn’t complain or expect anything greater for herself. When shepherds come praising and glorifying God Scripture tells us that Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. 

Last night as I sat awake with my newborn son, I was praying for him and thinking of who he might grow to be. The circumstances of the birth of Hans were not what I had hoped for. Yet God saw us through and was gracious to us. We have much to be thankful for. Sorrow and difficulty will always be part of life on earth. But so will joy! We can find rest and peace even in our hardest days. I pray that each of you can search and find it as we prepare to celebrate Christmas tomorrow. 

What’s in a Name? Hans Walter

All of our children have family names chosen and names which are meaningful to us. 

This is the story of naming our first son. 

Hans Walter Hess

Hans and Magdalena were our first Hess ancestors to come from Switzerland in the 1700s. They were fleeing religious persecution and traveled with their own large family (6 children at the time, I believe) to America. They settled in Conestoga/Pequea, PA which is about 15 minutes from where we live.

Hans is the Swiss-German form of John and means “God is Gracious”. {God certainly has been gracious to us through this pregnancy and I hope to post on that later.} While I was pregnant with Hans I traveled to Arizona to see my grandparents who live in the beautiful desert with a stunning Mountain View. I started believing and praying a verse over our child, which I prayed would be the anthem for his life. 

Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare a way for the LORD; make straight into the desert a highway for our God”. 

Walter means “army leader”. More importantly, it was the name of Trent’s paternal grandfather. He overcame much adversity in his life and lived a life honoring to the LORD. He raised six children, worked hard, was faithful to his wife, church and community. He died right around this time, eight years ago, and the word of the Lord was still precious to him in his last days. 

My hope for Hans Walter is that he would be a leader in God’s army and that God would be gracious to him to allow this to happen. That he would have the intrepid spirit of his ancestors with the wisdom to know when to take his family abroad and when to stay. That he would be like John that the Isaiah passage is prophesying to- that our Hans will make straight paths in the spiritual desert America has become and lead people to Jesus. 

Little Hans, we know that God knew you before you were formed in my womb. We have had a lot of fun not finding out if you were a boy or girl and trusting that God knew what was best for our family. We are excited to watch you learn and grow. We love you.