A Devotional Written for Jake!!!

Joel's aunts threw us our last shower "After The Baby," It was decorated soo cute, food was great, and the fellowship was wonderful....and the shower was themed western, of course :)

Aunt Nancy wrote the SWEETEST devotional that I have to share with you all. I know God has got GREAT plans for our little boy..and this devotion is something we can share with him when he gets older!! Enjoy!

Jake's Devotional

Yee-Ha! Obviously you can see our theme for tonight is “cowboy”. Jenalee and Joel love country western. Jakes nursery has a “cowboy “ décor. So it was fitting to carry that theme into his shower and devotions for tonight.

Branding is something the cowboys do to their livestock as a visible mark that showed identification of who they belong to. Jake too someday will be branded so that all will know who he belongs to. Christ puts His mark on him and sets him apart. He has ownwership of Jake and his body. I Cor.6 :19 “Know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is from God and not our own.”

Horseshoes- The purpose of horseshoes is to furnish protection for the horses hooves. Christ did not bring Jake into the world and expect him to handle all of lifes friction and bumps in the road without protection. Jakes God will protect him as he rides through life. Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear?”

Chaps- Cowboys wear chaps to protect their legs from shrubs and vegetation that tear at the cowboys legs. God provides his word for Jake so when the world starts tearing at him, he can find peace and comfort there. Psalm 119:50 “This is my comfort in my affliction, Thy word.”

Cowboy Hat – The cowboy hat is used for protection from the sun, but it is also useful to the cowboy. On cattle drives, they use their hat to dip water out of the streams when they are thirsty. Jake can dip into his Bible and learn to pray and be refreshed. Psalm 91:1 “Dwell in the secret place of the Most High and stay under his shadow of protection.”

Saddle – Saddles are used for working cattle ranchers. As a Christian Jake will be set apart to work and serve his God. He needs to be in the saddle for Jesus sharing his love for others. Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.”

Tumbleweeds – Tumble weeds are dried up plants found in the old west. They can be troublesome and take over. Sins are like tumbleweeds, they roll into our lives and take over. Teach Jake that God is in complete control of his life and can control the tumbleweeds of his life. Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good to them that love the Lord.”

Spurs- A spur is a sharp metal piece attached to the cowboy boot. It is used to prod the horse forward. The Holy Spirit is Jakes spur. He is there to poke and guide us forward as Christians. May Jake be spurred on to great things for his God. Romans 15:13 “May you be filled with joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”