We praise and thank the Lord for twins Verla Jubilee and John Robert Burger, born on Thursday, July 23, 2009, at 11:20 A.M. and 12:26 P.M., respectively! Verla weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces and was 21¼ inches long, and John weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces and was 20 inches long.

The female name Verla is of Latin origin and means faith and truth, and Jubilee is of Hebrew origin and refers to the 50th-year anniversary celebration of Israel’s liberation from Egypt. We pray that Verla will be full of faith & truth and encourage many to find their jubilee in Christ.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ ”  –John 14:6 (NIV)

The name John is of Hebrew origin and means the Lord is gracious. We pray that he, like John the Baptist, will bring many to know the graciousness of Christ the Lord.

“He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth.... He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.”  –Luke 1:14-16 (NIV)

God’s tender mercies were evident in so many ways. After two miscarriages last year, we were not sure if we could have any more children. How surprised we were to find out He had blessed us with twins! The whole family worked together so that Stacy could focus on eating, drinking & sleeping, especially during the last couple months. Stacy enjoyed a planned home birth with midwives and a doula. Before birth, Verla was head down, but John was transverse. We praise God that they both came out head first, although John was posterior, and that Stacy did not bleed too much afterwards.