New Baby!
So, in big news, we just gave birth to our third baby girl – Lydia Joy Gilbert – on April 7th, 2018!!! It was something we did not expect to go through upon moving down to Central, FL — nevertheless, God had other plans for us!
We were able to have a successful and smooth birth right at home – which is something we have never tried before. But God gave us tremendous peace about it, and everything worked out perfectly!!
The name “Lydia” comes from Lydia in the bible, and it derives from the Greek Λυδία, Ludía,[1][2][3] from λυδία (ludía; “beautiful one”, “noble one”.
What’s even more interesting is the biblical story behind Lydia in the New Testament. Lydia is a Biblical given name: Lydia of Thyatira, businesswoman in the city of Thyatira and deaconess in the New Testament’s Acts of the Apostles. She was the apostle Paul‘s first convert in Philippi and thus the first convert to Christianity in Europe. Lydia hosted Paul and Silas after their release from prison. It is possible that Lydia was the host for a house church during that time. According to Coleman Baker, “Lydia is described as a “worshiper of God” (probably synonymous with “God-fearer,” used elsewhere in Acts) “from the city of Thyatira” (located in Western Asia Minor) and “a dealer in purple cloth” (a luxury item in the ancient Mediterranean). She and her household are soon baptized and offer hospitality to the traveling preachers. Lydia’s house becomes the site for the church in Philippi, with her as its host and perhaps leader…. According to the book of Acts, Paul and his associates founded the church in Phillipi when Lydia and her household were baptized. One might conjecture that several of the women from the “place of prayer” were among those who joined with Lydia in this new movement.”[4]
So Lydia, in a sense, opened up her house as one of the first “Houses of Prayer” in the early Church days! How cool is that! We pray and believe for a special calling on Lydia’s life as she grows and discovers her purposes in God in the many years to come!!
Thank you for your continued prayers for us as we live as a family on mission for the cause of Christ.
-Josh
