This Zyla Elise Belt. She entered the world a week ago, today. She was 6lbs 15.7 ounces of spunk and boisterous vocal chords. She has already added so much to our family unit. For one, we are now a family of 6, not five. This makes our minivan purchase a year and a half ago look like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Secondly, even the knowledge of her presence  has pushed my wife and I toward putting some things into action that we had been putting on the back burner for so long. She has challenged our faith, even in the face of challenges and being told no. It feels like our collective chin has become as hard as flint. Life comes and hits us, yet we have not been knocked completely down.

Third, she brings some calm. I know you’re asking, “How can you have any calm when you have 4 children?” I would say you’re right. There is no physical calm when you have children ranging in ages from 9 to 1 week old in a very small space. There is no physical calm in my body when I get 2 hours of sleep, and still have to find a way to teach 160 kids in my classroom some essential things they need for Communication Arts.

I would say, though, that my heart has been calmed. We believe very strongly in the power of naming children according to their destinies. Zyla means “princess”, and Elise means” God is my Sufficiency”. That middle name speaks volumes to me. Even when we may not have enough, because we have God in our family, and in our hearts, it’ll be alright. Furthermore, every time I speak her middle name, I am in essence saying a short prayer that I know my Father in Heaven hears with great joy. This brings me a calmness that I can’t explain, that I can’t always grasp, and that I don’t even try to understand. It’s just there, and when I look at Zyla Elise, I know that everything is going to be alright. Life can be so hard, so demanding, and so unrelenting. We need tokens in life to remind us of what we believe and in WHOM we believe. So, today I reflect, and thank God for Zyla Elise, for the peace inherent in His name, and for the sufficiency that can be found only in Him.

Now, if someone could build me a soundproof man-cave, I’d be JUST that more calm!

~ Justin Belt, Guest Blogger for Two Perspective Tuesday

*For more from Justin be sure to check out his blog at http://themicahblog.wordpress.com.