Good Like a Medicine

My mom and sister (with husband and my nephew) came down today to help us for the rest of the week, and secretly I know they are doing their own share of begging God that He would bring Shepherd here quickly! Can you believe it? He still isn’t here! I share the same surprise that everyone who knows me does at this point because honestly I just look (and feel) like I’m about to pop!

I have scattered thoughts, deep and extremely profound I’m sure (ha!), concerning these circumstances and how God is using this waiting time to sanctify me, but right now I am too busy doing other stuff around the house, compiling old photos and purging — things I didn’t anticipate having time to do this week (Grammy, I found your “white picture”)! I am kind of a basket-case of emotions, hormones, fears, excitement, and peace, which come and go at various points of the day. I am tired of everyone I know asking me, “Do you think he’ll come today?” because it reminds me of the fact that I’m waiting and it almost puts a dent in my patience. But I know people love our family when they ask, and they are just checking on us and loving us.

This time is a precious time in my walk with God, a time of claiming faith in the unseen and faithfulness of my Father, a time to trust and obey and to do it with a willing and joyful heart. It’s not easy, but He never said it would be easy.

It would be so easy for me to try to move things along, to schedule a c-section or induction, and I’m not saying I think families who decide to do that are wrong or inferior. But in my heart I believe God has a plan for Shepherd and his delivery, and it is best that I avoid interfering with it as much as possible. He seems to be healthy, and I seem to be healthy. I honestly can’t believe that I feel so strange for being full-term with my baby in womb, but in these days I guess it’s really not normal anymore to reach 40 weeks with a baby! Anyway, the challenge now is to wait and trust that God knows best and He will start it all when it’s supposed to start.

Well, I wasn’t going to start going into all of my thoughts; I guess they just spilled out and on to the page. I am thankful my sweet mother is here to help right now in this time of need. My sister Jennifer and her husband Blair are visiting, too, and it has been so good to spend time with them and my adorable nephew Noah (he is so big now)! I am going to sit back, take it in for a few days, and just be thankful for these memories God is giving us… And you can be assured that I’ll keep you posted about Shepherd if he comes in the next few days.

If you would like to pray for us, please pray that these would be illuminated in our hearts and minds over the next several days:

• for strength and patience (1 Peter 4:11)
• for contentment (1 Timothy 6:6)
• for safety (Psalm 91)
• for confidence in God that destroys Satan’s attempts to weaken our trust (James 4:7)
• for joy as we glory in all that Christ is (Galatians 6:14)