Enjoying the Journey

Today is my son, Z's, second birthday. He is a big 2 year old! I am sure that all moms say the following every birthday... I can't believe he is ____ (enter age here) already!

Today also marks the day that God fulfilled one of His promises to me. It was a glorious, triumphal day for me.

But before I tell you about the day, let me tell you the history of God's promise to me.

On July 7, 2002, I was on bedrest, sitting in my house. My husband was unemployed. I was just barely 34 weeks pregnant and I was swollen from head to toe with the beginnings of pre-eclampsia. I had been working full time up until I was put on strict bedrest. Things were tough but God was faithful and we were trusting that He was going to take care of all of our needs. That evening, our small group came to our home and worshipped and prayed over us. We were so encouraged and thankful for this faithful group of friends.

After the main part of our evening, everyone was getting ready to have ice cream. I stood up and went into our bedroom, and two minutes later my water broke everywhere! Shooing everyone out of the house and with much help from our friends, we got into the car and headed to the hospital. There, everything seemed to go wrong. The baby was in distress, I had just turned 34 weeks that day, he was breach, with the cord wrapped around his foot. Things were a mess and I had an emergency c-section. I was able to see my baby boy for 10 seconds when he was whisked off to the NICU.

My baby boy was sick, very sick. He had a hole in his heart, his lungs were undeveloped and he had a club foot. I was numb from the torso down and was not able to be with him. It was almost 24 hours later before I could see him and 8 days before I was able to hold him.

It was a hard thing to walk through. BUT God was amazing. He healed my little boys heart within 48 hours of his delivery and 8 days later he was off the vent. 14 days later, a miracle to all that had worked on him, he was released from the hospital to our home.

During that time, I was up down with emotions. Thankful for every way that the Lord was providing but totally upset with our circumstances. I didn't understand why this had all happened. Especially since I had been praying for a long time about having a baby, the delivery, etc. I had been reading Supernatural Childbirth. I had prayed everything I knew how to. I had friends and family praying with us. I had really expected to have a full term, natural birth.

So, while in the hospital, before I ever was able to hold my first born, I prayed for my next child. I thanked God for my baby and for how God was taking care of every need. And I asked quickly for my next birth, that I would have a healthy pregnancy, a V-Back, and a healthy baby. I kind of laughed at myself for asking for this so quickly, but I really believed that all the work the Lord had done in me was not in vain. I believed that He was going to use it somehow and I believed He would during my next pregnancy.

From time to time, I would pray for my next pregnancy - even though we weren't even thinking of getting pregnant right away. But I figured that I needed to be praying in advance for my second born. I just needed to.

Well, a little over a year later I found myself pregnant again. I was so excited and with firm belief, I knew that this was going to be a different and better pregnancy. I knew that God was going to fulfill that secret promise I believed He had made to me, that I was going to have a full term, healthy baby, by a v-bac.

Satan did his best to deter me. There were times of doubt. But by then God had given me friends who were standing in agreement with me. And when I would begin to falter, God would remind me that He was in control and that He was going to give me the things that I had prayed for.

I did go on bedrest at about 35 weeks, again for extra protein and fluid and pre-eclamptic symptoms. But never once did I get to a point where my doctors felt as though I had full pre-eclampsia. By, 37 weeks I was rejoicing and really excited, because I knew I had made it to the technical full term date of the pregnancy. One of my doctors was giving me a hard time about wanting to have a v-bac. But finally I got the green light to go ahead and try it.

I went into labor, on my own, 10 days before my due date. I had all back labor and was feeling somewhat out of control. I did have an epidural and once it took place I could feel the presence of the Lord again. Almost 9 hours later, I gave birth to my second beautiful boy. He was healthy and perfect. And I never had to have a c-section.

As I held him in my arms, right after his birth, my friend (who had aided in the delivery) whispered into my ear, "Z's first thing that he ever got to do in this world, was to fulfill a promise from the Lord." What a victorious day it was for me. I was so thankful and thrilled with the Lord.

2 years later, I still am in awe of what God gave me that day. I still look at my little boy and think how his birth was a fulfillment of the Lord for me. And I still get teary when thinking about it.

Happy Birthday, Z!
Thank you again, Lord for hearing my prayers and answering them that day! I am so thankful for You.

Posted in: on Monday, August 28, 2006 at at 1:51 PM