“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” -Winnie the Pooh
I’m hesitant to share our latest news. Not because I’m not excited about it, but because I do know everything will change. Life will become more hectic. I’ll get more questions, some with good intentions and some probably with ulterior motives. I’ll get advice, whether I want it or not. I’ll receive comments that will either make my day or send me crying.
An adventure is something that conjures ideas of fun, excitement, and delight. But those who have been on one before also know it can have some major bumps in the road and is largely a learning experience. And we are about to embark on the biggest adventure yet.
We are expecting our first child this fall! Ever since we found out there has been a mixture of mostly excitement and joy. I would be a liar though if I said I wasn’t also experiencing nerves and some anxiety as we are research and learn in anticipation for little baby’s arrival.
It has been so wonderful getting to slowly share our news with family and close friends, seeing everyone’s reactions. I do know I physically won’t be able to hide our precious little secret much longer though from our community. We thought and thought about how to share it. We debated whether or not to post publicly or to just tell people as we see them. We also know our family is beyond ready to share the exciting news about gaining a new family member.
The one thing that has brought me peace though the past several months is that this is something we have prayed for, and God as He is faithful, loving, gracious, and who knows our hearts inside and out, has gifted us this beautiful addition at this point in our lives for a reason. When I first felt a stronger desire to become a mom, I did not think I was ready (and to be honest, I still don’t but everyone says it will kick in). However, I still prayed what I was feeling to God, and while selfishly I do want a child of my own, I also prayed for this special relationship so I may understand a bit better about how God feels towards His children.
My God makes no mistakes. He knew who our child would be before we even dreamed of becoming parents. He knew the time this child would be brought to us. He knew my heart and desires before I was even born, and that is hard for my limited brain to wrap around the fact. And I know this because of what the Lord told Jeremiah the prophet:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you: I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” -Jeremiah 1: 5
And again through David’s psalm:
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” -Psalm 139: 13-14
Those are just two examples of the many found in Scripture of how God intricately and absolutely knows us, before we were even born.
And one thing He knows about me is that I love to have things planned out, and God reminds me over and over that it just isn’t feasible for me to be prepared for everything. The best thing I can do is rely on Him through it all. I was not necessarily set on sharing our grand adventure this Easter weekend, but it was revealed to me this is the perfect time.
I would never want to take away from the focus on what Jesus did for us at the cross. His sacrifice to offer us salvation and a way to the Father, for Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14: 6). He became the Way through the sacrifice on the cross for our sins because “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17).
As I was reading this week on God’s attribute of graciousness, I was reminded again of all the wonderful gifts He has given me over the years when I did not do anything to deserve, and a few of the most special ones have centered around Easter.
The first and most important one would be sending His Son to die on that cross so I may have salvation through belief in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
He also designed my wedding to my husband on Easter weekend three years ago. We wanted our ceremony to reflect Jesus’ love for us at the cross, and what a special and sweet Easter weekend it was too.
Now, we are sharing the news of our upcoming addition, our little gift He has given us, with all of you this Easter weekend. Easter is such a special time for us as Christians, and it has become more integrated to us in our milestones as a family too. We pray we will grow up teaching our little love about our Savior and what Easter truly means to believers.
We also invite you to pray for us and this child too. We know this is a gift and are extremely grateful, yet we also know this will be new territory for us as we learn what it means to be a parent and to raise this child with a heart for the Creator and “in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
Mirror, Mirror 