1984...
Young, married, and college graduates. With God's help they have enough money to make it through each month. The wife works full-time while her husband labors diligently to complete his graduate degree. Despite a meager income their relationship strengthens. Just the two of them. Satisfied and secure.
But, hidden deep within her is the desire to be a mother. She continues to ask God to remove this yearning. Suppress it. Hide it. Cover it. Still those motherhood embers continue to stay lit. God knows her heart. He is in control. She prays for the day when she holds her baby for the first time.
And then the unexpected happens. All in God's timing!
1986...
Scared, yet excited. Fearful, yet trusting. Scattered, yet collected. This wasn't in the plans. After nine months she wonders how this baby will emerge. Obviously, there's no turning back. Her prayers shift slightly from her unborn child to herself. When she is struck with this thought... I need a Life Verse to pray over my baby. With excitement she begins the scripture hunt. Her fingers come to a screeching halt on Duet 6:5, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Her heart pounds. She knows this is the verse. She continues reading. The next few verses inspire her to also adopt this same scripture as her Life Verse. Blessings flow.
Her thoughts move to the daddy-to-be, her man. She is overcome with humbleness. He loves God with all His heart, soul and strength. Now in tears she praises God for him, their marriage and their baby!
Time moves forward.
Overcome with unexplainable joy, she watches her baby sleep. No Words can express her love for this tiny child. She begins praying the Life Verse over him, Lord, help Luke love you with all his heart and all his soul and all his strength. Tears flow.
Time flies. Where did the years go?
2012 - Twenty-Five Years Later...
~To God be the Glory! Amen.~
Challenge for the Week: Pray for your children to desire a relationship with Jesus as early as possible. Trust God to answer in sweet and tender ways. All in His timing! Be encouraged. Keep praying. Trust Jesus is working His purposes out in your children's lives!
_________________________________________
RLM NEWS...
- Reflective Life Ministries has a New Look! Check out our website... www.reflective Life Ministries.org
- I am having fun with Pinterest... Follow Me
- E-Book available for Reflecting Him: Living for Jesus and Loving It - Now is available at Amazon Kindle Version or Barnes and Nobles Nook Version
The easiest way to leave a message click "Comments" then type message, then click "anonymous," type security code and click "Post"
From My Heart to Yours,
Carla McDougal
Author of Reflecting Him
Great story, and the best part is that it is true! You and Fred are great parents, Carla, and have set a wonderful example for your kids of what a Christ centered marriage is all about. Kitty
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carla, for the reminder to pray for our chidren's future spouses.
ReplyDeleteCarla, it is so wonderful to see God using your skills and your heart to bring his message and teachings into lives of so many. I enjoy your e-mailings and the context of your messages do help me to remember areas where possibly I haven't prayed enough about. Of course, our children we always bring before the Lord, it is other families that maybe no one has prayed about that need our prayers for the same kind of things we want our children to grow up with - having a heart to love the Lord with all their strength, all their heart & all their soul. May it be that as we see our children being obedient to the honor of our Lord Jesus that it be we will hear them tell us (parents & grandparents) how God is using them to bring others unto the Lord's keeping. Would not that be the joy of our prayers answered!
ReplyDelete