Sunday, December 21, 2008

How I'm Really Doing

It's been a while since I've spoken of my infertility and how I'm dealing with doing *nothing* in terms of procedures and infertility treatments.

I've gotten on with my life and I've sought the face of my Father like never before. Everyday I pray that He help me to die to my flesh. to my desire, that I may fulfill the plan that He has for me instead. I want what He wants no matter what. He is my master and I His servant and I love Him, oh how I love Him.

The last few weeks have been incredibly busy. My brother was in a horrid accident and I spent the week running, helping and praying for him. The following week was last minute preparations for the Christmas Play that I have helped with this year. I have to say that over the last couple of months I've jumped in head first with the youth at our church. If any of you knew me personally you'd know that this was a big step for me. Committing to something so big outside of my home isn't something I usually do. There were a few attacks but I prayed through and the Lord strengthened me giving me a spirit of might and I pressed on to the finish line.

Saturday I sewed costumes for 3 and 1/2 hours. I was amazed as I am not a very talented seamstress. As I worked it became obvious to me that it was not *I* who was working but the Holy Spirit working through me. I was doing some amazing things that I knew I didn't know how to do. As this revelation hit me I began to pray in the spirit as I sewed. As I prayed the Lord spoke to me, ever so softly, ever so gently, about my womb and my desire for children. As He spoke the tears streamed down my face.

What a glorious feeling, what a wonderful, unexplainable experience.

The Lord told me that He had plans for me. Plans that He couldn't totally reveal just yet but that I was on the right track. He is going to give me children. He is actually in the process, as I sewed and worked with these youth, of doing just that. He showed me faces of those that I would help and minister to and He told me it was much much larger than what I was seeing. He allowed me to see myself, the kind of wife and mother I am, and a picture of my life from the outside looking in.

It was at this moment that I realized if my womb were opened my work at church would be done for another season. With a babe in my womb my ministry would change as I would have to revert back to my home in the way I knew the Lord would want me to. There is no way that I could be in the ministry with these youth AND be the kind of mother I need to be to a baby. I pour my all into my family, as I should. It's biblical to put the Lord first, your family second and then the ministry.

Instead of blessing me with one child to raise He is going to give me many children to share the love of Christ with now.

Today at the Christmas Play some of what the Lord had spoken to me began to unfold. At the beginning of the play as the children walked into the sanctuary there was a little girl in tears, too afraid to walk alone, who needed me to carry her. With her on my hip I seen a little boy fighting with two other boys and they were holding up the line. I had that little boy come and hold my other hand. As I marched onto that stage, I was not alone, but in fact *with* two children. I cannot explain the peace that I felt.

Towards the end of the play there was a different little girl who began to cry, I squatted down to see what was wrong. She needed to be held. I sat down on the stage as I cradled this precious little girl and then here came another. I held one and wrapped my left arm around the other little girl and then here came the little boy who was fighting earlier. We bowed our heads and prayed. My quiver was full. These children were bonding with me in a way that I had not seen or realized before. They call me by name. They feel safe in my arms.

Some of the children in our church are bused in. Their parents aren't serving the Lord, some are very poor, some are on drugs and there are some who are abusing their children. There are several sets of parents in our church who have adopted some of these children. They haven't had to go through typical adoption agencies because some of these children's parents have just chosen to give them up. There are two families that come to mind right off, but there are many more, two of the children are older now and are living testimonies of God's healing power. Three others are just 3, 4, and 5 years old and are having extreme behavioral problems from the horrid abuse that they have suffered from their biological home, I praise God that they've been adopted to a safe Christian home and that they are members at our church. The Lord has called me to intercess and stand in the gap for them because He has a call on their lives.

I'm not saying that I believe I'll never have another child naturally. I'm saying that I have peace with whatever the Lord has planned for my womb because I know I am doing what He has called me to do. I know that no matter what happens the Lord fully intends to surround me with children who need Him. I truly want His will to be done. His dreams for me are bigger than any dream I've ever had for myself. It's not about ME, it's all about HIM. And I can't wait to experience all that He has in store for me!

Shalom

3 comments:

Belouise said...

I've been so busy that I haven't been on the computer much but I'm glad I took a moment to check on you...beautiful, inspiring post! It is very evident that the LORD is revealing Himself to you in a most powerful way and it is so encouraging to hear about it. I look forward to seeing His plan unfold in your life. Merry CHRISTmas to you!

Karey said...

I love this post! I know what you mean about feeling the Lord working through you as you sew. That happened to me when I was editing my documentary and it was an experience like no other. Everything came easy and I was just filled to the brim with joy. And for me, joy and work had never gone together before! I would cry as I worked on it.

And I love that you are hearing the Lord speak to you and are in tune enough to recognize how he is working through those children. That takes a lot for us to see that sometimes when we're suffering. I know I probably miss things like that in my own life. And thanks for reminding me that I need to die to the flesh. A lot of my desires for a pregnancy are selfish and not very noble. He knows what is best for us!

Rebecca said...

This was beautiful. I had tears in my eyes as I read what promises the Lord was speaking to you. Amazing. And encouraging.