I remember the day clearly.
I was sitting in the “pristine” living room (ahhh…can you remember when your “pre children” home actually stayed clean for longer than two minutes?) of our small apartment as the summer sun streamed through the windows. Next to me on the couch was another soon to be first time mother, several years my junior and we were discussing our upcoming “birthing plans”. The over confidence I felt as I entered into this uncharted territory still amazes me. I thought I knew exactly how it would all go. I would have a relatively easy delivery where I would gently hold the hand of my dear husband (aka: labor coach) breath deeply, focus and deflect any pain onto thoughts of a soft sweet cooing baby soon to be in my arms.
Perhaps I needed this delusion as I would have never volunteered for 24 hours of excruciating, pitocin induced, mind numbing contractions and giving my husband the death grip and screaming at him…”you breathe!”…while moaning in unbearable pain and ending up delivering by c-section. The most I could even muster up as they showed me my first born child was a sigh of relief that it was all over and I was somehow still alive. Then to top it off my dreams of that sweet cooing baby dissolved into the nightmare of an incredibly colicky round the clock screaming baby girl.
Fast forward (and do I ever mean fast!) 18 years later and I am far less confident in my “knowing” much of how anything will go as I once again face new uncharted territory. My first born child has just graduated from high school and will very soon be flying off to the other side of the world (Australia & Africa) to begin a new season of life. Instead of confidently discussing my “coping plans” for when I say goodbye to this precious girl that I have spent most everyday of my life with for almost 2 decades….I am simply giving it over to God each day. Yes, there will be pain and sadness as we say goodbye. Yes, all of our lives will change. No amount of planning or “coaching” will be able to deflect that pain….it is a part of living and loving.
What I am confident in is this – The Lord loves us and has a perfect plan for all of our lives. That life may include pain and sorrow. It may include screaming and sighing. It may include letting go. And yet it will always include the ability to see us through to the other side of whatever hardships and challenges we face along the way.
What uncharted territory are you facing today…..
financial or business stress?
strain in a relationship?
sickness or disease?
devastation of divorce?
loss of a loved one?
changes and challenges?
personal attacks or betrayal?
Whatever it may be….you will get through to the other side of this time in life. Seek God and He will give you the strength & endurance, the guidance & wisdom and the faith & peace to make it over the mountain to the green pastures below.
Inspire Ministries 