The surrender

I was talking to a dear friend this past week about her plans to start a family.  She shared with me that she had her "plan" but that God had been working in her heart in a way that she had never experienced.  His "plan" was becoming evident to her and it didn't quite follow her timeline.  I couldn't help but smile and have goosebumps as she was talking.

I know a thing or two about God's plan not lining up with my plan.  It reminded me of how much pregnancy and childbirth has made me surrender.  From struggling with infertility, to watching God fulfill our wishes of becoming parents, to the frightening unknowns of pregnancy, to preterm labor and childbirth.  There have been plenty of times when I have been forced to surrender and trust 100% in Christ.  Even now as I struggle with preterm labor with our second little boy, I am reminded of how grateful I am for these experiences.  Never in my life have I been challenged to trust Him more.

The surrender that I am talking about is different than times when I have sought him in prayer.  I don't know if I have ever prayed as much as I did those first few weeks with a newborn.  I prayed that the baby would stop crying, that I could sleep for an hour, that I would survive.  I cried out to the Lord in complete desperation.  Parenting will make you rely on God, it tests you in ways that you have never been tested before.

So, I am grateful.  For these challenging times, for the opportunity to bring another life into this world and for my savior.  Who doesn't promise that there won't be hard times but he does promise to see me through them and to makes good out of every situation.

Happy Monday friends!