Saturday, January 26, 2008

Noah's Arrival, January 5, 2008

It was 12:04 a.m. I felt "strange." I woke Mark up out of a deep sleep. My water broke...we made our calls and headed to Kansas City.



Twelve hours of labor...two tries at an epidural...one cesarean birth later and little Noah arrived!



Only, he wasn't so little. Nine pounds, 20.5 inches long, a head full of black hair, and perfect.

New Mercies

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

Days after Noah was born I found myself in a place I never expected. It was a place of can'ts, couldn'ts, and don'ts. I couldn't give birth naturally. I couldn't breast feed. I don't know why my baby cries. I can't find time to clean house, cook, or write thank yous.

I sat at the computer, crying. Mark prayed for me. Motherhood has left me humbled, confused, elated, exhasuted, and full of insecurities. As Mark prayed for me the Lord reminded me of the verse in Lamentations.

To my can'ts, the Lord says, "I can." To my couldn'ts, the Lord said, "I did." To my don'ts, the Lord says, "I do." Truly, each morning I ask for new mercies, new compassions. The Lord is faithful to pour them down on me.

Years ago I poured out my heart to Him in worship with a verse that reads, "Let your mercies fall from Heaven...new mercies for today, shower them down as we pray." It is those same mercies that I am crying out for again, allowing the Lord to minister to my needs as a wife and mother.

I think about those women who are new mothers, as I am, who have no hope in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I pray for these same mercies for them, that the Lord who showers me with compassion would shower them with the same. I pray that they would find their hope in Him as their babies cry and there is no answer. As they struggle with unexpected challenges in motherhood. As they stumble through the day on only a few hours of sleep.

I would like to write that Noah is sleeping better and crying less...I can't...not yet. But I believe that his cries are being comforted by the same Lord who is comforting me. Join us as we pray for rest for little Noah, knowing that we serve a God who answers our prayers.




"And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them."
Mark 10:16