My Delivery with My Deliverer

Things have changed quite a bit from my last post. When I wrote it, I had no idea how much the Sunday school lesson that day was going to make a difference in my life and my heart. God was already at work in me and continues to pour out his blessings.

There are several verses that have been shared with me over the last week and I wrote them down and took them to the hospital with me. Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Ephesians 3:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Then my life verse (and theme of this blog) comes from a verse that I share with my dad. It has been a part of my life for several years and one that I have prayed on more than one occasions while waiting and trusting God to meet a need, knowing that He can take care of me better than I can take care of myself. Psalm 37:4-5 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.

We found out on Tuesday that the doctor was going to induce labor and our baby was coming. While this is NOT what I had planned or hoped for, God was in control. Family and friends in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and many other places began to pray for us. I don’t know of a time in my life when I have seen the power, goodness, and love of God more in my life.
My labor was long but so many times along the way God just showed His hand at work. I started having contractions Tuesday night in the hospital but did not know it. The fetal heart monitor was detecting them and I was able to sleep through the night. I started feeling the contractions at 5:30 the next morning. My contractions were strengthening and getting closer together and the doctor was unable to induce labor with Pitocin because I had gone into labor on my own. (I got a glimpse of those chariots of fire on the hillside) The doctor broke my water before lunch and my contractions increased dramatically.

By 1:30, I was exhausted and in so much pain. I had prepared, hoped, and planned to have him naturally with no medications or epidural but again my plans don’t always look like God’s. I asked for my dad to pray with us and as I asked for him he walked in the door from the waiting room. (As with most things, my family was with us throughout the day helping. My dad, mom, and sister-in-law were with Jared and me doing whatever we needed them to.) Dad prayed that Jared and I would have wisdom about what to do and a true peace about the choices we were making. The nurse came in to check me and after 8 hours of labor I had made no progress. As she said it my heart knew what to do, with complete faith and peace. I got an epidural and it went wonderfully. Within 2 hours, I had already dilated 3 cm. It weakened my contractions, allowed me to rest through 5 more hours of labor yet I was still able to feel and move my legs the entire time. It wasn’t how I would have worked the day out but God knew what He was doing and what His plan for me looked like.

Finally that night at 7:30 the doctor said it was time to push and get that baby out. Again I asked Dad to pray for us, that I would be able to do what I needed to and that things would go quickly. And again God just did exceedingly, abundantly more than I could ask or think. My epidural was working perfectly. I could feel the contractions so I knew when to push but could not feel much of anything else. Jared and my sister-in-law stayed with me during the delivery, helping, holding, and coaching me through the process. In just 20 minutes, he was here! He was healthy (with Apgar scores of 8 and 9) and we could see him with all his dark hair.

Even over the last several days, in the little and the big things, we have seen God work so much in our lives through our son. Today we had his first check up and he is doing awesome. He is already back to his birth weight. I could not love our son more and have been absolutely overwhelmed how the love of my Father has been such a huge part of our experience bringing him here. The last week has looked very different than I would have written it but it has been more amazing than I could have ever imagined. Thank you for all your prayers and the role you have played in our lives over the last week. I want to thank Him for all of His constant, continuous, endless, overwhelming blessings and answered prayers. My heart is full and humble! THANK YOU!!