2 Corinthians 12:9“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Isn’t it amazing to know that God wants to be a part of each and every one of our lives? He is not a God that just sits back and enjoys the show. He is a God who deeply cares for us and wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives. The reality of this truth became clear to me about five years ago. I was diagnosed with stage 4 (most severe) endometriosis. The doctor who initially saw me wanted to do an immediate surgery to remove the massive cysts that I had developed. God had other plans though. I was referred to a specialist in Mobile to get a second opinion. This simple act of wisdom (on behalf of loved ones concern) was the hand of God directing me on the path that He would use to protect me and my future of having a child. It was clearly evident that this doctor was the man for the job. He scheduled me for the first of which would later be two laparoscopic surgeries. Going into the first surgery, there was much uncertainty. The prognosis did not look good according to what could be seen by the ultrasounds. The doctor was very straight forward in telling me the worst case scenario, which could mean a hysterectomy. I will never forget being back in the prep room on the morning of the procedure. The following verse is a perfect picture of what I felt…”And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 I had an overwhelming sense of peace that God was going to take care of me, no matter the outcome. If I came out of surgery without a hope of bearing children one day, that was OK. God had great things in store for me. He knows better than I do of what is best for me. So many times, we want to control what happens in our lives. If God is your Lord, then you soon realize that He knows what is best for you. He can see your innermost thoughts, He knows the future, He loves you more than anyone, and everything we have is His anyhow. True faith is trusting God and accepting whatever His answer is, even if it is not the answer that we may be hoping for! No matter what we are handed in life, we can praise God and find joy in what he has blessed us with.
On that day, a miracle was witnessed. The doctor could not have been more happy with the results. Don’t get me wrong, I was really messed up, but there were so many things to be thankful for. Without getting too technical, the most fragile parts that are needed to conceive were miraculously untouched by the endometriosis that had basically destroyed everything around it.
Let me add a short side note! My wonderful husband Chris (only a boyfriend at the time) stood by me through all of this. As a matter of fact, a few weeks after the first surgery he asked me to marry him. He didn’t have a clue whether I would ever be able to bear children, but he loved me more than that. In the midst of it all, God gave me a treasure that would never be doubted. The love Chris showed for me is the love that God shows for us everyday. God loves us, broken parts and all!
After another surgery (a little over a month before I would be married), things still looked better than could be expected. The odds of me becoming pregnant without aggressive medical intervention were still bleak, but my motto by that time had taken root. God isn’t bound by science. We all know that He raised a man from the dead and He allowed Abraham and Sarah (both as old as the hills) to be with child. “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20 Now, I want you to know, I was not Miss Strong Woman of Faith all of the time. There were times that I found myself doubting that God would ever allow me to have a child. Satan really tries to attack God’s children. Sadly enough, I let him take a hold of my thoughts from time to time. God is bigger than that though. It wasn’t a situation in which I was dwelling on whether God would give me a child or not. It was a situation in which I needed to be willing to say, “God, whatever You provide, I will praise you!” Child or not, You are to be praised.”
Well, it is not hard to figure out what happened. After unsuccessfully getting pregnant for over a year, we consulted with our doctor about the next step. He gave us information on our options. The only options that would still only give us about a 10% chance of getting pregnant and keeping the baby. Well, after months of prayer over what step we were to take next, I got an answer. I remember feeling a peace about doing nothing for a while. I knew that the options available were wonderful options in which one day we might follow through with. I just knew that the timing was not right.
You will not believe what happened! About two weeks later, I found out that I was pregnant. Chris was so shocked that he tried to calm me down from getting too excited. He didn’t want to see me get disappointed yet again. Well, I called my nurse in Mobile and she warned me of the likelihood of loosing the child. We knew that God would carry us through whatever happened. I was just so pumped and overwhelmed to know that I was pregnant. God worked beyond what doctors can explain. He had performed a miracle in our lives. What would follow the next nine months was a healthy pregnancy with an active baby growing.
On September 8th, our perfect miracle, Michaela Camille, was born. There were several complications, which landed Michaela in ICU for a week, but God once again proved that His hand was on the situation. She improved with flying colors and left the hospital as healthy as any other baby. She has blessed our lives this past year beyond comprehension. When I hold her, I am reminded each time of God’s presence in our lives. He blessed our lives so richly with a child, but also gave us grace in which we will never comprehend. We didn’t deserve this gift, but we are so grateful that the Lord chose us to raise Michaela. I can’t wait to tell her about the above story. I want to glorify God in what He has done for the rest of my days. We desire for many more little miracles, so we will see if God has any more great plans for a bigger family. Thanks to all of you who were consistent in lifting us up through the hard times. Your prayers were felt and I firmly believe that God honored them. We love you all and look forward to seeing what God will do in your lives. He is waiting for your surrender, and the rest will be history!
“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27
“For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him.” I Samuel 1:27
Michaela likes to get in her pool anytime. Even when fully clothed! I love the ghetto bootie in this picture. It is amazing how much a diaper can absorb!
She is all about mommies sunglasses now. I think she thinks she looks cool.
It is a treat when mommy actually gives in and lets Michaela see the cell phone. She really thinks she is hot stuff then!
Well, it has been a while. First of all, my wonderful mother was here with us for a week after Michaela's birthday. It was an absolute joy to have her here. I just wish my family lived closer. Michaela had a blast with Grammy too! The weekend after Michaela's bday, mom stayed with her for a night while Chris and I went over to B'ham for a night. That was the first night I had away from Michaela, so although it was very wierd and I thought about her very often, it was a treat for Chris and I to be able to get away and relax! Thanks mommy, your the best.
