22 weeks

Hey everyone!

   The pregnancy is trucking along, I guess:)   I can't believe that this mother's day I'm actually toting a child- MY CHILD around in my belly!  I will celebrate this mother's day because whether or not our baby is out of the womb, he is alive, kicking, heart-beating, feeling, and growing!  I love him and am caring for him everyday, whether people know it or not.  I have been overwhelmed lately thinking about the goodness of God in sustaining and also taking life.  The past few weeks I have heard of parents losing their newborn to the next life, babies born with serious physical illnesses, children who have been seriously ill, babies that survived birth as though the mighty hand of God was literally holding them....   I think, wow.  Its a miracle of God that any baby develops properly in the womb and survives birth to grow and be a healthy child. This is not a haphazard occurrence.  There's someone, behind the scenes- directing, producing, and holding all things together.  He is knitting Charlie together in my womb.  He keeps his heart beating and his feet kicking.  He keeps me whole and healthy today.  What a sobering thought (and humbling!) that none of us have control over our health. Sure, we can exercise, eat healthy, take care of ourselves---but ultimately, our lives are dust and in the hands of the One who created us.  The good news is that God is compassionate. Slow to Anger. Merciful. Loving. Tender-hearted. He is FOR US.   I say these things to remind myself that whatever comes along, I know that God is for me.  I know that God is for Charlie.  He is working things out for our good- even if things don't turn out the way I think they should.  The sweet babies that are taken to be with the Lord- God is for them and their families.  The little ones who are "disabled"--  God LOVES them- cherishes them and has plans for them! I want to trust the Lord. My heart is feeble.  My faith is very weak.  But I know One who is not.  He's the I AM.  He's always been, always will be.  He's the answer to our questions, because He knows them all.  He gives faith graciously when we ask.  He empowers us for His Name's sake. He makes the impossible, possible.  NOTHING is impossible with God.
    I know that this post for me, is about having faith that God is working things out for our good and trusting that--even when there are twists and turns that I don't expect-specifically regarding my pregnancy.  But, this message is for you too.  Don't miss it.  I believe God because I've seen him-  I've seen him save the life of my nephew, and also give hope to friends who lost their little ones.  I've seen God intervene in lives- unite a brother and sister who seldom connected in their youth, rescue a marriage on the cusp of divorce and reconcile these spouses to one another, and also give new life to struggling marriages through confession and restoration (including my own- Praise God!).  I've seen Christ bring an adopted daughter home from Uganda, and at the same time sustain a mom and dad who have been legally separated from theirs. Some of these situations seem bad, but the outcomes have brought HOPE, PEACE, STRENGTH- characteristics that are brought about through trial.
  The truth is, that life is tough.  The truth is that God absolutely LOVES you.  The truth is that you are NOT alone.  The truth is that an intimate relationship with the Lord guarantees that He is working things out for your own good and for His glory.  Don't give up. Don't give in to the lies that the evil one would have you believe.  God WILL and He CAN.  There IS hope for every situation.  Fight for it in the battlefield of your own heart and then the hope will spread to conquer the battles in the lives of those you love:)

Thanks for reading.  Love you all,

Jaclyn and Charlie.