The Ignorant Parent- Letters to Elizabeth

The Ignorant Parent posts are a series that some friends and I thought would be fun to write from our different perspectives on various topics. Our goal is to encourage you when you need to be lifted up, to show you hope in every situation, to let you know that you are never alone and to glorify God with the stories that He has written for our lives. For more background on who we are and how we know each other, check out our bio page.

The other day I asked Elizabeth to write from her heart about her journey to race in the Ironman. She finished her first one in Lake Tahoe last summer. On Sunday, she will race again. This time in Boulder, Colorado, alongside her husband, Travis.

Today, the girls and I wrote letters to Elizabeth to encourage her for this big day and to let her know just how much she has encouraged us through her faithful journey to the finish line.

Amy

Dear Elizabeth,

How inspiring it is to watch someone take on the world. I know you believe yourself to be just your normal joe-shmoe doing an IronWOMan, but you’re not. You are:

Courageous

Strong

Faithful

Inspiring

Motivating

Captivating

Encouraging

Joyful

And above all, you are showing us what it means to really “run the race” for God. You have shared with us your struggles, and you have displayed that your strength has come solely from the Father. And like God said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)." You are fully living a “Paul” life and “boasting all the more gladly about (your) weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on (you) (2 Corinthians 12:10).”

You may not feel physically worthy of this celebration, but your trials and tribulations through this training for this race make the journey a success! So, Elizabeth, I celebrate you. I congratulate you for being willing to put yourself through the pain in order to run, swim and bike for Christ. This is a journey He has set before you, and you have not shied away from His desire for you. And you will be blessed!

Enjoy the moments of struggle. They make the end result all the more sweeter! I love you Sister-girl.

Your Sister in Christ, Amy

Danielle

To my sweet, strong sister in Christ:

"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together! I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant..." - Psalm 34:1-5

Elizabeth, you embody, you emanate these verses! When I pray for you, for your race, for your swim, bike and run, I envision your radiance, your love, your strength, your dedication, your faith, your desire for His glory above all.

"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

If you never told me, I would never know about your insecurities, your weaknesses, your questioning, your doubts... If you never told me your times, your place, I would never know you are slower than others or finish close to last or feel weak... Because to me you are leading the pack, you are so strong, because you ARE. You are a leader! You are so strong, and so strong in your faith!

"My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad." 

If you never told me, I would never know your struggle, and I would never see His success, His victory, His glory! If you never told me, I would never be able to share in it, to join you in exalting Him!

"Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!"

Elizabeth, He loves to watch you race! He loves your obedience in it, He loves that you seek Him in it, that you pray, that you memorize His Word, that you come to know His deep love for you more and more with every stroke, every pedal, every step. And in it, His radiance shines through you!

"I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him are radiant..."

Tahoe was just the beginning of the story. Boulder is this chapter. Only He knows what He is planning to write next in this inspiring story of your life! I know you will be faithful, I know you will say "yes", and I know you will continue to inspire us to be more faithful, to be more obedient, to be stronger and to be Boulder (pun intended) in the stories He's writing for our lives too!

"...finish now what you began last year. You were the first, not only to act,

but also to be willing to act. On with it, then, and finish the job!

Be as eager to finish it as you were to plan it, and do it with all you now have."

- 2 Corinthians 8:10-11

I love you! I'll be watching your radiant face cross the finish line, I'll be oh.so.glad, and we'll exalt His name once more together!

Love, Dani

Laura

Oh my sweet Friend,

You amaze me. Not because you are doing an Ironman... for the SECOND time (although that's still crazy amazing!) but because you trust God so BIG that you would take a flying leap of faith and trust Him when He asks you to do something light years out of your comfort zone, maybe even your reality or possibility zone.

You amaze me because you trust Him even when things look like they're falling apart. You praise His name even when you can't see the finish line. You believe Him with your whole heart even when you think you cannot go on. "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:12-13

 You amaze me because even though it's hard for you to publicly share your journey, you do because you know God wrote you this story to share, to be a light to others, to glorify His name. "...let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." -Matthew 5:16

You amaze me because you have always tried to see life through our eyes as well, so you could better understand what we were going through. "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings." -1 Corinthians 9:22-23
 
^{You amaze me because your big day is almost here, and even amidst nerves and emotions, your heart is steady. God goes before you and has made your path straight. You are ready to run, friend. This is how you have trained, and I know this is how you will run:}
 
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." -1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Every stroke, every pedal, ever step He has already written into your story. Trust Him now with the results. It's time to enjoy the ride.

Love you sweet sister, La

Elizabeth wants her Ironman to have an impact on others beyond her immediate reach. Please consider joining us in donating to the A21 Campaign. Your donation will help bring healing and justice to a young girl who has been forced into sex trafficking. She can have hope because your gift will help give her a voice. Your donation is important in the fight for freedom and will help sustain every day care (food, clothing, shelter) and legal obligations such as court fees, medical tests and expense for representation.

Follow this link to make an online donation today. 

The Ignorant Parent- Ironman

The Ignorant Parent posts are a series that some friends and I thought would be fun to write from our different perspectives on various topics. Our goal is to encourage you when you need to be lifted up, to show you hope in every situation, to let you know that you are never alone and to glorify God with the stories that He has written for our lives. For more background on who we are and how we know each other, check out our bio page.

Today I asked Elizabeth to write from her heart about her journey to race in the Ironman. She finished her first one in Lake Tahoe last summer. On Sunday, she will race again. This time in Boulder, Colorado, alongside her husband, Travis.

Her words are beautiful and heartfelt. Sport is such a great analogy for life. I think God likes to use it much like He does with the parables- teaching us in easy, tangible ways that will impact us and give us a greater knowledge and deeper wisdom of who He is.

Elizabeth

My Weakness: Where Christ will Shine

I started to use triathlons to boost my confidence and gain some health benefits along the way. That's always been the main drive. The first time, I had just had a baby and needed it physically and mentally. When I signed up for Ironman, I had some health issues that had turned my mind into a black hole of anxiety and brokenness. I needed to take my focus off the hard days of life, to think about something other than healing myself everyday and doing all I could just to feel well.

I am here to win. This life. For my God I desire to the depth of my soul to see others be passionate about the life God has planned for them every day, every detail. To feel how the tiniest steps of obedience in loving others and Christ affects ALL of us. I pray ridiculously that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than I can ask or hope. Not sure why, but I want to go FAST. I want to believe this body is capable. In fact, I am not even average. I am bottom five nearly always. But every once in a while, something happens, and I get a tiny taste of speed and power. It's exhilarating! And even if it's an entire year before I experience it again, I keep trying, pushing, believing God will eventually bring a new level out of me. I know His greatness is in there in all things. I pray and work so hard to be faster, to be more than last place, bottom of the pack. I TRY SO HARD. I use this body the way God made it, but truly the only thing I can do is show up and start the training. Not one of us is built the same. We are all unique. I am crushed and exhilarated all at the same time when my speed is the same as always, but I just did something I shouldn't have been able to finish.

Elizabeth crossing the finish line in Lake Tahoe in 2013.

I have seen the same tiny glimpses of His majesty and power in my life spiritually. The same carrot keeps me seeking Him regularly because when you grab hold of it, you don't want to let it go. Usually reading, writing or meditating on scripture, if I take down my wall and have a little faith that He is using it, He tells me something about where I am in life. To grow in love with Him, to read that He delights in me and believes I am worth the sacrifice to allow a relationship into my life, that is the reason I am alive....Well that takes purpose. It takes discipline. It's never easy to find the time. And if I let go of the noise of the world and pay attention, God shows me how He is a part of it all. Just look for it, it's the tiniest thing that sings to you and seems insignificant to others.

Every swim stroke, pedal stroke, and foot step I am offering to God. I know I am not capable to do this without Him. I feel weak and incapable of finishing any workout, but I believe He wants me to. I overcome my insecurities, my doubts. I say NO to giving in when He has more. And always (what has taken me years to understand and believe) God smiles. He rejoices. Because this is how He has chosen to show me I am worthy. To think I am amazing enough to be loved, whether I am fast or not. It doesn't matter. For yet while we were STILL sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Not because we were lucky enough to make it to the podium, or finally go out with the fast group. He loves us as we are, where we are. Nothing we do will change that.

I don't feel like I chose this for my life. In fact, I would say it was the least likely thing for this girl to pursue. I was not ever an athlete. I could not swim without holding my nose (it was a one-armed breast stroke). But I could visualize the peace and rhythm of myself swimming. I would walk when we were suppose to run at school. I still walk into gyms, look around and feel weak. I see others and think God made them stronger and that this fitness/health life and family is easier for them. I watch other moms serve, entertain, organize, craft, and think it's easier for them. I read books and blogs and think they are so smart. I feel this way, but what I believe is that I matter somehow, too. Just like a simple prayer, Bible verse, kind act from a friend or smile from a stranger matters. God is using those simple acts to show you His love. To say you are His BEST. He worked generations upon generations to make you for this time and place. No other parents could have brought you to this world. His plan for you and all the generations it took to create you was laid into play long ago.

I have learned to be open to those divine moments when God is leading my hand. He is always directing us when we desire to go His way and nothing will keep it from happening. "What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against (Romans 8:31)?" Turn off the noise and watch for God daily. I don't always listen though. But I know God is for us, so even my own stubbornness or misunderstanding can not be against.

So what I have just come to realize is that I have always felt like God was going to do something "big" in His name with me. Mainly because I want to see His power displayed on earth and have a reason to believe more than with blind faith and little glimpses. The big thing...it's already in the works. It starts when you say "yes" to doing the thing you think you cannot do. And then live by faith, for Him to complete it. A tiny step, turns into something big. I am reading Rhinestone Jesus, and I got caught up in how big her story and work for the kingdom is. And then it hit me: none of it would have happened if she hadn't started her blog, writing. With no real way to see how God was going to use that simple thing and turn it into a HUGE thing. When I signed up for my first Ironman, my son, in the middle of a melt down, said, "Mom, I am so glad you did the right thing. On your phone just now, you did the right thing." Praise God for that with me.

We all need to know when we step out in faith, do the right thing and follow the path you're on, it's the right one. It's yours. You are the only one who can be on it. Don't feel bad for sticking to it or believing in it. You're already shining, beaming with a win. We all win together.

Elizabeth wants her Ironman to have an impact on others beyond her immediate reach. Please consider joining us in donating to the A21 Campaign. Your donation will help bring healing and justice to a young girl who has been forced into sex trafficking. She can have hope because your gift will help give her a voice. Your donation is important in the fight for freedom and will help sustain every day care (food, clothing, shelter) and legal obligations such as court fees, medical tests and expense for representation.

Follow this link to make an online donation today. 

The Igorant Parent- A Prayer For You

The Ignorant Parent posts are a new series that some friends and I thought would be fun to write from our different perspectives on various topics. Our goal is to encourage you when you need to be lifted up, to show you hope in every situation, to let you know that you are never alone and to glorify God with the stories that He has written for our lives. For more background on who we are and how we know each other, check out our bio page.

Today we wrote prayers for the insecure, the longing, the anxious, and the weary souls out there. We wrote a prayer for ourselves because these are the things we are struggling through right now. And we pray that if you are struggling, too, that you might be encouraged and that these prayers will become your prayers.

Elizabeth

If you are struggling with insecurity...

God thank you for your delight in my everyday life. Thank you for loving me as I am and guiding me as I grow in glorifying you, and understanding your ways for me. I pray and am seeking you to grow my confidence and trust in myself and you. God,  your promise says the same power that raised Christ from the dead is alive in me. The same spirit is alive in my spouse, friends, and strangers. God I pray to have that confidence. To believe I am special, with purpose. That the good and the difficult in my life is being worked out for YOUR good. Father fill me with your good, overload my spirit with confidence so that I don't compare my path and gifts to others. Allow me to rejoice with their victories and give praise to you, for the plans you have for us as individuals and collective souls. Let me be so in awe of what you're doing through me and others that our spirits begin to soar. And the generations affected. Close my mind to insecurities. Close my mind to things that are not of you, grow my love for myself and others through a clear understanding of your love and delight in me.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:8 HCSB)

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Danielle

Father God, this prayer is for the woman whose heart is longing for more, whose desire is to do more, whose dream is to see more of you, magnified and glorified through her life. This prayer is for me, and (I pray) it might be for the one reading it too.

I want to live the extraordinary. I have big dreams, big hopes, big ideas, but the seemingly small is my reality. The ordinary is what I live.

And yet, all throughout your Word, you remind me that the ordinary is extraordinary. The least is the greatest in your kingdom.

When I want to travel to the ends of the earth, thank you for reminding me "...that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in [Christ's] name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem," the city of closest proximity to the disciples (Luke 24:47).

When I want to leave my corporate career and become a missionary, thank you for reminding me "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men... rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man" (Colossians 3:23 and Ephesians 6:7).

When I want to serve families here, there, and everywhere, thank you for reminding me how important serving my own family is, because "... if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith..." (1 Timothy 5:8).

When I want to spend my days making disciples of all nations, thank you for reminding me of the little disciples you have entrusted to me each day right here. "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

And when I want to do more for you, thank you for reminding me you have done it all for me. It is a gift. It is not something I can earn. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works..." (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Father, I don't think you've said no to my dreams, hopes, and ideas; you have said, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). You've said obey, trust, love.

I ask for your wisdom, a deeper knowledge of you, and your will in my life. Help me to obey, help me to trust, help me to love.

Thank you for reminding me: the big and extraordinary can be found in the small and ordinary.

Thank you for your great, extraordinary love for me! Thank you for reminding me always, it is enough.

In Jesus' name, amen!

Amy

Dear anxiety-filled-terror-stricken-brand-spanking-new Mom,

This prayer is for you. And me.

Father God,

You are the Father of all creation. You can count every hair on my head (Matthew 10:29-31), you know my name, you made my heart and you created within me a soul to know You (Jeremiah 1:5). Today I come to you in honest fright. You entrusted me with a gift beyond words, a great blessing the size of Texas. You gave me a daughter, precious and new. And I am terrified.

Father, you have written the roles of women throughout the books of the Bible. It is natural to care for children, raise them up in your Spirit with your Word written on their tiny hearts. You have directed us in how to teach our children. It’s all there in the lessons of your parables and the words of your own Son, Jesus. So then, why do I feel so inept? Why am I so scared?

My life has wholly changed, forever. You have shown me the depths of your love in one itty-bitty life. And it’s knocked me clean off my feet. I wonder what my life will be like in a year, two, even ten. I would like to ask for your holy guidance in how to live a life pleasing to you that will teach my daughter your grace and love.

Father God, I also want to ask that you help me take one day at a time. And when I wake, I have a heart like David, a man after yours (1 Samuel 13:14). Show me how to love like Christ, so that I can be an example to my child and she can be salt and light in this world (Matthew 5:13-16).

Lord, I have been talking with you for a while now; talking about changing my life to mirror your desire for me. For too long, I have tried to fit you into my life instead of fitting my life to you. I need to stop talking and start doing. I have been scared to give up the old in exchange for the freedom of the new. You have said you will provide, and I know you will. And you have shown me the story of Jonah and what could happen if I deny your will for my life. I will follow your path. Just help me take the first step.

Father, there are many just like me that don’t know what tomorrow will bring with this new life. Help us to rely on you alone and not our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Help us to trust in what you can make of our lives when we get out of the way.

I pray this prayer to you in your Son’s precious name, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Laura

For the weary soul who longs for rest...

God I'm tired, I'm burned out, I'm useless. My weariness has run my patience dry, grace rarely exists for others and I can no longer define mercy. I get angry at the drop of a hat, I say “no” more often than I laugh, and I get easily frustrated when things don't go as I want or expect them.

Teach me to be thankful in times of frustration. Teach me to find joy in my kids' chaos. Teach me to have grace in times of trouble. Teach me to have mercy on others regardless of my circumstance. Teach me to enjoy dropping the reigns of control so I can find excitement in trusting you with reckless abandon. Stretch me to love in words and actions beyond what I am capable. Stretch me out of my comfort zone so I might grow mightily out of my safety zone and into a role that will glorify You. Stretch me and mold me out of my life plan and into your kingdom plan.

God, I no longer want to try and squish you into my plans and dreams and give you lip service. I want more. I want to abandon my plans and live for Yours. Your plans are far greater than any I could ever dream up. And your rewards are far greater than any this world can offer.

But God I pray for these things, then as I open my eyes, I see my reality before me and immediately the fatigue of everyday hits me like a brick wall. Suddenly the hope of change seems to disappear in an instant.

Lord, I'm starting to see that it is in the fumes of exhaustion, in my brokenness, in my complete and total end of myself that I can begin to truly rely and depend on you. In that moment, it becomes obvious I need to trust you because I cannot dig my way out on my own.

God, help me to find contentment in these tired moments. When I can be content and trust you in the trenches, I know I can trust you in any situation.

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:11-13

Lord, when I can find contentment in any situation and trust you with the details, I know I will begin to find true rest... in you.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:29-30

Thank you Lord, for the hope, fulfillment and peace you offer that surpasses all understanding.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Ignorant Parent- Father's Day

I'm excited to share a new series, The Ignorant Parent, with you!  Some friends and I thought it would be fun to write from our different perspectives on various topics. Our goal is to encourage you when you need to be lifted up, to show you hope in every situation, to let you know that you are never alone and to glorify God with the stories that He has written for our lives. For more background on who we are and how we know each other, check out our bio page.

Today's topic is Father's Day.


Danielle

Happy Father's Day to all those dads out there! I don't know about you, but becoming a parent surely made me appreciate Father's Day, and Mother's Day for that matter, so much more. I have a greater appreciation for the long nights and fun-filled days. I have a greater appreciation for all the hard work done for my benefit. And I have a great appreciation for the patience and unconditional love I received. I've asked my dad how he was able to be so patient, gentle, and kind with us ALL THE TIME, and he just says we were good kids. Well, I thin he was actually just an exceptionally wonderful father! Thank you, Dad- I love you!

My husband's and my first Father's Day as parents was one I will never forget. It was just three days after our first son was born, and because he was in the NICU and so sick, we had been restricted from holding him for almost 72 hours. The morning of Father's Day, the nurses told us our son was strong enough to be held and we all decided my husband would be the first to hold him. It was the best first Father's Day gift he could have ever received.

Since the day we became pregnant, my husband has been a phenomenal father and husband to me as a mother. He is quite involved in the day-to-day operations of our household and wouldn't have it any other way. He's the one who does the laundry and packs the boys' backpacks. He's the one who takes them to school, checks in with teacher, gives goodbye kisses and thumbs up. And after a long day at work, he's the one picks them up, brings them home, and gets dinner going. He reads stories before bed and rocks them to sleep. He goes on "Daddy Dates" with our boys and tells them that we are his best friends, well, us and Jesus. And when my boys look back, they will see a father that was always there and present in the tiniest details of their lives. They will see a father who loved their mother Oh. So. Well. And they will see a father who desired with all of his heart to show them the love of Christ.

 Josh's first Father's Day with Keller in the NICU.

Amy

My husband is a Rock Star. Well, maybe not to you but certainly to me. You have probably never heard of his songs, or his band, or had the pleasure of listening to the lonesome wail of his electric guitar. But if you have, you know it's a sounds you will never forget. Because he has the uncanny ability to transfer the feeling of sorrow, joy, love and pleasure into his fingertips, the sounds leave you breathless and yearning.

Jason the rock star.

Playing in a packed venue.

You might think this is how I met him. At a crowded show amongst screaming fans. But it was actually quite uneventful. The world didn't stop. There were no fireworks (at first). This was real life. My girlfriend had pointed him out earlier because, frankly, he was staring a hole into me. I decided I would ignore him. I was not in the market. I had newfound freedom from a previous relationship and wanted to know what single life at the University of Alabama had in store for me. However, God had another plan. He approached me in a bar as I watched my friend walk across the street to her apartment. He thought I was leaving and asked if he could buy me a drink. I politely declined. Here is where he stole my heart. He simply asked if he could talk to me. How was I supposed to say no? We discussed everything that night. My family, his family, faith, religion, our mutual and very deep love of music, admiration of songwriters and on it went until the sun came up. I love his heart. He felt like home.

Fast forward over 14 years, and he is now the father of our beautiful daughter. This Father's Day is his first. I would love to say I am planning something spectacular. Something he an remember forever. But we are just home with Adelyn Belle a mere six weeks after spending nearly two months in the NICU. My Mother's Day gift, his Father's Day gift, is her. And that's all we need. Oh I have an endearing card that I will fill with sweet words and heartfelt sentiment, but it will never be enough to show how passionate I feel that he is my daughter's father. His transformation from a life on the road and endless nights playing his heart out, to suburban simplicity with a wife and a little one has been nothing short of amazing. Since the first night in the hospital, my husband has shown me what it means to live like Christ. He rushed my daughter's meals to her in the middle of the night. He documented her every move in the NICU while I was recovering from preeclampsia and an emergency cesarean section and could not see her. He made sure I didn't miss her first cries, her tiny feet, her beautiful eyes. He showed me what it meant to love like Christ loves His bride (Ephesians 5:25). He truly died to himself the moment Adelyn was born.

This Father's Day will be special and full of passion. NO, it won't hold the strings of an instrument or the roar of a cheering crowd, but what it will hold is something just as dear and magical- our daughter's coos and sweet cries in the morning, a beautiful song just for Dad.

Jason the Dad, with his daughter Adelyn.

Laura

My dad is Superman. At least that's how I saw him for a long time. He's one of those guys that can figure out how to do everything on his own, and he's always trying on a new hat.

He was a CPA by day but a volunteer fire fighter by night. He flew planes. He sailed a boats. He drove RVs. He was also the most awesome cheerleader a kid could have.

My dad sporting his flag look for the Olympics, always a camcorder in hand.

He seemed invincible to me. I hardly ever remember him even getting a cold. But every Superman has his kryptonite.

I arrived home from a diving competition in Spain to find out my dad had a stroke while I was gone. To top it off, I had just three days at home before heading out to the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. My head was spinning with the news. I just couldn't fit "Superdad" and "stroke" together. I was scared to leave.

Fortunately it was caught very early, so he was fine and even able to go to the Olympics. But my view of my dad began to change. Not in a bad way, maybe just a softer way. He became a little less "super hero" in my mind, but he became a lot more real and tangible. I think it made me appreciate all the amazing things he does even more because he is actually a mortal dad that does super stuff on the side. Now that is pretty heroic.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! May your day be super!

Elizabeth

Father's Day. So many holidays give us reason to celebrate the fun of life and special people in our lives. When you think of Father's Day, do you think about your relationship with your dad? Your husband? Your brother? How about the one Father who created our hearts to celebrate and our love we celebrate with? We are all children, some of us have children, giving us an amazing perception of love and respect for the earthly fathers we know. Or maybe you don't think you have a reason to join the celebration or you don't feel respected, cherished, protected the way you should. We are each planted into a divine family. He is orchestrating this heavenly family with each one of us designed on purpose. God wants us intentionally seeking a relationship with Him because...

"Because you are precious in my eyes,
    and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
    peoples in exchange for your life.
Fear not, for I am with you;
    I will bring your offspring from the east,
    and from the west I will gather you.
I will say to the north, Give up,
    and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters from the end of the earth,
everyone who is called by my name,
    whom I created for my glory,
    whom I formed and made.”

 Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
    who are deaf, yet have ears!
All the nations gather together,
    and the peoples assemble.
Who among them can declare this,
    and show us the former things?
Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,
    and let them hear and say, It is true.
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
    nor shall there be any after me.
I, I am the Lord,
    and besides me there is no savior."
-Isaiah 43:4-11

The Ignorant Parent- Pregnancy

I'm excited to share a new series, The Ignorant Parent, with you!  Some friends and I thought it would be fun to write from our different perspectives on various topics. Our goal is to encourage you when you need to be lifted up, to show you hope in every situation, to let you know that you are never alone and to glorify God with the stories that He has written for our lives. For more background on who we are and how we know each other, click here.

Today's topic is Pregnancy.


Elizabeth

I discovered I was expecting Easter of 2006. I was the first of us four.

We were not attempting to get pregnant, and to be honest, I never dreamed of being a mom. I played with dolls growing up but never thought of myself as a capable mother "type." My husband is the one who looked at the test. My husband is the one who told our friends- I just didn't feel comfortable telling people I was going to be a mom. I knew this pregnancy was from God, though, I trusted Him with all my heart and leaned not on my understanding, acknowledged that He was the one leading my path straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) He knew I needed to be my son's mom at this time.

Weeks went on, and I got bigger. Laura gave me a book for my birthday. She said, "Well, we certainly don't have any guidance, so here's a book." I really didn't have any mom friends to go through this with. It was LONELY. I was worried about my work that I loved so much. All of that would change after a baby. I didn't know how I would adjust, from being able to see God work through me every week in my work at a church to caring for my son. It's an endurance sport and I am used to doing the shorter more instant works of God. Most of all I struggled with a label... MOM.

I was terrified I wasn't strong enough to deliver a baby. I knew others did it every day, but I just prayed, "God I trust you, make my way straight." I wanted to think that I could do a natural birth. We attended the birthing classes trying to get any kind of help we could with parenting. My little boy was breech though, and I tried all kinds of "tricks" to get him to turn. We even have a picture of me doing a handstand in Amy's hot tub!

Every week they did an ultrasound, which I loved because seeing him helped me prepare for him emotionally. So on a Thursday visit, the doctor scheduled a c-section for the following Wednesday. I was so nervous. My last day of work was the next day, and my husband and I spent Saturday figuring out what we needed to bring a baby home (diapers, wipes, etc). We walked a lot and I remember thinking I was a bit uncomfortable and my jeans had gotten way too tight. We went home, and I just felt ill. That night my water broke, and I had NO idea that it had. So again I was able to just keep trusting God, not myself, and let Him direct our path. Because anything we try to do on our own is, in my opinion, just not worth it. Also, I could trust that He was with me. And so were these girls, every one of them was there the minute my son was born. Their presence made me feel better about how my life was changing.

 Elizabeth holding Tyler in the hospital.

Danielle

Pregnancy held so many surprises, some full of the most joy I'd ever experienced and some filled with deep disappointment and loss, but all ultimately causing me to trust God more!

My first surprise was how much I wanted to become pregnant once we started trying. I wasn't sure if I really wanted kids, or if I was ready, or if I'd make a good enough mom (although I still wonder that! Ha!). But once we decided to go for it, the longing that consumed my heart overwhelmed me! Because family is such a beautiful, messy picture of God's love and grace, I think He often gives us a deep desire for motherhood (Psalm 37:4). And I was elated to quite quickly discover that I was expecting!

But almost as quickly as I became a mother, I lost the baby. Technically speaking, I'd experience a "chemical pregnancy" or a very early miscarriage. I was devastated. Although I learned that early miscarriages are rather common, I was surprised I had never heard of them and still so sad over my very real loss. I believe God used this to draw me closer to Him and to help me appreciate even more the desire to be a mother and later, the miracle of life I would experience through my sons.

For me, having another human being formed in my womb and then being able to deliver naturally, without medication, was an indescribable experience! The intricate, intelligent, complex, orderly design of God is undeniable! (Psalm113:13-14) But God had more to teach me about His Sovereignty, His love. Although I had done everything "right," my first son was surprisingly diagnosed as strep B positive (sick with a bacteria common to the mother but dangerous and even deadly to the infant, which is transmitted by the mother in the birth canal, for which the mother is tested in advance- my test was negative). My son spent the first 10 days of his life in the NICU on antibiotics.

 Keller in the NICU in 2010.

God didn't give my "perfect pregnancy" the chance to disillusion me into thinking I was in control or loved my son more than anyone in the world. No, He quickly showed me that He is in control and loves our children more than we ever could! Our children are gifts from Him, and ultimately they are His! "In love, He predestined us for adoption as sons... to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved (Jesus Christ)."


Amy

First, let me just say Jason and I never wanted to have kids. We thought children were irritating, generally messy and loud. Now, there were some kiddos (namely our friends') that we tolerated and even started to enjoy. However, that was not why we decided to take the leap into the overwhelming world of parenthood.

After celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary, I came to Jason after much prayer and consideration and mentioned "now" was the time to start our family, IF we desired to have one. You see, I was 32 at the time and would be 33 at delivery. Certainly not a "spring chicken" by any defintion. And that was IF we conceived rather quickly. Jason would be 37 in August and after a whirlwind trip to Europe (gotta get that traveling out of the way...) we decided to take the plunge. And, if we are being totally honest, the decision was made so we would not regret later in life having no children to pass down a legacy. Well, God had his perfect timing and BAM- I conceived the first time around.

The first 12 weeks of my pregnancy were actually fairly enjoyable. I was ravenously hungry, ate anything I could get my hands on and didn't put on much weight at all. I am also one of those hated gals that did not experience morning sickness of any kind. Everything was progressing quite normally. But then it happened. Jason and I attended all the appointments together and never really paid much attention to the blood pressure machine consistently ticking up andup each visit. I always assumed it was because I am an excitable person, talking with my hands, laughing a lot. Well, one particular visit around week 18, Jason was making me laugh (which is not uncommon... he's a regular comedian, that one). My blood pressure was hovering around 130/60, which is still "normal" but approaching concern. Subsequent visits continued the same incline and by the time I reached week 28, my physician had had enough. My blood pressure reached an astonishing 200/100, and she pulled me from work and placed me on full bed rest with no visitors. I could leave my bed to use the restroom and take one shower a day. You would think I would enjoy this time but, trust me, it's anything but relaxing. Bed rest is quite uncomfortable and does a number on your body.

I spent a lot of time reading the Word and praying I would be able to carry our baby girl to her due date, May 5. Anxiety was a constant companion, along with her friends, boredom and excessive swelling. During this time, you could press your fingers on my spine and still be able to see the imprints 10 minutes later. Jason started calling my feet "little rhinoceros feet." To say I didn't feel pretty is an understatement. But, God had His timing, once again. I was in bed for four weeks. Then, during a routine appointment, the lab results came back completely out of whack and my physician wouldn't even let me get off the examination table. She put me in a wheelchair and wheeled me directly to the adjoining hospital to be admitted. Preeclampsia was the diagnosis. The following day, I gave birth via cesarean section to a tiny little blessing. Adelyn Belle was born at 32 weeks and a day. She was merely 3 lbs. 9 oz. But God's hand was present and never wavered. Addie Belle was completely healthy, just tiny. She spent seven weeks in the NICU and was taken care of by a group of God-sent angels.

Amy holding Adelyn the day they left the hospital.

Even though my pregnancy was anything but normal, God always knew this would be my experience. And He knew exactly how to take care of me and my little one. Adelyn is home now. She is almost 6 lbs. and progressing normally, thank the good Lord. He carried us both. Through the stress of pregnancy and the endless nights at the NICU, He never left us.

Laura

After I retired from diving, I wanted to start a family, like yesterday. But month after endless month, well, there was no baby on the horizon. The end of every month was so depressing and heart wrenching. I got to a point where I would take a pregnancy test just to see the negative result so I wouldn't get excited and hopeful just to have my heart break again.

Eriek was not ready to adopt yet, and neither one of us wanted to endure infertility treatments. I was angry and confused. I yelled at God, a lot. People said horribly insensitive things, and I was so caught up in my own despair of not getting what I wanted, that I struggled to attend showers and be happy for all of my friends who were popping out babies right and left.

One day it dawned on me that maybe God's plan wasn't for me to have kids.
I was NOT okay with that. Then He gave me this whammy:

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
-2 Corinthians 12:8-10

I realized that I didn't think Jesus was sufficient. He wasn't enough for me. I wanted kids more than I wanted to trust Christ with my life. I didn't trust His plan. I had my own plan that I wanted.

This knocked me to my knees. Over several months I grieved that maybe I'm not meant to have kids, but during that time I began to ask God to help me trust Him more, to know that He is sufficient for my life and that He alone is enough for me.

As I began to come out of my grieving period, Eriek felt the call to adopt. And I was THROUGH THE MOON! We celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary by filling out adoption paperwork for Zoe. On our 8th anniversary, we found out we were pregnant with Arella.

I learned Jesus is enough, then He chose to give me the desires of my heart. Through that process He began to show me the desires of His heart which are becoming mine. I've learned that His ways better than mine. He's also shown me, as He's knitting my family together in a unique way- one far more beautiful than I would have dreamed possible.
For more pregnancy fun:

Here's a post where I compare pregnancy and adoption.

Check out my "bumpy road" where I posted weekly bump pictures with the girls.