Three
years ago, I was nearing the end of my pregnancy. I was so tired and
worn out, never really recovering from the severe hypermesis
that I experienced the first three months of the pregnancy. I would
fix breakfast for the children, and then have to lie down to rest.
Walking around for a little while around the house exhausted me. I
felt quite helpless that summer, really wanting some energy to engage
my children with some fun activities, and also feeling guilty for
being in the bed most of the time.
I
really wondered if I would ever feel better. It seemed like I
“wasted” many months in the bed, sick and tired. I felt
stuck. Add to that some deep issues I was wrestling with on those
long, dark days of morning sickness.
During this time, I
received the most amazing words of encouragement from a dear woman of
the Lord that
I will never forget to this day.
Here
is a part of it:
Dearest
((Andrea)),
I wanted to send off a quick note, to give you a big
gentle hug, and let you know that I’m thinking of you and praying for
you…..God is holding you especially close ….especially so, in the
discombobulations, sorrows and confusions, of the hard times….
Jesus
loves me, this I know.
And,
Jesus knows me, this I love.
I
sobbed and sobbed after that email. For a long time.
And
because of this woman’s encouraging words, and her obedience to
minister to me, I held on to that tiny hope that this situation I was
in was not going to last forever.
That
my body would get stronger.
That
I would have more strength to take care of my family.
That
we would one day have a fun summer.
That
God was in control of it all and I must trust Him.
Friends,
I don’t know what situation you are in. I don’t know if you are
asking God every day if it will ever end. You may be confused, you
may be sick, you may be hurting, you may just be struggling with
LIFE.
The
phrase: “restore
what the locusts have eaten”
is something that keeps ringing in my head.
I do know your situation or whatever it is you are struggling with will
change. God is in the business of changing and growing and giving and
loving.
And
sometimes that is so very painful, but you do know He
will restore.
Because
He does that, too.
”The
threshing floors shall be full of grain;
the vats shall overflow
with wine and oil.
I will restore to you the years
that the
swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the
cutter,
my great army, which I sent among you.
You shall eat in
plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the LORD your
God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.” ~Joel 2:24-25
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Editor’s Note: This article is part of our new Sowing and Reaping Series, where we’ll begin to learn together about how to invest our lives so that we might reap the Harvest of Motherhood God desires for us. We invite you to join our community and not miss a single post by subscribing to Mom Heart via email or RSS Feed.
About Andrea Birch
