Dear Mother-to-be

I had the privilege of being part of my friend Allision's baby shower yesterday and had written a little bit of my thoughts down to read at the shower.  I decided to share what I wrote with others.  I hope this brings encouragement...and maybe some sweet memories for you.

Dear Mother-to-be,

Would I be able to comprehend what was in store while in the throws of pregnancy?  The joys, the sorrows, the late nights, the early mornings, the cuddles, the tantrums, the noisy-can’t-think-straight, the “why is it so quiet”, the frustrations, the tears, the sweet kisses, the messing finger prints, the bored, and the overwhelmed moments that await me could never even be fathomed in my newly enlisted motherhood brain.  I believe THAT is by the grace of God.  He will reveal in His time the strength and wisdom needed for each and every moment that lie ahead, developing a heart that can absorb all that overabundance of joy, love, and patience.  

Would I change a single moment? Not a chance. Would I kinda like to forget a few…maybe?  But it still baffles me how God molds and forms each crack and bump of my clay-like soul at the time I need it most.  Sometimes it is when I am soft and willing…sometimes He has to chip away at my rigid hardness and it hurts to the core.  But He loves me enough to do it…despite me, despite my lashing out, and despite my selfish and stubborn heart.

You are coming into the most amazing journey.  You will not be perfect.  You will not have it all together.  You will struggle.  You will cry.  You will be overwhelmed at times. You will have some days where you want to give up. But one thing is sure…you will not regret one moment spent with your daughter.  You will be held during this beautiful new chapter of your life, just as you hold your little girl.  As you look into her eyes you will see a whole new side of your walk with God that hadn’t yet been revealed to you.  You are a mother who had a front row seat to the miracle that God used you to create.  There is no sweeter gift.  There is no nobler job either than to raise this little one that you have been so purposefully entrusted with.

There will be days you will struggle with your loss of independence, but the replacement is ten fold the blessing.  For you will again have that independence when the children are grown and be wishing to return to that time.

It will take time to adjust to your new schedule and responsibility.  But you can do it and do it beautifully but not because of your own ability.  For God is right there with you filling in each crack of insecurity, weakness, uncertainty, and anxiety with Himself.  He keeps us a float and He keeps us breathing.  He gave you this gift so you better believe His grace is sufficient to make you into the mother that He intended for you to be.

It will be hard to actually imagine how you can love a little being so much.  But don’t be alarmed if that love takes time to realize. There is a saying that having children is "deciding forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body," You will ache for her.  God knows what He is doing to place that inside us.  It drives us to pray over and raise our children to know their Creator, to discipline, to love, to encourage, and to provide.  As mothers, we will be our children’s’ number one fan.  So when you first lay eyes on your little baby, tell her how much you love her, tell her how beautiful she is…and tell her every day after.