I started the day by taking Sarah Claire and Luke to my mom's house so that I could go to a routine appointment, and as I left, Sarah Nell's then-fiance-now-husband made a joke about me bringing a baby back with me. I laughed - only because I KNEW he was wrong (ha!). At my appointment, though, for the second week in a row, my blood pressure was too high for my doctor to send me home, so she made a tough decision and decided it was time to induce me. I had been really hesitant to be induced - I really wanted a natural delivery, and didn't think it'd be possible if I was induced - but I have an incredible doctor, and she was clear about her reasoning, and I knew I could trust her judgment. My only fear was that our baby's lungs wouldn't be strong enough, but she was sure that this was the best route. I was so thankful in that moment that God had led us straight to her; I'm sure there's no such thing as the perfect doctor, but she was a perfect fit for us. We loved her (still do!).
For the first few hours, labor wasn't bad at all. Christopher came to the hospital as quickly as he could, Laura (my sweet friend and talented photographer) left school early to come take pictures, and one of our dearest friends came and kept me company. Christopher's mom got on the road as fast as she could. My mom and my sisters kept Sarah Claire and Luke for us. I heard from so many sweet prayer warriors, letting me know they were praying for strong lungs for our earlier-than-planned baby. Occasionally I am floored by the amount of support we have in our family and friends. Last Wednesday was one of those days!
Around 5:00, labor became a whole lot harder. Thankfully, Kathy, a precious lady who had coached us through some natural birth strategies, arrived around then, and began helping me stay focused and relaxed (sort of - haha!) through each contraction. Soon, my mom and Christopher's mom both made it to the hospital. I was so relieved that they were both able to be there. After this, I totally lost track of time, and I also lost my mind a little. Labor seemed impossible. It hurt so much worse than I thought it ever could, and I didn't think I could do it without some kind of relief. In fact, I completely caved and begged for an epidural. The few minutes it took to get the anesthesiologist there were excruciating, and by the time she got there, my doctor told me what my body was already telling me... it was too late for an epidural. We were having a baby without any pain relief, and I was scared to death. I kept saying that I couldn't do it, but Kathy made me look right at her and said the only thing that could have helped: she quoted Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." Turns out, she was right. In His strength, I did it. I delivered naturally. With the help of all sorts of people - whether they were actually there or praying for us wherever they were - I delivered a healthy baby boy.
John means "God is gracious," and we've seen that more than ever this year. At the beginning of this pregnancy, I was so fearful. My mom kept pointing me to John 14:1, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in Me." That became a life-line, and my Bible spent a lot of time open to the book of John. I knew that if this was a boy, "John" was definitely a contender.
And Shepherd... this year, God has shown us what it means for Him to be our Shepherd. He has carried us and cared for us in a way we've never known before, and our lives have been changed as we've come to know Him, not just as Lord and as Savior, but as our Shepherd, too.
And then, as we studied Genesis last year, we saw a pattern of God calling shepherds - ordinary men - to do His work. Abraham and Jacob, for starters! And then in Egypt, Joseph's extended family was protected in Goshen because Egyptians looked down on their humble occupation: the fact that they were shepherds set them apart, and it protected them from a culture that didn't worship the One true God. And then as I read through Psalms 78, I read these words, "He chose David His servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep He brought him to be the shepherd of His people..." From the sheep pens. KING DAVID, the brave, warrior king, from the sheep pens! God didn't call a person of great social standing. He didn't call a strong and capable man who could have credited his own ability for his success. He didn't wait until David or any of the other Spiritual Giants were self-equipped and ready to be strong and courageous in their own strength. Instead, God called ordinary men to extraordinary tasks. He impacted eternity by graciously using the least expected people to do great things for His kingdom.
Christopher and I both feel like He has called us to something great: parenthood. We know that we aren't equipped in our own strength, but this "shepherd" theme throughout Scripture encouraged us so much. We know now that God will be our strength, and He will get the glory. We pray the same thing for our children, and trust that God will call us "from the sheep pens" to be, like David, men (and women) "after God's own heart." So his name will always remind us that God is gracious, and in His mercy, He calls ordinary people like us to know and serve Him.
Like I said, this week was a little bit more "full" than expected: a birth, a wedding, a few hard goodbyes and blessing upon blessing upon blessing. This is what a full heart looks like! Thank you to each and every person who has helped us, fed us, labored with us, and prayed for us. We are so thankful for y'all!
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