Prince of Life

It is July 26 and I am still pregnant. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would still be pregnant. I have been dilated to 4 for 3 weeks now. I thought I was going to have the baby every day of those 3 weeks! Talk about pins and needles!
I think the more babies you have, the more intense the Braxton Hicks and false labor leading up to delivery. It is very very nerve wracking.
I would prefer not to have him in the car!

 I have never been this pregnant or had a baby who measured over 8 pounds! God is writing Worth's story and I am doing my best to LET HIM! Motherhood is out-of-control the second you see the second line on the pregnancy test. God was right when He said I would be saved through having babies. Motherhood has saved me from "myself" and thinking I was in control. 

"Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing" 1 Tim 2:15

Fear has crippled me in the last few weeks. I can't sleep because I have contractions and I am so big so I lay in bed and WORRY. About everything. The only thing that makes it stop is the Word and replacing my *crazy* with His truth. 
I have been studying the Philippians passage about what things we are suppose to "think" on:
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Phil 4:8
That word "think" (logizomai) means to reckon, count, compute, calculate, count over.
One example I read-
"This word deals with REALITY. If I reckon (logizomai) that my bank book has $25 in it, it has $25 in it. Otherwise I am deceiving myself. This word refers more to fact than supposition or opinion."

My mind can go way outside of REALITY and take me to weird places. Especially when I am laying in bed all night with nothing to do except fret.
God has given me promises. They are far more sure than a number in a bank account.
When we dwell on God's Word and remember what God has TOLD us is in our bank account. It reminds us not to worry. God has placed more than we will ever need into our accounts. 
Calculate, compute, count by reading God's promises!

I have been blown away by how God has been pouring His Spirit out on me as I meditate on His Word and giving me peace.  He is truly leading me forth in peace. He is helping me understand His love for me and this baby. 

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; 
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, 
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
Is 55:12


I know He is drawing close to me. I have never felt closer to God then when I am having a baby. Maybe because He is the author and PRINCE of life! Jesus Christ has been sculpturing and knitting this baby together inside me with His own hands for almost 10 months!
Worth is His masterpiece. Of course He is near!

"the Prince of LIFE, whom God raised from the dead" Acts 3:15

Waiting on baby to arrive always reminds me of the coming of Christ. It could be at any moment, I am to be ready, and I am to know the signs. 3 weeks ago, when I thought Worth was coming, I packed my bags in a panic. I got a pedicure. I got a plan set for the other kids to stay at my (precious) friend's house. 

 I was READY. I was watching. 

Then days came and went. My pedicure began to chip. I had to unpack things out of my bags. I stopped being as "READY". I got tired. And uncomfortable. And disheartened. We began to live our daily lives again. 

Isn't that how it can be with waiting on the return of Christ. Especially as we watch the news and evil on the rise. Where is He? Why isn't He coming yet? One reason....

"But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: 

A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.  The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, 

He is being patient for your sake. He 

does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent."

2 Peter 3:8,9

In one way, this pregnancy has felt like 1,000 years but at the same time only a day.

The "plan" is that we will meet Worth tomorrow. 

We are all so excited. He makes it like Christmas in July around here. Tomorrow is "Worth Wednesday"... "WorthDay-Birthday"... "7/27 for #7". I praise God He gave me the this new life and the strength to carry him. 

How different would we act if we knew Jesus was coming tomorrow! 
We don't have anything to pack! That's fun!!! He will have everything ready! (I always wonder if God has individually prepared our places with our favorite things.)
"When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am."
John 14:3

Tomorrow, I will be packed and ready for the baby. I got a fresh toenail color and will have my temporary tatoo on as armor! 

The other night, Tim and I went on a walk on the golf course. We were WAY in the back when we came around a corner and the lady with the doberman who has been in animal court multiple times for attacking people, was there. It tried to attack our friends days before and they had to call the police because they were so scared. 

Tim (who isn't scared of anything) was even frightened. Imagine trying to run as pregnant as I am!!!

But we slowly turned around without the dog seeing us and started booking it toward home.

I kept thinking of these verses... :)

"Then those in Judea must flee to the hills... How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days." Luke 21:8,9

It IS terrible to try to flee when you are pregnant!! I kept going no matter how bad my contraction s hurt. We had to get out of there. It was scary like a movie!!! But also comical. I also kept thinking of the word "persecution" in the Bible. It literally means diōgmós (from 1377 /diṓkō, "follow, pursue") – properly, pursuit (chase);persecution – literally, "the hunt to bring someone down like an animal,". That's what it was like! As if we were being hunted down! Like an animal BY AN ANIMAL. 

But, wow, does God get us moving in the right direction when persecution comes!! I told Tim when we finally got home, "I cannot believe I was able to do that!".

Persecution is coming against Christians. It is right around the corner. Our country has forsaken God and His Word and is now in total rebellion against Him. I worry these next years for believers are going to be VERY SCARY. Yet, God is going to use it to get us moving in the right direction. He will empower us to do what we cannot do apart from Him. He will grow us and grow His Church through it. He will strengthen us and give us boldness to run for Him!

"They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.  And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.” Acts 5:40-42

"Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." John 15:20

I will never forget trying to get away from that horrible dog. It saw us from a distance and barked and gave me a heart attack. I believe God was showing me that He is faithful even when we are being "hunted down like an animal/persecuted".  He gives us supernatural abilities in the midst of it. 

He will be faithful to our generation as we (I believe) enter into a coming darkness. 

He is our light. He is our hope.

He is coming soon.

Are you ready?

If you aren't, He is waiting on you! 

May today be the day of your salvation!

”Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation."

2 Cor 6:2

Please pray for our baby to arrive safely. 

I am trying SO hard to KEEP putting my trust in HIM!

Be Blessed~

Steph