Ten years ago fire burned in my belly and the vice grip of contractions wrung deep moans from my lips.
Then in one beautiful moment of agony, with a cry of praise to God, I did it.
In faith, I gave birth.
He seemed so small on the outside. Motherhood is a vast universe of love housed in the smallness of whispered prayers, baskets of laundry, and unseen labor. We mamas know it’s bigger on the inside.
We push life from our bodies, or we push life through patience, prayers, and paperwork, and then every day love pushes us through a long, dark tunnel into a new life.
The birthing never ends.
Today my baby turns ten and in between birthday breakfasts and present wrapping, dinner plans and silly birthday songs I feel the labor pains of birthing a young man into this world.
Pride shines in my heart to bear such a loyal, kind, and loving son. Joy catches a bit in my throat when I consider how many more years we have left in his childhood. Fire burns in my belly and the grip if the contractions press out the beautiful agony of loosening my grip on him in increasing quantity.
This is a new kind of birth. It isn’t a baby that our family is producing, it’s destiny. We will become smaller when we send a man out to make the world a bigger place.
If we are faithful to raise him in the gospel, there is no telling how big he will make his world.
The possible effects of birthing a man who loves God first and others more than himself are full of untold glory.
Yes, I ache a little as each birthday comes with it’s wave of pain. But someday, in a moment, this son of mine will birth a greater love and praise than I can imagine.
So, in faith I I labor on.
The world of the mama is bigger on the inside because we birth it all for Jesus. Into His kingdom we push our children, and our love prepares the souls of our children for His greater plans.
It’s been ten years and I am not even close to the end of God’s glorious plans.
Happy Birthday to the boy who ushered me into the most amazing season of my own destiny. I count it a holy privilege, Jude, to mother you.
I love you….
