In my last blog, I talked about the struggle we had in having children. This is part two to that story. Hang in there while I use several scriptures that grew my faith in this process.
If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:29
One of my favorite verses. Because of Christ, we have the full rights of sons and daughters. How loving and gracious is our Father. Because of Christ, we have an inheritance.
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. Galatians 4:28
This is by faith, not by works. This is by the Spirit, not by the law. This is not because of my goodness, no. This is because of the gracious position given us through the gift of Jesus on the cross.
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Galatians 3:14. and...
Understand then that those who believe are children of Abraham. Galatians 3:7
These verses went off in me like aha moments. I began to realize that by faith I am a child of God and as verse 7 says, of the seed of Abraham. As I said, in my last blog I shared about the loss of our two babies by miscarriage. It was a long journey of grieving and growing and finally resting in the care of my Heavenly Father. He is enough. After I laid it down, gave it to Him, it did not mean I had given up. And it wasn't an easy thing to do. But I had two choices...trust Him, or Not. I stopped wrestling with God and started resting in His care.
The Holy Spirit will comfort and His Word will bring hope. I had grieved and wrestled for two years, I was ready to rest.
Its in the waiting that our hearts are changed and our souls become pliable and God comes and speaks and we grow and we learn and begin to see there is more than the thing we have been praying for. Much more.
One night, one starry night, I walked out on our little porch on Thompson Lane where we first lived. I looked up at that starry sky and remembered God's promise to Abraham.
Genesis 15:5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the sky and count the
stars---if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him,
"So shall your offspring be."
And so as I stood on that porch looking up at the starry sky, I said, "God, one of those stars is mine." What I mean is I believe God's promise to Abraham is without end. That's what God was telling Abraham;the promise doesn't end with you. The New Living Translation puts it this way. "That's how many descendants you will have!" I am one. If you belong to Christ, you are too. I started leaning into those scriptures. Believing them. Believing Him.
This walk of faith is believing His Word, even when you see nothing. And you wait. In the waiting we learn to listen and find that this relationship with our God goes far beyond anything we could ask for.
In 1991 two things happened that I recall. I wanted the children at Christ's Fellowship to pray over me. I wanted those precious pure hearts interceding for me. Also, my Dr. began testing to see what might be the problem. He did find an imbalance and prescribed meds. I was feeling encouraged. Then another setback. The Insurance Company denied coverage but that problem was soon resolved. And in the summer of 1991 I became pregnant for the third time. I carried our baby boy to term plus a week. I was to go in and be induced on February 21st. At last I would have my baby. But, 24 hours of labor and he still was not coming. Our dear friends and family (God's family) stayed up all night with us at the hospital. They were encouraging and praying for us through the night.
And so, on February 22, 1992 at 9:19am our son, our dream come true,
Jordan Garrett Dodson was born. He weighed 9lbs, 8 oz. He was a big boy! When it was time to go home, they said he had a fever and had to stay in the NICU. I will not forget leaving the hospital with no baby. That day. But soon after we brought home the cutest, sweetest boy we could hope for. And a year and half later, God blessed us again with our precious daughter, Grace.
God answered our prayers. There was waiting and there were hard days but He was there in so many ways, comforting and encouraging. He salvages our pain and He blesses us in so many ways. I have a tender place in my heart for those longing for a child. It is my joy to pray for them. And whether by birth or adoption I believe He will fill the empty arms. Each of us has a unique story unfolding. We must place our hopes and dreams in His hands. He holds them tenderly as He does our hearts.