Sweet Memories Give Hope

Remember when you first held your newborn in your arms… what were the thoughts in your heart and mind?

Wonder, amazement?  – Wonder and Amazement at how God can create this small little bundle who looked exactly like daddy or mommy. #

We examined their little hands, opened up their clasped little fingers…  And again, an overwhelming sense of amazement floods over us.

We stroke their hair, traced their little face, kissed their little forehead, smell the lovely baby smell ….

Love overwhelmed us … our hearts full of love for this little bundle, lying peacefully, nestled against our breast..

Our hearts brimmed over with dreams and hopes for this little child.

Under our breath, we whispered “I love you” and we thanked the Lord for this wonderful precious gift.  And as the little face beamed its first smile, our hearts melted away, we smiled too and we prayed that God will watch over the child as he grows and make him into a mighty man after His very own heart.

And soon this little bundle grew and began to crawl and began to walk.  Little teeth set in and his personality takes shape.  He now talks and runs… and in a twinkle of an eye, the time flies by and our little bundle is now a big guy… The gurgles and the coos and ahhs are now replaced with monosyllable answers, growls or shoulder shrugs.  And interspersed along the journeys are some struggles, pains and possibly tears of despair…  

What happened to that little angel asleep in the cot?

There will be such moments and times in a mom’s life when we ask ourselves such a question.  But God says, Do not be discouraged, Do not be dismayed. ^

Go back and relive those moments when you first laid eye on your child.  Recall the overwhelming love that was within you then. Go take out the baby albums. Look through them again.  Replay the videos you shot of them and remember the happy times, remember the smiles and the laughter.  Most importantly, remember the promises God has given you for this child as you committed your child to His care then, and remember Jeremiah 29:11.

Jeremiah 29:11 says

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future….”

God loves our little child then, and He still loves the big macho guy or the young lady now.  He loves each of them more than we love them.  And His eye is still on each of them and has plans for them.  He is at work in each of their lives.

Philipians 4:8-9 says :

Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. ⁹Whatever you have learned ….. —put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Such times of discouragement is a good time to put this passage into practice.  Remember the good times, the happy times.  Remember the moments of love and hope.  These are God’s blessings in your life and your child’s.  Let God fill your heart with His love, hope and peace again.  Know that He is always with us.  And as faith and hope arise within us, again, remember Jer 29:11 and continue to lift each child up to the Lord in prayer, and await God’s transforming power to come into their lives. 🙂

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(You can do a slide show of the stages of growth of your child, like the above found on youtube, set to a special song, reminding you of God’s wonderful plans and promises for your child)

^ Joshua 1:9
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. 

#  Psalm 139:13-15
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 
your works are wonderful,  I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.