Today I was outside hanging our laundry on our clothes line, and the Lord brought to my mind a blog post I had written a couple of years ago. It was about how Africa was our fourth child { obviously written before the birth of Harper Praise}. I made comparisons about being pregnant with Africa, and loving the country and the people there before I had even met them, just as a mother is with her unborn child.

This next part is so amazing {and funny} to me. I felt like He told me that I had had my first all natural delivery of one of my babies. Let me explain. With all four of my children I have been induced. They would break my water and then right away give me an epidural {gasp!}. This says two things about me, {one} I am a very inpatient person and {two} if there is a way to avoid pain, I will take it. All of my labors were very quick, easy, and pain free. But not this one. :)

The delivery of my "fifth child" was the complete opposite. It was long, painful, and at times seemed unbearable. I had a picture today of a woman in labor, screaming at her husband to please make it stop, the pain is too much she can't handle it anymore. Then I remember may times over our first few months here begging Brian to please take me home, the pain is too much, I can't handle it anymore. The pain of dying to myself, the pain of realizing how many idols I held onto, the pain of the loss of our old lives. Then I thought about a woman in labor with no pain medicine, and how the only thing that gets her through is the fact that at the end she will get to hold her precious new baby. Even through the pain of the first few months I knew {even when I didn't want to admit it} that if I stuck it out, it would all be worth it, the pain would be worth it. Woman who are preparing for an all natural delivery mentally prepare for what is coming, because they know there is no way around the pain, it is just a part of the process. For the first time in my life, I couldn't rush things, or turn to Brian to fix everything. It was just me and God, and although it was ugly at times, the birth is over and has turned into something amazingly wonderful. I love my life here. It seems crazy to me to remember how much of a struggle it used to be, because now it just feels so natural and easy.

If you are in the hard labor stages, be encouraged!! Cling to Christ! He is more than able to bring us out of any situation or trial!