Bailey Newbern is a Ministry Assistant in Student Ministry at Liberty Live Church in Hampton Roads, VA. She is passionate about discipleship and leading up the next generation of girls, especially girls in middle and high school. She also specifically loves helping young girls and women navigate through depression, anxiety, and other mental health needs through scripture and prayer.
I’m convicted. I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of my baby boy. I’ve been rushing him to come, forgetting that in a couple of short weeks I will never feel his little kicks inside of me ever again. When asked how I’m doing, my response is always, “ready for him to be here!”
We are in the middle of 21 Days of Prayer at our church right now, and I very distinctly heard the Lord say to me, “then what?” This really got me thinking: Once my baby boy gets here, will I be begging the Lord for whatever is “next?”
Every January and August our church devotes 21 Days of Prayer to the Lord so that we give Him over a tithe of prayer each year. When we began this journey a few years ago, I remember asking the Lord to bring me a husband. In His perfect timing, God answered that prayer and blessed me with my sweet husband, Brian. We got to participate in 21 Days of Prayer both as a dating couple in January of 2023 and then again as an engaged couple in August of 2023. This time around, I looked back at my prayer journal of our time during 21 Days of Prayer in January of this year where our baby was just a tiny seed inside of me. We didn’t even know yet whether he would be a boy or a girl! Shortly before this pregnancy, we had miscarried just a month into our marriage. The prayers in my journal were pleading to God that He would keep this baby inside of me healthy and grow it to term. Here I am, months later, 39 weeks pregnant, and God did just that!
I have a miracle growing inside of me. Why am I rushing away these last few precious moments that I will never get back again? I’ve forgotten the gift and answered prayer that is currently growing inside of me because I’ve been so focused on his life outside of my womb. I will only ever be a first-time mom once.
As I’m thinking through the conviction that God has laid on my heart, I’m also asking myself these questions: Am I living in gratitude and thanksgiving for the answered prayer that my husband is in my life? Am I taking for granted the home that God has blessed us with? Am I thankful for the job that I prayed for the God has given me?
My prayers have changed to, “God thank you for the blessing that pregnancy and this baby is to our family! Please help me to soak in these last few days of the miracle of life inside the womb.” Father, please open my eyes and my heart to the miracles and answered prayers that you have already performed in my life!
