Labor Pains God’s Way
By Angela Mackey
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 NIV
I planned to give birth naturally. I dragged my husband to a class for natural childbirth. I had a plan, but God’s plan was different.
My first baby was comfortable. A week after she was due, I walked into the hospital to finally (according to my husband) “evict” her. After nearly 12 hours of labor, Pitocin (the labor-inducing drug), and an epidural, our E came screaming into the world.
She left my body and my heart undone. I was a mommy. I have never been the same.
My next baby was in a hurry to get here. Her decision to come early was probably influenced by her older sister’s insistence that I run the bases with her during her T-ball games. Three weeks prior to her due date my water began to leak.
Labor however did not progress and my epidural began to wear off. My doctor offered to continue Pitocin for another hour or do a C-section right then. It was three o’clock in the morning. I opted for a C-section, knowing it was the death of my hope for a natural childbirth.
My third baby decided to make things interesting. He was quite attached to me, literally. His placenta had attached too tightly to my uterus. Over fifty percent of women who have this happen to them lose their uterus.
My vigilant doctor was able to save my uterus because I had a C-section. I needed my uterus because I still had three embryos in a freezer – babies that needed a womb.
I never had a natural childbirth, but God’s plans are better than mine. God had L come by C-section so I would opt for another C-section.
My second C-section made it possible for my doctor to save my uterus when the placenta did not want to detach.
I had my womb and was able to do my final embryo transfer. Three precious babes were transferred from their petri dish to my uterus. They were home. I never got to hold those last three babies in my arms, but I got to hold them in my womb.
God was faithful to work in the details of each of my labors to work out His perfect will. None of my labors went according to my plan, but all went according to God’s purpose. Next time your plans don’t work out, pray that God gives you eyes to see His divine purpose and plan.
Father God, Thank You that Your purposes prevail over our plans. Help each of us to look to You when our plans go awry and give us eyes to see Your purpose. May we find joy and hope in Your perfect design. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2021 by Angela Mackey. All rights reserved.
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