Have you ever read the book ‘What to expect when you’re expecting’? I did! I read about all the things that my body would do while I was growing a tiny human. I read about what I should eat, what I shouldn’t eat, how much water I should drink, and how much caffeine I should have. I read about recipes for fruit smoothies that had all sorts of leafy green vegetables in it – don’t know about any of you, but the words leafy green vegetables and smoothie just didn’t go hand in hand! Of course nowadays, it’s commonplace and they even have shops that make smoothies with those lovely green leaves – but I digress.
Growing a tiny human meant that you needed to get lots of sleep – which was easy when it was your first – but just try that when you have toddlers too! Growing a tiny human meant that you needed to exercise (not so good), eat extra calories (very good), and generally try and be a healthier you (could be good).
I had a friend who would tell me as often as she could, that if I wanted to have a smart child, I should eat lots of spinach. Really?? Lots of spinach? I like spinach, but I didn’t think I needed to eat ‘lots’ of it. Let’s say I just wanted to have a mildly bright child, could I just eat a little bit of spinach and call it good? What would my tiny human be like if I indulged in chocolate whenever possible? That would be worth looking into!
So, here I am trying to do all that is good for my tiny human and worrying the entire time that what I did or didn’t do/eat would determine who they were! Funny how God reminds us of what really is:
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
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, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Psalm 139:13-16
I was growing a tiny human and did everything I could to protect and nurture this fearfully and wonderfully made little being that was entrusted to me by God. But that didn’t necessarily mean that by eating certain foods and exercising daily I would produce amazing children that didn’t do anything wrong and grew up to be strong, healthy, super smart, and successful humans.
My child was preordained by God to be who He created him to be. My role was to nurture and love him, to wipe away the tears of defeat and hurt, to pick up the pieces of disappointment, to discipline and show grace, and above all, to point him to the cross and teach him the ways of Jesus and pray—pray very hard that he will walk in that light, always.
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
Fast
Forward
21 years…,
And…..
as much as you teach, they are still human and they make mistakes and they are tested.
‘See, I have refined you though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.’
Isaiah 48:10
But rather than give up, he was still – he listened – he found new strength in his faith and he knew that God had never left him.
And now….
I am saying goodbye to my third child as he embarks on an adventure of a lifetime – a nine-month mission trip to five different countries. What in the world happened there? We weren’t a family that even talked about mission work. It wasn’t in our wheelhouse. Yet here we were, not sad about saying our farewells, (although there were a few tears – he was my tiny human, after all) but thoroughly excited for him. We were proud in the sense that he was answering a call on his heart by our Father. Did Abraham say no to leaving all he knew to travel to a new land? Did Moses say no to delivering the Israelites out of bondage? Did Mary say no to carrying the Savior? Our story would be completely different if any of them had! These ordinary people said ‘Yes’ to the LORD of all creation when He called on them to do extraordinary things. So when God called, our son answered —if only we could all step out in faith to embrace the unknown. He is being humbled and tested every day. He is finding his strength in the God who knew him before he ever was. He is a missionary. I grew him, God called him, and we let go of his hand to watch him fly. What a memory! It’s been five months since that time. We know he has changed and from reading his blogs, we know the change is sweet, sobering, and not yet complete. We are super excited to meet up with our son, our boy (my tiny human), this young man of God and we couldn’t be prouder of him and thankful to our Father for what He has done and will continue to do in this season. God is good!
