It was October 2011. My husband and I were expecting our third child within a couple of weeks. We knew there was a chance our baby boy would be born with Down Syndrome. For those of you who aren't familiar with what Down Syndrome is go to Noahsdad.com to learn more.
Like a lot of things in life, it's easy to be afraid of new and different things, especially when we don't understand what things are or how we will be affected. That's where I found myself one Tuesday morning, in fear about all the "what ifs".
I woke with such anxiety. Inward struggle. I wanted to give my fears to the Lord. Take my thoughts captive. I couldn't get to a place of peace. I decided to go to a women's Bible study at First Baptist.
The women were watching a video seminar by Priscilla Shirer. She was telling us to pray expecting God to do big things. God''s answer to our prayers isn't always what we want but He is faithful. We tend to put God in a "box" of our own capabilities. He's God. He will go beyond beyond our expectations.
Priscilla Shirer illustrated this with a story of a husband and wife about to celebrate their anniversary. The wife's expectation was to receive a card from her husband. The day of their anniversary she received a card. Her expectation had been met. But opening the card she read that a gift awaited her upstairs. In their room was a beautifully wrapped gift. She was so excited! Her husband went beyond her expectation. She opened the box to find an....umbrella. Really??? Under the umbrella was another note. It read, "I hear it rains in Paris!!!" She jumped up and down and leaped with excitement. Her husband had gone beyond beyond her expectation. Pray with great expectation.
I loved the story but inside I was thinking, "yes I know but..." I struggled all day with God. Praying, I tried to release all of my worries and fears to my heavenly Father so I could experience His peace. It was time to pick up my older two children from school. I picked Rylee, seven and Corban, five at the time, up from school and drove home.
We pulled up into the driveway and seven or eight Monarch Butterflies flew up into the air. Cool! I love butterflies. They are a symbol of new beginnings and transformation into beauty. Corban went inside wile Rylee and I tried to see where they went. We looked up into the tree near the driveway and saw probably around thirty of them. Wow! I had never seen that many in one place. It was amazing!!!
Rylee and I walked into our home, put up our bags and looked out the kitchen window into our backyard. My mouth dropped open and tears streamed down my cheeks. I've never seen so many butterflies in all my life nor will I again probably. There were THOUSANDS of them!!! We have four big trees in our backyard and the butterflies covered them and fluttered from tree to tree like fall leaves floating around. "My Jesus loves me," I thought. Never could I have imagined such a sight. They stayed a week.
God illustrated the very story I had heard that morning to me personally in my backyard with something that was personal to me (my love for butterflies). God showed me that day that our baby boy Reagan would be part of God's love to us and those around him that would go beyond beyond our expectations. God is good. He is faithful. Our Reagan has been a blessing to this family that has gone beyond beyond our expectations for sure. He is three now. He is our little butterfly. Everyday is more transformation. I am in awe of my God Jesus Christ whom I serve. Praise Him.
Ephesians 3:14-19
-Jenni
Like a lot of things in life, it's easy to be afraid of new and different things, especially when we don't understand what things are or how we will be affected. That's where I found myself one Tuesday morning, in fear about all the "what ifs".
I woke with such anxiety. Inward struggle. I wanted to give my fears to the Lord. Take my thoughts captive. I couldn't get to a place of peace. I decided to go to a women's Bible study at First Baptist.
The women were watching a video seminar by Priscilla Shirer. She was telling us to pray expecting God to do big things. God''s answer to our prayers isn't always what we want but He is faithful. We tend to put God in a "box" of our own capabilities. He's God. He will go beyond beyond our expectations.
Priscilla Shirer illustrated this with a story of a husband and wife about to celebrate their anniversary. The wife's expectation was to receive a card from her husband. The day of their anniversary she received a card. Her expectation had been met. But opening the card she read that a gift awaited her upstairs. In their room was a beautifully wrapped gift. She was so excited! Her husband went beyond her expectation. She opened the box to find an....umbrella. Really??? Under the umbrella was another note. It read, "I hear it rains in Paris!!!" She jumped up and down and leaped with excitement. Her husband had gone beyond beyond her expectation. Pray with great expectation.
I loved the story but inside I was thinking, "yes I know but..." I struggled all day with God. Praying, I tried to release all of my worries and fears to my heavenly Father so I could experience His peace. It was time to pick up my older two children from school. I picked Rylee, seven and Corban, five at the time, up from school and drove home.
We pulled up into the driveway and seven or eight Monarch Butterflies flew up into the air. Cool! I love butterflies. They are a symbol of new beginnings and transformation into beauty. Corban went inside wile Rylee and I tried to see where they went. We looked up into the tree near the driveway and saw probably around thirty of them. Wow! I had never seen that many in one place. It was amazing!!!
Rylee and I walked into our home, put up our bags and looked out the kitchen window into our backyard. My mouth dropped open and tears streamed down my cheeks. I've never seen so many butterflies in all my life nor will I again probably. There were THOUSANDS of them!!! We have four big trees in our backyard and the butterflies covered them and fluttered from tree to tree like fall leaves floating around. "My Jesus loves me," I thought. Never could I have imagined such a sight. They stayed a week.
God illustrated the very story I had heard that morning to me personally in my backyard with something that was personal to me (my love for butterflies). God showed me that day that our baby boy Reagan would be part of God's love to us and those around him that would go beyond beyond our expectations. God is good. He is faithful. Our Reagan has been a blessing to this family that has gone beyond beyond our expectations for sure. He is three now. He is our little butterfly. Everyday is more transformation. I am in awe of my God Jesus Christ whom I serve. Praise Him.
Ephesians 3:14-19
-Jenni