Sneak Peek #10

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Excerpt from THRIVE AND SURVIVE, ZERO TO FIVE

God considers children one of life’s most valuable blessings. In the Bible, He often rewarded a woman by way of sending a newborn. It’s as if the best gift He could think of was arranging for women to raise, nurture, and love a child. Although the job can completely deplete us, He sees that as our opportunity to call for extra blessing, which He then joyfully delivers.

The next time you’re up during the night feeding a hungry newborn, resist the urge to make a mental list of complaints. Instead list what you find to be precious about him and thank the One who created him with those things, mentioning each one. Or study your baby’s face in the dim glow of a night-light and thank God for each of her features.

Softly hum a worship song or hymn as you rock your little one, reciting the words inside your head. Pray rich blessings over your baby, telling God what your hopes and dreams are for him. Name spiritual blessings you hope he will experience. Quote Scripture over him as you snuggle together.

Turn those 3:00 a.m. feedings into something special, and you might even begin to value what you gain during these unique moments together. And please remember that as you hold your child, the Lord is holding you, looking at you through eyes of fervent love. As you cradle your child, He is cradling you . . . “in his everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27).

SIDEBAR: VERSES TO PRAY OVER YOUR CHILDREN

  • Psalm 119:72—to love God’s Word
  • Proverbs 10:9—to walk in integrity
  • Proverbs 14:23—to work hard
  • Psalm 107:1—to be thankful
  • James 4:7—to resist the devil
  • Proverbs 1:10—to choose friends wisely
  • 1 John 1:9—to confess sin
  • 2 Timothy 1:7—to have self-discipline
  • Colossians 2:8—to believe only truth
  • Psalm 3:5—to sleep well
  • 1 John 5:13—to be eternally secure
  • 1 Corinthians 10:13—to escape temptation

Sneak Peek #9

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Excerpt from THRIVE AND SURVIVE, ZERO TO FIVE

I (Mary) was blessed with three children in less than four years, and I took for granted that we could have more babies anytime we wanted. But the next pregnancy ended in miscarriage. And the one after that too. I wondered if three children were all we were meant to have.

Six years later, though, Andrew came along. This pregnancy threatened to miscarry also, but he finally arrived, safe and sound, and my joy knew no bounds. As I gazed at his freshly scrubbed newborn face, I was overcome with wonder at how this could be. I’d had two miscarriages followed by an endangered pregnancy, yet here he was, in my arms.

The everyday noises of the hospital environment faded into the background as I took in the wonder of this brand new child, a gift of incalculable worth. And at that moment Teacher-God taught me an important lesson I’ve not forgotten. Using my baby as His visual aid, He said, “Yes, you’re holding a miracle, but don’t get lost in the wonder of this particular baby.

“Every baby is a miracle. My miracle. Though your first three came easily, don’t ever forget that each child is a wonder.”

I’ve thought of that moment hundreds of times, learning to apply the lesson to each of my seven children. But that’s not all. God wanted me to see that He meant it for everyone else’s children too. No child is unwanted by Him, and every life is His miracle. Each one is equally valuable to Him, and He wanted me to view all children in that way.

 

SIDEBAR: PRINCIPLES TO PASS ALONG

  • Knowing and loving God trumps everything else.
  • God’s Word is life’s trustworthy guide book.
  • People are more important than things.
  • Children are gifts from God.
  • No one can out-give God.
  • Count your blessings every day.
  • Love without counting the cost.

Sneak Peek #8

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Excerpt from THRIVE AND SURVIVE, ZERO TO FIVE

How well I (Margaret) remember the day two-year-old Louisa jammed the drinking-water button inside our refrigerator. When I opened it ten minutes later, the water had filled to the third shelf, which hit me like an icy tidal wave. Cleanup meant an overhaul of the entire kitchen and refrigerator, two time-consuming chores on an already jampacked day.

Before children, women can prioritize orderly to-do lists and tackle the items one by one, often from start to finish. But after little ones arrive, every day is chopped into small bits of several minutes apiece, which can cause tremendous frustration. And interruptions? They’re constant.

You might say, “But my Motherhood Mission Statement is taped to my desk, and I’m going to follow that.” Before you became a mom, those words were a banner of assured triumph, but babies can’t read. Even if they could, it wouldn’t matter, since they come with a firmly intact banner of their own. It says ME AHEAD OF YOU.

And that’s not all.

When you cradle your firstborn immediately after birth, little do you know then that the U-Haul truck parked outside the hospital loaded with baby gear belongs to him. After it follows you home, each item must be given its own parking spot within your once-organized living space.

At first you don’t mind that your home resembles a Babies R Us outlet. You love the sight of your vibrating infant seat and battery-operated swing. But after you’ve tripped over them seventeen times, you’re ready to kick them out the front door. So what can be done?

SIDEBAR: ENCOURAGEMENT FOR MOM

  • You are equipped to mother your child.
  • Your child is a gift from God.
  • You know your child best.
  • Your work as a mom is never wasted.
  • You are God to your child.
  • You are never alone.
  • You are loved by the Creator.
  • Your refreshment will come from God’s Word.