great expectations

the origin of "miracle" is from the Latin word "miraculum" meaning "object of wonder" and from the Greek word "meidan" meaning "to smile". it has other origins as well, but these are my favorites. when i think of all the the Lord has done for us, the only word i can use is miraculous. i believe that the emotional healing He has brought into our hearts is miraculous. i believe that the physical healing in my body is miraculous. i believe that the life of our son, this baby that is kicking in my belly as i write, is miraculous.

many months ago, before we became pregnant, a friend gave me a sign that said "expect a miracle". i remember wanting to put it over the door to our nursery and not having the courage to do so. at that time, i wasn't ready to expect such a thing. i didn't have a lot of faith. i wasn't able to commit my heart to such a possibility. gradually, the Lord worked His unfailing love through the walls of my heart and gave me the strength to begin trusting Him. i very clearly remember the day that i moved that sign from its place in our kitchen to its current place over our nursery door. moving the sign was very symbolic for me. it was something tangible that i could look at to encourage me each day, something that reminds me still of my right as a child of the King to ask God for the impossible.

when i feel hesitant to put away baby clothes, when i feel afraid to put up the white letters spelling "brooks", when i worry about whether he's kicking or growing or how healthy he is...my sign reminds me that the miracle isn't over. God is still working. He is working in our son's body, mind, and soul, preparing him for his life on this earth. He is working in our hearts, teaching us to trust, showing us how to love, preparing us to be parents. i can expect a miracle every day. miracles in our own lives and miracles in the lives of those we love and pray for. i heard a pastor say once that our prayers are only limited by the will of God; we can pray big! we can pray confidently! we can pray expectantly! and we can pray specifically...with the stipulation that we pray for God's will in our lives and with the understanding that we must be open to whatever that plan looks like.

i love the freedom this allows. we don't have to be afraid. and when we are afraid, we can ask Him for the impossible, expecting that if it's in His will, He will do it. Everything He allows in our lives is meant for His glory and our good...we just need to expect the miracle.