big prayers

"everything looks normal".

after the doctor said this, we blinked. there was silence. she smiled. we smiled. i cried.

we weren't expecting normal. after all my talk of trusting God, praying for what our hearts desire, asking for His hand in our lives, i still wasn't expecting normal. i had prayed for it (sort of, timidly, in a doubtful kind of way...), and there is no doubt that it is my heart's desire for a normal, healthy baby. but i hadn't expected it.

and yet, God gave us more than what we expected. again. it amazes me every time.

over lunch with my mother-in-law, amid giddy grins and giggles at the blessing we have been given, i admitted that i hadn't prayed "big enough". she smiled at me and said, "i did!" we have received cards from prayer rooms in churches we don't attend, emails from people we barely know, texts full of God's promises through scripture from our life group teacher, and countless hugs, phone calls, and encouragement from people all saying the same thing: our God is great and we are praying for His great hand in the life of your precious son and in your hearts. i have never fully understood the whole "power of prayer" line; i do now. these prayers, these people, we feel it every day. and not just because God is blessing us. prayer is making a difference in our day-to-day lives, even on the tough days, especially on the tough days. we feel covered in God's love, His grace, and we know that He continues to work a mighty, mighty plan in our lives and in my body. it is so far beyond anything that we dared to hope for, so much better than anything we could have dreamed for ourselves, so miraculous and so beyond our control.

i am trying to remember to pray big. God expects it! it takes trust to pray big, something that doesn't come easily for me. i am so thankful that the people in our lives have the courage to pray big, that they are selfless enough to intercede to God on our behalf, and that He is blessing their faithfulness by showing up in our lives in an huge way.

i believe in the power of prayer. i believe in it because i have come to better know and understand the One to whom we pray. He is Almighty, Everlasting, my Prince of Peace and my Shelter in the storms. He hears us when we call and loves us more than we could ever imagine. there is none more powerful, none more praiseworthy, and none other to whom i will ever pray.