As I was scrolling through my facebook feed while my kids played outside after lunch today, I ran across this cartoon. It seems absurd, doesn’t it? Who in the world would think of trying to induce a chick hatching? But that scene right there is reality in our maternity care system and our culture, friends. And that leaves me wondering: Where has our faith gone?
 
When God took that rib from Adam and formed it into Eve, breathing His breath of life into her, she become the finishing touch to His beautiful masterpiece. When He created her, He intended for her and every woman after her, to be the vessels of all future new human life. He built within our bodies everything needed in the complex process of bringing forth new life. Does that give you goosebumps? It does me. Women, and only women have the great privilege and honor of taking part in creating life. God uses us to create a miracle. Again, goosebumps.
 
Now, look again at that little comic after reading that and let me ask you: Why do we trust the design of animals more than our own? Do we not think our Creator is capable enough to get this one thing right? Do we not believe that we are more important to Him than any other creature? Are we not told over and over again in the bible to trust God and to not be afraid?
 
There is great joy and freedom to be found when we know and understand our value, worth, and unique design on this earth and place our faith and trust fully in the Lord...in every area of our lives, including childbirth.
 
Dear Sisters, you were made for motherhood. 

Pregnancy and birth have so many emotions attached to them. Excitement. Doubt. Anticipation. Love. Contentment. Discomfort. Happiness. Worry. Joy. Fear.

Fear.

There is a lot to be afraid of for any mom. And even more so for a first time mom, having never experienced all things motherhood before.

It's normal to fear childbirth. Especially in our country, where women stop eachother in grocery stores to share their birth horror stories with eachother. Our country, where childbirth costs more than any other country in the world, but doesn't have the improved outcomes to show for all that extra expense. Our country, where many doctors and midwives practice based in fear.

This fear is doing none of us any good. It's turned a normal, natural, God-designed process that can and should be beautiful and joyful into a cold, sterile, medical procedure wrapped in fear.

Sometimes, bad things happen. And it's awful and heartbreaking. But, letting fear of those bad things take over, steals the incredible potential there is for joy, beauty and love in childbirth. Fear is a dirty theif. 

Don't let fear steal that from you, friends. You deserve love and joy and beauty. 

But what about Eve? Didn't she ruin it for us? Isn't childbirth suppposed to be awful?

Birth is supposed to be hard work. I will never tell a mom otherwise. It is powerful and intense and a lot of work. But, that hard work doesn't steal the beauty and joy. Fear steals it. Childbirth can be both a lot of intense hard work and incredibly beautiful and joyful. We just need to kick fear to the curb. 

*Give your worries and fears to God through prayer. Ask for His peace to fill your heart. (Philippians 4:6-7 ~ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.) 

*Claim the power you have through God to cast out fear. (2 Timothy 1:7 ~ For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.)

*Trust God's plan, not only for you, but for your baby as well. (Jeremiah 29:11 ~ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.)

*Stand on God's promise that you can do ALL THINGS with Him. (Philippians 4:13 ~ I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.)

*Support. Find a provider who does not fear birth. Hire a doula to guide, educate, and support you on your journey.

It is my prayer that moms release their fears to The Lord, embrace their bodies' design, trust God's plan for them and their children, and reclaim their births.