With Lovingkindness and Tender Mercies (Day 18)

This is the 18th post for our Write 31 Days series 31 Days of Miracles: Who is Our God. Today, Jennifer Moye (see below for her bio) shares her story.

I sat in the waiting room holding my first ever “baby bump” in my hands. I looked down and quietly prayed at this 21 week appointment with the Perinatologist, that the cyst found on our baby’s brain would somehow just disappear. As a first time mom I was beside myself with worry and stress. A million questions running through my mind and then . . .

“Jennifer?”

Here we go . . .

The doctor was quiet as he turned the ultrasound over my tummy and stared at his screen. His head tilted a little more than normal. Then he put the wand down, looked at me with a confused smile, and said, “it’s gone”.

My 13 ounce little boy who once had a brain cyst was suddenly perfectly normal and right on track just like he should be.

Miracle number one.

The ultrasound continued, and the doctor didn’t have much else to say about our little miracle brain.

At the previous ultrasound they found my placenta low lying. So we checked on that today and unfortunately the placenta had moved even lower and was now completely covering the opening of the uterus. The doctor explained that I had a rare thing called Vasa Previa. This is a serious complication in which there are some major fetal blood vessels lying beneath the baby and actually laying within the uterine opening. The danger is when a woman with vasa previa goes into labor and the cervix begins to dilate, the blood vessels present at the cervix can rupture. If this occurs, the baby will experience rapid blood loss and may die before doctors are able to do anything about the situation. Beside outright rupture, the blood vessels crossing the cervix can easily become compressed when the baby drops further down in the pelvis, decreasing the baby’s blood supply and causing drops in the heart rate. The typical treatment is to be on hospitalized bed rest in your third trimester and to have a cesarean section no later than 35 weeks.

Good news. Miracle. More scary news. Miracle?

In hind sight I realize, if there had not been this cyst I never would have had this higher level ultrasound and may have never known about this Vasa Previa which would have most likely resulted in a still birth. I have no doubt that this is all in God’s plan and that He is the master healer and physician.

After this emotional day at the doctor’s office, I went home and began my first journey on bedrest that continued for almost two months. My only outings from the house were to my weekly visit with Dr. Roe and his ultrasound machine. Brutal.

Each visit felt the same. Nothing really changed, so we just kept on with the plan.

Then came my week 33 appointment. As the doctor went through his routine ultrasound moves, I saw it . . . that same head tilt I had seen many weeks before.
“It’s gone”

I just smiled.

Not only was had my placenta moved up to the side of my uterus, but the supposed “incurable and unresolvable” Vesa Previa was completely gone. Not a trace of anything that even remotely looked like it. Gone.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20)

The doctor told me when he diagnosed me with VP that the only person who could fix this was “the big man upstairs”. And it appeared that indeed HE had solved our problem! I have no doubt in my mind that the God of all creation took some time out of His busy schedule, reached down and healed His precious creation! What an incredibly humbling feeling to know that our God cares that much for me and for our unborn baby!

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise him.” (Psalm 28:7)

This experience changed me more than I can even express. Obviously I became a mom for the first time – defiantly a life changer right? But even more than that, this experience rocked the core of who I was. I had never been so scared in all my life. I questioned why God would even allow things like that to happen. How could a good God let this happen?
Yet despite my doubts and worries, God still heard my prayers and the prayers of those around me. He chose to heal that sweet baby and in doing so He showed off His glory in such a mighty way. He showed me that He can turn a mess into a miracle if I just ask Him. It’s almost as if He smiled down in that ultrasound with me that day and whispered,

“Hey baby girl. I told you I had you. You are mine. Trust in me. I am your Helper. Allow me to help you.”

But He said,

“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)

I have been a Christian since I was a young girl, but something changed in my soul that day. That day a heart of faith was etched into my very being. If God could, and would, save my baby how could I ever doubt Him? I will never fully understand why God allows certain things to happen. All I know is that His plans are so much greater than mine. I know that on that day He chose to smile upon me.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:2-5)

No matter what you are going through today I want you to know that God is in the business of miracles. Even when we don’t understand the why or the how, He is always working for our good. Trust Him. No matter what. Trust. He will see you through.

“For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

Jennifer Moye, author of newly released A Gospel Christmas, writes from a place of transparency and with the heart of a mom passionate about God’s will for her family. Her candid sense of humor makes her writing easy and enjoyable to read. She speaks with an authentic style that will have you laughing with relatability yet challenged to step up to your next highest calling in your walk with God. Jennifer is wife to an Airman and mom to three rambunctious little boys. With excitement on a daily basis and grace around every corner, she believes we are meant to live this life in community with others and with the mercy to mess up and try again….and again. Being a mom is hard, but it is also one of the greatest callings we can have in this life. Her ministry to women is relevant and heartfelt with her core passion being that we learn to glorify our God in our parenting, our marriage, and in our everyday lives.

A Gospel Christmas 

As the holiday pressure grows, you might wonder… How do I teach my children the true meaning of Christmas in a world that calls it a Holiday? How do I keep all the fun and point them to our Savior at the same time? Is it possible to connect Baby Jesus, Santa, and even that naughty little Elf? If you have struggled with these questions, then you are in the right place! Take this journey of celebration and watch not only your children, but your whole family embrace the true meaning of Christmas. Visit Christian Faith Publishing for more info and for retailers offering the book.

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