A Mother's Poem

In the quiet moments of the day,
I reflect on you and am filled with praise.
Hidden away from human eyes,
You're a miracle of God's design.

Expectantly I pray for you.
You're in my thoughts and in all I do.
What will you look like? What will you be?
What will you accomplish by age two or three?

You're like the morning, fresh and new,
Just as the roses kissed with dew.
I long for the day we're face to face,
Cradling you in my warm embrace.

My mother's heart is fully aware
Of all I'd like to teach and share.
I am immersed in joy and love
At God's blessed gift sent from above.

I pledge to parent with God's way in mind
And leave a legacy of faith behind.
My life, in turn, will be blessed, too,
Through the life that God has given you!

- Jennifer J. Weiss

Birthing Pains as Good

"My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you ..." - Galatians 4:19

Dear God,
Thank You for forming Christ in my life. I know that my walk has been a process and will continue to be until the day I come to spend eternity with You. I thank You that You are birthing new things in me daily, especially the opportunity to be a mother. As I grow in expectancy, prepare the heart of my son/daughter to receive You.  Cultivate a spirit that is teachable and workable. As I watch my child grow physically, spiritually, and emotionally, help me labor in love for him/her. Let me be encouraged to intercede in prayer for my children and stand in the gap when needed. Birth new things in my child each day, Lord. Help me not to focus on the birthing pains associated with spiritual and physical growth, but allow me to accept that such processes bring forth good. I ask for this strength in Your name, amen.

For Adoptive Families

"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship." - Galatians 4:4 - 5

Father,
You have initiated adoption. You love us as if we were Your own, making us Your own, though we have on our own drifted far from You. You love us unconditionally and give to us a love for You. You are our Father. You have bonded with us, and You give us the gift of loving and bonding with You. I ask that this same miraculous love would flow between adoptive parents and their children. Give mothers and fathers an unexplainable bond. Give the children, many of them wounded by deep rejection, a supernatural capacity to receive love. Bond them close. Create family ties where those ties seem impossible. God, for those families seeking now to adopt, give them courage to persevere. For those governments that make adoption difficult, break through and ease the process. With millions of orphans in the world, release a wave of new adoptions. Create and expand many families, and with Your own parents’ heart, give a new capacity to give and receive love. In Your Son's name I pray, amen.

You are our Banner!

"We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests." - Psalm 20:5

God,
Thank You for being Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my Banner. You have gone before me in the process of bringing this little one into the world. May I always remember the confidence that I can have in You. May I always wave Your banner high and bring glory to You. God, I also pray that You will watch over me as I deliver. Help all to go smoothly without complications. Give us guidance and direction as our new addition is born. Let this discipline of praying for our child continue throughout his/her life. Amen.

Time for Prayer and Reflection

"Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.'" - Matthew 26:36

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the refreshment and strength You have given me so far during this pregnancy. I praise You for seeing me through to its completion. As the time draws near for me to deliver, I ask that You provide times for me to withdraw from my busy schedule for prayer and reflection. Prepare my heart for the task ahead. Strengthen my mind,  body, and spirit. Help me to focus on the purpose of this journey - to bring a fresh little soul into the world. Amen.

Strength and Endurance

"I can do all this through Him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13

Lord,
I ask for the resolve to do all things through You. You are my source of strength, and I depend completely on You. I know that placing my thoughts and cares on You will lessen my burden and create a better environment for my baby to grow. So, I ask that, in the days ahead, You lead me to a place of physical, emotion, and spiritual rest. Give me the endurance that only You have as I approach labor and delivery. I ask this in Your name, amen.

Overflowing with Hope

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13

Father,
I know that pregnancy, labor, and delivery can be a time of extreme joy, especially when a mother puts her trust in You. Today, I ask for Your joy and peace to flood every inch of me. Rejuvenate my spirit, and refresh me with hope in You. Let others see Your glory radiating from Your Spirit inside of me. Amen.