A Special Birth Announcement.

Everyone knows that labor is tough. The hint is in the word itself: LABOR. When you hear that word, your mind does not drift to swaying palm trees and the smell of coconut oil. No, your mind is filled with the sounds of grunting, visions of strain and pain.

Well this certainly was my experience on the 6th August 2009 as I brought our son, Michael into the world. Being a 4th time Mom, I knew what to expect. Or at least, as much as my memory served after 8 years since I had last encountered those ominous labor pains.

I was prepared for the contractions. I was prepared for the sleepless nights, but what I had forgotten about was the shortest phase of the labor process. That process is called: Transition. It amazes me how natural things teach us so many powerful principles of the spirit.

Surrounding this time God has been leading me into many new spiritual roads and as I went into physical labor, I could tell that it was also a time of releasing something into the spirit.

I tell you, there is no greater reality check than the grinding pains of labor and your firm resolve to "handle it as best you can." It is like getting the call of God, knowing full well the price you have to pay, but confident that you can pay it. That is ...until you hit that TRANSITION stage I mentioned before.

So imagine a bit with me if you will. Labor went relatively quickly and I was dilating fast. I was confident I could handle this! Pains were coming every two minutes and with the grace of God I was coping ok. But then suddenly things started to change rapidly. I felt a shift in my body and everything went berserk. Little did I know that the time was sooner than I thought. Midwives and the doctor rushed in and they confirmed it ...I was JUST about ready to push. But not yet. Just a few more contractions.

This little phase of transition is sandwiched between when active labor ends and the pushing starts. It is THE most intense phase of all. You can only hang on for dear life as you wait for the go ahead from the doctor and you hear those magical words "Ok! PUSH! Now is the time!"

When God calls us, our experience is no different. You head off with all good intentions. You face the deaths. You handle the rejection. But then something happens along your walk that takes a shift and suddenly the pressure gets put up a notch. You can see your ministry goal RIGHT in front of you, but like me, the Lord says to you, "It is not time yet. Wait. Just a few more contractions." So you wait.

It is at this point where you lose control. The waves are coming on you so fast, you cannot think. The pressure has increased so much, you cannot figure what is up from down. Then just as you think that the Lord has deserted you or that you missed Him entirely with this ministry thing, those magical words come in the spirit.

"Do not give up now my child, it is time to push!" This is the most magical and actually painless part of labor. It is also the most active and FINALLY you get to put into practice everything you have been building up for in the months and years before.

As I held my son in my arms for the first time, I could only let the tears flow as I looked on in disbelief at how perfect he was. The pain was forgotten. The drama had subsided and in those first euphoric moments, you think to yourself, "I would do that all over again, just for this little moment."

I promise, that if God has called you to do His work, that you will face the pains of labor. However I also promise that if you will only push through and let the Holy Spirit carry you through to the end, that you will look at all He has done and also say, "It was worth it all, if only for this moment."

Whether you have just conceived your ministry or are facing those tsunami waves of transition, know there is a reward waiting for you. Hang in there. Breathe. Wait. Wait for the go ahead and soon you will birth what God has conceived inside of you.

As for myself, my husband and little Michael, we are doing well and growing strong. He is forever a reminder that God is full of Grace and fulfills every promise that He makes. You and I, all we can do is to wait for the signs and push through to the end, but it is God that will conceive and bring into this world the promises He has given to us.