Pregnant With Purpose

This week I received 2 blog posts back to back where the authors shared that they were prego. Or preggers. Or just plain pregnant :-). I thought it was unique that I would have 2 people share this news via blogs of which I am subscribed. One blogger communicated her hesitancy in sharing the news prematurely. Although she already has one kid she was sensitive to the reality that she may not carry the child full term. So her reason for posting this particular blog post was to set aside her fears and agree with the truth that her child is here and real whether or not their life is lived here on earth or eternally in heaven. The other blogger actually chose to wait to announce her news. This again was not her first child but she shared that she felt people were “over-sharing” such things on social media so she held off. Whatever their reasons for waiting or not waiting, both ladies decided to submit a blog post because in the end bloggers just can’t keep good news like that to themselves :-). And I was happy for them. Genuinely happy. I love reading people’s stories which is how I got caught up in the blogging world. Each person is so unique and God’s plan is uniquely tailored for them. Interestingly enough, though I’ve never been pregnant nor birthed a child, I am feeling preggers myself these days. “How so Nicole?” you may ask (and I’m so glad you did). I’m in the process of publishing my first book and it has been an amazingly blessed experience. I’m working with a self-publishing company who has exhibited great professionalism. Anyone who knows me knows how much I value this quality in people I do business with.  Each step in the process has caused me great joy and I have been surprised at the elated emotions I’ve felt as each stage was completed. I find myself looking at the proof of the book cover over and over again and smiling ear to ear. I can’t believe Jesus has given me this gift :-). There have been some hard things in this season and this book gives me instant hope whenever I think of it.

I was talking with my friend recently who is also a writer. She is working on her own book project and shared about how writing it felt like a labor-intensive experience. I could not relate. Writing my book was not laborious. It flowed freely from me just as this blog has. However upon reflection I can say that the labor for my book came through the actual experience of walking out this journey. The labor was the 9 years of life I’ve done with Jesus since I laid down the relationship He asked me to. And now He is birthing out something WONDERFUL from that painful experience. He has made beauty from ashes.

I know a lot of child-less, single women over 30 struggle with not having children. Their maternal instincts kicked in a long time ago and they long to nurture and mother another human being. I thank God that has not been a struggle for me. For some reason, I have innately understood the sacrifice parenthood entails w/o having actually been a parent. So I’m really not rushing to jump into that season! Even still, I did think kids would have made it on the scene by now. But instead I am birthing out something different that will still hopefully impact the nations and this generation as much as my own children one day will.

SHALOM