God's perfect timing

As I talked to a dear friend yesterday about her struggles to conceive, I was quickly reminded of God's perfect timing in each of our lives! How quickly we forget about the struggles and long journey God sometimes takes us on before He reveals His great blessings. For me the struggles to conceive were a private struggle Brad and I shared for a little over a year.  We felt that the timing was never quite right to share our story with family and friends and wanted our moms (especially) to be totally surprised when we could finally tell them good news of a new grand baby; however, as the year lingered on, doubt and fear that we may not ever get to experience that joy of announcing a new baby began to overwhelm me. Brad and I came to a point that we knew we needed to share with our families about the struggles we were having.  We tearfully told our families and were embraced with an overwhelming amount of love, support, encouragement, and most importantly prayer! Over the next couple of months, our families (and their friends and churches) along with our friends began diligently praying for Brad and I and our desire to have a sweet baby.  On December 23rd we found out we were expecting our first miracle....what an amazing Christmas present!

I wanted to share this story because I have seen and felt the power of prayer in my life, have been humbled by God's mercy and undeserving grace, and He has forever blessed me through something that I thought was hopeless and heartbreaking and revealed to me the beauty in our struggles.  It is amazing how God's timing is so perfect.  Over that year, God used that time to draw me closer than ever to Him.  He revealed Himself to me, showed me things about myself, and allowed me to feel His daily, unconditional love that is so perfect. I would not change a thing about that year because I can see God's plan for His relationship with me through the struggles. I am assured that whatever trial I go through now in life that He will be and is my rock and my constant support. I now know how God uses His timing and His plans to glorify His name! I will forever praise Him and know that He uses all situations for His glory....I must always give Him the glory in good times and bad times...reassured that even in our darkest hours we are in His great and loving arms!