A Time To Be Born

(Excerpt from my book)

A TIME TO BE BORN

Birth Day

On September 5, 2004 I was nine months pregnant and Hurricane Frances was sweeping across the state of Florida, heading straight towards Tampa, and us. As luck would have it, the barometric pressure dropped enough to put my overdue body into labor. My husband and I got in the car and headed to the hospital. Oh wait. We weren’t going to a hospital; we were going to a “birth center.” A birth center can sound like a great plan when you are not in labor and can still envision a perfect birth. However, when facing a hurricane with 145 mph winds, my birth center looked like a little house, surrounded by WAY too many trees.

We drove through the wind and rain, carefully navigating the already fallen trees to get there. Once we arrived, labor was in full force and there was no other option but to just push through. (Pun intended, of course.) In my defense, I chose a natural birth with my first daughter and I assumed this second one would be just as wonderful of an experience. Never assume anything. First off, this time it hurt….worse. All I kept thinking was “Get me that epidural,” only I didn’t have access to an epidural at a birth center with a midwife.

No water. No electricity. Definitely no epidural. And finally, no going to any hospital since roads were blocked and I’m pretty sure the ambulances were otherwise engaged. Then, as the eye of the hurricane was passing over us and the distinct stillness of the winds saturated our senses, Daisy Marie entered our world. The traumatic experience wasn’t over yet though because she was all blue and not breathing.  My world truly did stop spinning as I waited the longest moments of my life, for her to breathe. Finally, her beautiful cry erupted. Daisy was here, all 9.1 pounds of her. Yes…ouch.

We all enter into this world after hanging out in a womb until it is our time to be born. For some, like Daisy, the birth is filled with drama. For others, like my best friend Misty, it means coming early, as a tiny four-pounder resembling a drowned rat. Her words, not mine. However, every birth experience is unique and life changing.

We obviously don’t choose how or when we come into this world, but we were chosen to come. God chose each of us specifically.  It is a relief to know none of us are accidents, at least not in God’s eyes, although our parents may have a totally different take on this.

Spiritual Birth Day

Although we may not have a lot of say in how and when we are physically born into this world, we do get to determine if we are reborn.

³ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”⁴ “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”  ⁵ Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. ⁷ So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3: 3-7, NLT)

We experience the joy and privilege of being born again once we choose to start our life with our awesome heavenly Father. Interestingly, just as men pursue women, which can result in a physical birth, our heavenly Father pursues us, which leads to our spiritual birth.

Although I don’t remember my physical birth and I don’t think I’m alone in this, I could never forget my spiritual Birth Day. I was a little lady of six. First off, don’t let anyone tell you a small child cannot make an eternal decision. God’s timing is all that matters, not the limitations and qualifiers we are sometimes guilty of placing on people.

I remember telling my parents I was ready to make a decision for Christ and I wanted to walk down the aisle in church on Sunday. When Sunday came around, I could hardly wait until the end of the sermon and as soon as they started the weekly invitational hymn I popped out of the pew and headed down to the front. I sat there with my pastor and prayed. I immediately felt a huge weight being lifted off my shoulders and thrown as far as the East is from the West! I felt light and free. Even at six I was amazed because I couldn’t remember ever feeling that weight until, all of a sudden, it was gone.

I will NEVER forget that moment. You know what I love most about it? It is the fact I never, ever question whether I was saved. It’s as clear to me as the fact that the sun will rise tomorrow. I know not everyone has the kind of salvation experience that leaves no doubt, but God our Father wants us to be confident of our salvation. If you aren’t confident, seek Him and lay those fears down once and for all.

Thanks for reading. More to come later. Let me know in the comments section what you thought. Thanks!