What Grace Looks Like
I never imagined that I
would have to undergo a cesarean section (C-section); a surgery to deliver a
baby while being pregnant with my first child. But this was surely my
experience. Our precious daughter, Shelby Grace Collins blessed our world
February 1, 2018 at 3:12 pm. She was 5 pounds and 11 ounces and 18 1/4 inches
long (Spoiler alert: we were told at our 39 - week ultrasound that our baby was
measuring 7 pounds).
After laboring unsuccessfully for eight hours and it was discovered my baby's heart rate was decelerating with every contraction, I had only progressed to about 5 centimeters dilated and in a lot of pain. And even worse, my daughter was experiencing pain as well. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. We wound up having an emergency C-section. There was disappointment. For women, like myself who wanted a natural childbirth experience, it can be disheartening to end up having an emergency cesarean section. But, sometimes God has a different plan for you.
It's important to remember that you might not have the birth you want. After all, a C-section wasn’t my ideal birth, but it saved me and my daughter life, and for that, I'll be forever grateful. Sometimes C-sections, and other medical interventions, are gifts from God to preserve life! My encouragement to any mom whose birth went differently than planned or the mom wanting to see her birth story written,
After laboring unsuccessfully for eight hours and it was discovered my baby's heart rate was decelerating with every contraction, I had only progressed to about 5 centimeters dilated and in a lot of pain. And even worse, my daughter was experiencing pain as well. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. We wound up having an emergency C-section. There was disappointment. For women, like myself who wanted a natural childbirth experience, it can be disheartening to end up having an emergency cesarean section. But, sometimes God has a different plan for you.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11The C-section wasn’t part of my birth plan. My original plan was for a natural childbirth with the option of an epidural, but God knew best and HIS plans for me were better than my own plans. Yes, I mourned the birth I wanted for my first child but that's ok — by God's protection and grace, I had a perfect delivery. The way my daughter entered the world, she was completely and perfectly healthy – all by the grace of God. The C-section turned out to the safest option and I am so thankful God guided the mind and hands of the doctors, so they knew exactly what to do and when to do it. Had my doctor not gone with her gut instinct to do the C-section right away, I can’t even think about what would have happened to our daughter. ----- After forty weeks of pregnancy and eight hours of laboring, our daughter was finally here and when she was physically revealed, she was purely the result of God’s AMAZING GRACE.
It's important to remember that you might not have the birth you want. After all, a C-section wasn’t my ideal birth, but it saved me and my daughter life, and for that, I'll be forever grateful. Sometimes C-sections, and other medical interventions, are gifts from God to preserve life! My encouragement to any mom whose birth went differently than planned or the mom wanting to see her birth story written,
“ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding ...” Proverbs 3:5
This is what GRACE looks
like
Thank you for sharing such intimate details of God’s gift to you. God chose you and Sherman to be parents of His child. Love her and guide her to know and love the Lord. Surround her with your three children by love, I don’t use stepchildren because God directed their path they didn’t just step into your life. I will continue to pray for the family. You have a beautiful angel.
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