Ah! The power of prayer...

I used to be one of those people who you could call and ask for prayer and I would say "sure thing!" and then hang up the phone and never turn to God asking on your behalf. I thought as long as I looked like I was doing something good, I was helping.... I didn't realize how powerful prayer really is. I know I have said this before- my little girl is almost five years old and she thinks that every time she talks to God, her request is immediately answered- she prays with that childlike faith that I wish I still had. I love it. Now when she has an "owie", we simply talk to God about it and amazingly it feels better. And I do not say this in a teasing way. I truly believe that God answers her prayers because she is asking in His name, fully believing He will answer her one way or the other.

Part of the message my pastor gave last week at church was about prayer- he quoted all of the places in the Bible where it says "ASK" and he gave an illustration that he had in his mind of God sitting with a room full of gifts he wanted to bestow on us, but since we never asked, they remained there. I hadn't really considered it that way. I always thought I was being greedy or needy or selfish to ask God for things, when, in fact, that is exactly what He wants from us- that dependence on Him. He wants us to turn to Him and ask for the things we need and the things we want. He wants to bless us and take care of us. Does that mean that all of our requests will always be answered the way we want them to, or when we want them to? Not necessarily, but when we ask in His name, I truly believe it means He will answer. He loves when we come to Him and petition Him. He loves when we as continually because it means we are continually coming to Him and admitting we can't do this on our own. So my question is- why did I ever not turn to Him? I didn't realize His heart for me (a whole other topic). One huge thing I have learned lately, though is, "ask, and you shall receive." I have a friend who, two weeks ago, was struck with a flesh eating staph infection. It affected her nose and immediately next to it. She said she was so embarrassed and afraid to show it to anyone and she was highly contagious with two toddlers running around. So she turned to the people of our church to ask for prayer. Her nose went from being almost completely mutilated to almost completely new in the course of a week- the doctors said this should have taken months to happen- God listens. I have another friend whose wife had debilitating migraines for years- which left her unable to be the wife she wanted to be and unable to be the mother she wanted to be. She was basically bedridden for years. One night she and her husband attended a prayer service at our church and out of a last effort, desperately petitioned God on her behalf since then, she has been healed of her migraines... again, God listens. So now, when you call me and ask for prayer, do you think I hang up the phone and got back to whatever busywork I was doing? Most certainly not! I have seen God answer prayers- amazing prayers- seemingly impossible prayers and I trust God. I am convinced I have now, because I am asking and trusting God, and, He listens. :)

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

So, I went to the hospital today to have that ultrasound- you know the one I am speaking of. It's the one where they tell you if you are going to have more estrogen or testosterone in your house- the one that, for me, told me if I was going to go mental or be relieved. Actually, I had resolved I would be excited either way, but my little boy needs a little brother in the worst way, so deep down- I NEEDED boy and could not be more excited. His name will be Jacob Tyler and I pray he carries the strong genes of my husband- gorgeous blue eyes, striking good looks.... Just kidding. I just really didn't believe this pregnancy would carry through to the end so a healthy baby is all I want now. :) I can't wait to meet him-well, obviously i can and will wait. I am just ecstatic after seeing him today- he was doing flips and waving at me and stretching out and rolling around. I have decided I am a human jungle gym and my son is constantly at play. This morning my husband and I were both awakened by little Jacob kicking. Yes, at 3:00 in the morning he was practicing to be a karate kid. Eleven more weeks... :) The countdown has begun.

Now I am actually getting a little nervous about the big day. I have had nightmares that something happens to my heart while they are taking him out. I have all sorts of scary dreams like that but I guess it's those darn pregnancy hormones. I am most confident in God protection and that He has a plan for me even now. He has His hand in my life and He knows the number of days I am to be here, so with confidence I will walk in to the OR when they take Jacob, and with confidence I will be wheeled out of there, baby in hands. :) I will keep you updated on baby's progress and my own. As of right now, it's looking to be the end of January when we meet him. I pray God's protection over him from now until that time. I pray for God's hand to be in him now and throughout his life. I pray Jacob will be a mighty man of God- a man after God's own heart. I pray he will learn from his father- God's heart for him- and He will come to know Christ at an early age, growing in his faith and teaching others. I have such a strong feeling about this baby- he is going to be amazing, I just know it! In the mean time, I just take a deep breath and smile at the picture him doing flips in his own personal jungle gym... his mommy.

So THIS is a blog....

So, THIS is a blog. Wow! I am not a blog-type person, or at least, I wasn't, so this is definitely interesting to me. I always thought it was silly when people would input their thoughts for others to read. I wondered- why do people even care what I have to say? Who knows?

Okay, so for my very first blog, what will I write? Maybe an introduction.

Hi. My name is Christi. I am a mother of three with one on the way. I have an amazing husband, Kyle, who works uncommonly hard sometimes six days a week so I can stay home and raise my precious babies. (More on Kyle very soon). Of the three children we currently have, one is my husband's from a previous relationship, so she does not live with us all of the time. Her name is Savannah- she is an amazing creature! With bright blond hair and her daddy's gorgeous blue eyes, she is more beautiful than most children I have seen. She is incredibly book smart and affectionate- an awesome people-person. I am convinced she will do well in life, in spite of the difficult situations life has handed her. Trinity is the first child we had together- she is amazing. She has the striking good looks of her daddy and half of her mother's interesting personality. She is insanely coordinated and so, like her father, is incredibly talented when it comes to sports. Then, like her mother, has unusual amounts of common sense and the memory of an elephant. She truly is an extraordinary creature! Timothy is currently our youngest (BUT NOT FOR LONG). He is my most interesting child- he has more personality in one little toe than all of us have put together. He is hilarious from his core, but also my most affectionate. He is a little behind when it comes to speech, so he has also been my most challenging child. In time and with a little therapy, he will be caught up and I have no doubt he will surpass the girls in knowledge and understanding. He is insanely strong, just like his daddy but with the random outgoing personality of his momma. :) He is physically a little clone of his daddy- LOOK OUT LADIES!!!

And then there's me- I am just an ordinary woman, with an extraordinary family. I find out tomorrow if we will be welcoming in a little Jacob Tyler or a Kennedy Noelle. I could not be more excited to find out so we can start planning. :) That's about all about us for now. This is the real life mom... signing off!