Miles' Story ~ God's Marvelous Favor

I've tried to write this post several times, but have met with
little success or much pleasure.
It is a story of great peace.
Of waiting and not knowing and yet resting patiently in contentment.
It is a story of God's overflowing favor poured out on my life once again.

I find I can't relate just the facts without making this story about me.
In reality, there is so little of me in this story.  It is all Him.
Let's see if I can recount the birth story of Miles Favor reflecting
on God's great glory and His enduring mercy and grace!

My pregnancy was a gentle one.  I can't explain it better than that.
My body was large and cumbersome in the usual way ones body
makes sacrifice for another growing life, but my aches were minimal
and my emotions not violently swayed.

In many ways, I can honestly say this was the best pregnancy I've
experienced yet.  There may be physical factors involved, but I
know better than to turn those tangible efforts into a formula.
Above all, was the ever present breath of the Holy Spirit living through
me and the reason for all this blessing remains a mystery known only
to Him.

I've known such peace from the time we found out this baby was
on the way.  All the questions that begin with "how" which
are so quick to plague the mind of a mother in the middle of
child-bearing-training-raising years; those questions did not rattle me
as they sometimes have.
Then at 15 weeks I was sure we were losing this tiny person,
yet God stayed His hand and saw fit to let us meet our son.
Again - His favor.

Many of you know that we are somewhat transient, sharing time
between our mountain home in North Idaho, some travel,
as well as a little time near Denver Colorado where my husband's
work is based.  Because of this, finding doctors and such can be
a challenge, and few are eager to work with people so unconventional
as we.
The midwives who attended my care and were present at the birth
of Miles are a story of God's favor all their own.  I was blown away.

As the time for delivering grew near, I was getting nervous flutterings
in my stomach and the Lord provided Valentines Day with the perfect
reason to dive into the letter of First John (which is about love and
what love is, and how it manifests itself) where I rediscovered this verse:

1 John 4:18
"...perfect love casteth out fear... fear causeth torment..."

I was struck fresh by a couple truths I already knew:
I had no control over what events would transpire;
worrying about the unknown would only produce torment to myself;
perfect love is God Himself  (1 John 4:8)

and it would be by His power I could be free from fear!

I clung to this verse and meditated on it whenever thoughts of
impending travail came to mind.

Then, not a couple days prior to Miles birth, my eyes lit on a verse
in Psalms which blessed my heart so very much.

Psalm 34:4
"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."

Wow.
It was King David's song, but when he penned it God knew it
would be my song too!
I rested in that verse and marveled over it.  That God hears me.
ME!  He heard and doesn't want His children to be in bondage to fear.
I was delivered of my fears.  It was so precious not to be bound up
with anxiety as my time drew near.

The day he came was a Sunday.

The laboring for his birth was unusual for what I've known
but it was soft and without pain until Transition which was a
fast and furious half hour.
My beloved husband caught our little person and I recognized
that we had delivered another son!
What joy and relief and flat-out marvel to see his complete
body, his large hands, his pudge!
What laughter and exclamation!

One of my favorite things in all the world is watching
pure joy just bubble forth from my best friend
as the relief of the finished race floods over him.
I can see then, it was work for him too and what camaraderie!
I often say (and this was no exception): "WE DID IT!"

I hope the Lord received all that celebrating as pure worship
because my heart was aching from sheer fullness, and hasn't ceased yet :-)

I can't describe the afterglow adequately.  My children came in to
meet our Miles.  I was tucked neatly into my own beautiful bed
under a quilt I'd made while dreaming of this baby; and my husband
rested his presence near to me as the midwives measured and weighed
my already-deemed-perfect little son.  I never thought to count his toes.
It never occurred to me that he could be anything but perfection
no matter what number they added up to!

After all had left and the house was still, AJ popped up some
Pop Corn and we sat side by side munching in a late-night
celebration party.  I didn't sleep that night.  There's no time
for sleeping when those first moments pass like a fleeing bandit
and freshly-birthed baby hair doesn't last - even for a few days.

So I was initiated into motherhood one more time, with a crick
in my neck from burying my nose in that hair at whatever
angle was necessary to reach it :-)
I lay awake recounting all the details of Miles Favor's story
marveling and alternating between tears and laughter.
It was a sweet night.

Favor upon favor...

So that is where Miles gets his name.  Favor has been the story of
our life together - mine and AJ's - and in this season more than ever.
We don't deserve this amazing grace, and are entitled to nothing
good at all - and yet.  Yet God's laughter spills over upon us as
He gives and gives and gives us good gifts just because He can
and apparently wants to.  imagine that!

Miles' middle name is an alter for a memorial for us that God has blessed
our family more than we ever hoped or could dream.  We will recall these
stories to His glory and for our edification when the season comes
which is dark and uncertain.
He is good today, but when that time comes we know He is still good.
He is always and forever good, and today His favor is great upon us.
May we not ever forget.

"Thank you Lord, for our precious son Miles Favor! 
To You Lord, be glory and honor and praise both now and forever. Amen."

Psalms 34:1
"I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise will continually be in my mouth."