Charis Around the World

Childbirth in Kenya
by Jannekah Guya

Amariah, Jannekah, Martin and  Ezriel Guya

When Birth Doesn't Work

You’re probably familiar with the popularly coined phrase, “Birth Works,” and if you’re like me, you believe this with all your heart.  But sometimes, on very rare occasions, birth doesn’t work.  What then?  What do you do when you’ve exhausted all resources available to you and it still doesn’t work?  What do you do when you’ve desperately prayed unceasingly for hours, from the deepest part of your heart, and it still doesn’t work?  What do you do when labor reaches a place beyond your experience, ability, or understanding?

Recently I learned a very hard, very scary lesson, but a very important one nonetheless.  I learned that it’s possible, and dangerous, to trust birth too much.  Thankfully my trust is in Someone much more powerful than even birth is – the Creator of birth Himself!  Thankfully I know that even when birth doesn’t work, God always does, even if it’s not how and when I think He should.

So what will I do in scarce moments like this when birth just doesn’t work?  I will remember that Who God is and what He says remains constant, no matter what my senses tell me, no matter what my mind tells me, no matter what I feel emotionally, and no matter what is going on around me.  I will chose to believe what HE says, even if it contradicts everything else. He says:

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1)

and

“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:3-5)

and

“Your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.  Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.  Your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.  The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.  Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” (Isaiah 58)

Just to name a few.

So in moments like this I will remember Joshua and Caleb, who even when giants and impossibilities stood in their way, believed what GOD said.  Though it completely contradicted all that they could see with their eyes, all that they must have been feeling emotionally, and all that they could reason intellectually, they believed GOD over everything else. (Numbers 13)

I will remember Gehazi, who when all looked completely hopeless, God opened his eyes and showed him that he was not alone, but rather he was surrounded by the help of God and Holy fire!  (2 Kings 6)

Sometimes things will be out of my control.  Sometimes I will have to hand a mother and baby over to someone I don’t trust so they can receive intervention that will hopefully mean the difference between life and death.  In moments like this I will take comfort in knowing that as I do all I can possibly do, I can fully rely on the God of Moses, of Joshua, of Caleb, of Elisha, of Gehazi and most importantly, of Jannekah Guya. I can trust HIM to do all that I cannot and all that is required, which in moments like this, tends to be something completely miraculous.

 

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