_&_

The day my son was born I experienced for the first time, the intense emotion of {and}. Meeting Josiah and holding him for every minute of his short little life was one of the best days of my entire life. It was also the worst day of my life. I was filled with joy and complete and utter sadness at the exact same time. The day felt like such a blur, and I remember the nurse asking me when we were alone if I had given myself the time to cry. I really hadn’t at that moment. Maybe it was the constant people around us. Maybe it was the shock and adrenaline. Maybe it was because I had already spent a few months crying and preparing myself for what was to come. Or, maybe it was because in the midst of the sadness I still was experiencing the joy of meeting my son and holding his sweet little body for as long as I was able. Feeling his skin on mine and the sweet noises he made. I was able to in that moment experience the peace that transcends all understanding.

I was reminded of this again when my sister adopted their little boy. People are so quick to say how lucky he is to be apart of their family and while that is true, he is loved and cherished and given opportunities he might never have been given in a different scenario, he is also the opposite of lucky being abandoned at a hospital. In the same sense, his mom was brave and gave him life and a chance at a full life by choosing to not come back for him, she also stole from him something that can never be replaced. I had never thought of adoption through this lens until I listened to my sister’s heart break for her son out of pure love and selflessness.

Lets talk about motherhood, marriage, family, employment, etc.

Maybe for you it looks very different. But I imagine there is an {and} in your story too.

It can be easy to focus on the harder part of the {and} but I encourage you to acknowledge both sides, and set your focus on what is better. There is a time for everything under the sun. Maybe this season of your life is harder than others. Maybe your {and} feels daunting. acknowledge that it is not just one thing- but set your eyes on the one who works it all out for good. He really does love you. He sees the whole picture when we only see a piece at a time. Trust and speak truth over your life one phrase at a time.

Maybe acknowledging the {and} in your life also shines light on the possible {ands} in others. Maybe, just maybe, we can see less division and more grace in how we view others.

If you need help finding that truth to speak over yourself- please reach out. I want to hear your story and encourage you however I can.