I know I have talked about my impatience before, but I need a reminder to trust in God’s timing from time to time, and I received that reminder this morning as I read a blog posted by my daughter-in-law, Amber. http://ambsmith.blogspot.com  Her post is a birthday letter to her one year old daughter, Milla, and in that post she writes about how she and Josh had prayed for her. You see their prayer had been for God to bless them with another child, and He did when He knew the time was right.

Here is my version of the events leading to the birth of Miss “Chilla” Milla. About two years after Major arrived on the scene Josh and Amber thought it was time to have another baby. They began praying that God would bless them with another child, and it seemed that maybe it just wasn’t God’s will that they have another baby. I remember driving to Nashville with Josh for a funeral, and discussing how we knew what God’s will is. My question is when do we accept that maybe His will is not our will? At this point the kids were having some procedures done to aid in a resulting pregnancy, so I was truly asking in my own mind if we sometimes go out of our way to make sure God gives us what He know we either don’t need, or don’t need right now.

Over the course of the next three years Amber became pregnant a number of times, but each pregnancy ended prematurely. However, the kids continued to pray, and three years later God blessed them with Milla Josephine Smith. In her birthday letter to Milla, Amber tells her that Josephine means “God will add” and that is exactly what He did. God added Milla to our lives. He added joy to our lives. He added a blessing to our lives.

Here is the point I need to remember. God sent Milla when it was time for Milla. I guess we could drive ourselves crazy thinking about it, but if another pregnancy had worked we wouldn’t have Milla. She would have never existed. To be sure, we have loved and cherished the child just as we love Milla, but we would have never known the beautiful Miss Milla.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5(NIV)

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. I Peter 4:10(NIV)

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10(NIV)

I believe God has a purpose for Milla’s life. I believe He has a plan for her that only she can do. In fact, I believe all of us were created with a gift and a purpose, and if we are willing to give God control, that purpose, and that gift will be used when the time is right.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31(KJV)

Till next time,

Grump