"¿Tienes Miedo?"

"Are you afraid?" my sweet Spanish/Italian speaking friend asked yesterday.

"Si." I said. And then I told her that I'm not afraid of the birth as much as worried about bringing the baby home.

But the truth is I was feeling particularly anxious about both.

There's the giving birth in this new place (where I've been very pleased with my care, so far) and learning about little differences in birthing procedures and pain management.

Then there's the bringing baby girl home... without my mom in the beginning... with Robert in the middle of his term... with the knowledge from experience of how crazy those first weeks are... of how hard nursing was with Ellie and Meg...

And what a gift it was to go to worship this morning and be confronted with the glory of our Lord in His words recorded in Revelation 1:

"Do not be afraid.

I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

Isn't it good to get a healthy dose of perspective? To think on the glory and eternality and awesomeness of Jesus? To think on His victory over death? To remember His promises and know He is with me always... now in the waiting... in the hospital... in the late nights?

Have I not known the truth of Matthew 28:20 personally and intimately? Surely He is with me. It's not a far off, nebulous promise - He truly is with me, granting me peace and perspective at every turn.

And then to remember how I've longed for and prayed for and rejoiced over this precious life within me - what a miracle she is! What healing God has brought through her.

So, it was a poignant Mother's Day for me (though the English celebrated it a couple months ago) remembering the glory of Christ and His tender care for me. I need not and should not fear.

Happy Mother's Day to those rejoicing and to those hurting... may we all cast our anxiety on him because he cares for us.