Great is HIS Faithfulness!

“Remember my affliction and my wanderings,

The wormwood and the gall!

My soul continually remembers it

And is bowed down within me.

But this I call to mind,

And therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

His mercies never come to an end;

They are new every morning;

Great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“Therefore I will hope in him.”

Lamentations 3:19-24

 You may recall that these verses have been my encouragement for the last several months as Shawn and I have desired to start a family.  I always related well to the first part of the passage, and I remembered often the steadfast mercies of the Lord were renewed each morning.  But now, I think on the second part of the passage…and I can wholeheartedly say – “Great is HIS faithfulness!”

Our prayers have been answered!  We found out at the end of August that we are pregnant!  God has granted us our greatest request!  I think of Hannah in 1 Samuel.  She prayed and prayed for God to give her a son.  In 1 Samuel 1:11, she prays,

“O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.” 

I remember praying a similar prayer thousands of times.  And God did eventually answer Hannah’s prayer and He has answered our prayer, as well!  In the praying and suffering, Hannah’s faith grew and she learned how to better trust in God’s provisions for her life.  I think I know a little better how Hannah felt so many years ago.  I say, like Hannah,

“My heart exults in the Lord;

My strength is exalted in the Lord…

There is none holy like the Lord;

There is none besides you;

There is no rock like our God.” 

I think also of Mary, when she found out she would be giving birth to a miracle baby.  The miracle within her was so overwhelming that her heart’s response has become famous.  I think of a song I used to sing in Bethel’s choir, taken from Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1:46-48:

“My soul doth magnify the Lord,

My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

He has regarded me;

His servant I will be

From this day evermore.”

God has looked upon our sadness and emptiness and He has heard!  He has heard and He has acted!  Praise God for the life that He has given to me and Shawn!  My thoughts lately have been on our first child that we lost through miscarriage several months ago.  I eventually saw how God worked out the loss of our child for His glory.  I see now how God has worked out these years of waiting for His glory.  And I can’t wait to see how God shows His glory through the growing and living of this child within me.  All praise and glory be to God!

So, friends, I am writing to tell you that God’s faithfulness is GREAT and I am overwhelmed with his goodness and mercy!  When Shawn and I were married, we sang “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” at our wedding.  It’s interesting that our wedding song is taken from my favorite passage in the Bible…and even more interesting that it has become my life verse.  I am confident that God has been working out EVERY event in my life to show me that His faithfulness is great towards me!  The last verse says, “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine with ten thousand beside!”  Amen to that!

I ask for your continued prayers concerning our baby.  Please pray that the first trimester would go well, especially since we’ve miscarried before and that increases our chances for another.  I am confident that God’s faithfulness will be shown, no matter what!  Our baby is due in early May and we can’t wait to show God’s proof of faithfulness to all of you!

With joy,

Shawn and Melissa (and baby)