Move Out of My Way, Mountain!!!

What if someone told you to speak to a situation that is hindering you?  Out loud.  Not to a person, but to the situation itself.  Speak.  Did I mention out loud?
It sounds kind of crazy, doesn't it?!

So, when I was 26 weeks pregnant (just barely 6 months), I began to have these piercing, sharp pains in my side.  Never had any pain like it, I could barely walk.  To even walk at all, I had to stay bent over, take tiny steps, and walk very, very slowly.  I thought I was having this pain because I picked up my sick six-year-old daughter and walked her up the stairs (real smart, I know).

I called my doctor's office the next day and they told me to come in.  My mom came over to keep an eye on my daughter since my husband was at work and I wanted him to save all of his time off for when I had the baby.  I arrived at the doctor's office and the doctor who was in immediately found a lump in my side (my husband and I saw it and felt it the day prior, but thought it may have been a hernia or something).  The doctor also noticed that my baby boy was extremely low and in head-down position.  He ordered an ultrasound, which revealed that I had fibroid tumors (there are several kinds, and the type that I had were known to be the most painful).  Oh, and yes, baby was positioned like he was ready for the outside world!

Some of the doctor's concerns... first off, my baby was so low that they feared he would come early (possibly within the following two weeks).  In addition, there was concern that the tumors would take some of baby's blood supply and inhibit his growth and development.

That day, I got to enjoy juice boxes while the doctors monitored me for contractions. They found that I was, in fact, contracting and they did not like that too much.  As a result, I also got to enjoy blood work and steroids (both included needles... one needle in a place that would not have been appreciated if it were not for the good of our baby).  Blood work was to determine the likelihood of having baby within the next two weeks (in other words, about 2 months prior to his being full term and about 2.5 months prior to his due date).  Steroids were to develop his lungs just in case he did come within such a timeframe.

While speaking to my mother-in-law, she encouraged me, as usual.  If anyone knows my mother-in-law, you know that she is one of the most annointed and faithful servants of the Lord... very wise in the Spirit.  One of the things she advised was to speak to my mountain, as Jesus said according to Mark, Matthew, and Luke (mulberry tree).

Now, wait a minute.... I mean, I know it says this in the Bible, but was she really telling me to open my mouth and tell these fibroids to go away, to tell my womb to hold my baby to term?  Out loud?

Yes, that's exactly what she was advising me to do.  But most importantly, she was advising me to do what the Lord already told me to do according to His Word!

While driving to work one day, I put my own inhibitions aside and I spoke to my mountain, my baby's mountain, my husband's mountain, my family's mountain.  And of course, there was prayer going up from me, my husband, family, friends, and possibly even believers that we don't know!  Furthermore, I chose my words very carefully while discussing the situation.  Instead of saying, "I will probably have my baby early," I would try to say, "The doctors suspect that there is risk that my baby will come early."  I didn't ignore it, but I did my best not to claim it.  Here goes!

Well, results speak for themselves and my God proved Himself true once again!  I'll break it down...

1. Instead of getting worse, the pain of the tumors eventually went away completely.
2. When measuring my baby via ultrasound, his development stayed on track, as the fibroids did not interfere with his blood supply.
3. By the end of my pregnancy, the doctors could not detect the tumors at all.
4. Our baby boy carried to term and then some!  He was born strong, healthy, and with a huge appetite... and as a plus, God answered my prayers and gave me an easy labor and delivery!

I say all of this to say do not be afraid to speak to your mountains!!!  Sure, every single mountain will not go away... some mountains are meant for us to climb.  But you never know, some mountains are not!  Speak to your mountains and remember that words are powerful.

“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them." Mark 11:23

"Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done." Matt 21:21

"He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you." Luke 17:6

"The tongue has the power of life and death." Proverbs 18:21

No Training Wheels

Back in May, my daughter expressed that she was ready to ride her bicycle with no training wheels.  A wealth of emotions came over me: excitement, anxiety, and even nostalgia.
Quentel and I took turns holding her bike up, giving her running starts, and letting go.  We couldn't even count the number of times she fell.  She fell so much that she learned that if she felt herself falling, she could veer into the grass and avoid the more painful falls.

As I observed, the Lord revealed to me (as he has many times before) that, as an adult, I could take something from this.  As adults, we also have to make a conscious decision to ride without our training wheels.  Often times, we can become complacent in our comfort zones, and simply settle, when there is an entire world out there to be explored and a greater purpose to fulfill.  But isn't it just easier to ride with my training wheels?  After all, I don't want to fall.

Sometimes, we have to fall to in order to rise to greater heights.  These places are some that we can never imagine, but God has designed with the purpose of us reaching them.  Now, here comes the hard part... we have to step out of our comfort zone.  We have to take off our training wheels!

On that warm, sunny day in May, Genysis' friends came out and rode their bicycles (minus the training wheels), and as we continued in the same pattern - holding her bike, giving her a running start, releasing, and watching her pedal a few feet only to fall - she became tired and distracted.  After all, she was only five years old.  She seemed to be regressing instead of progressing.  Now, she wasn't even pedalling for a few feet, she would fall immediately upon our letting go of the bicycle.  But I thought we were making progress!

Well, I became frustrated, knowing that she could do it, and I became irritated with the regression.  So, I began to lack compassion, and instead, I expressed aggression.  When my five year old was already tired and distracted, I decided to add 'discouraged' to the mix of feelings.  Before I knew it, I had a weeping five year old who now believed that she was inferior because she could not ride her bicycle without  her training wheels (yet)... thanks to ME!

Of course, God revealed something else to me at this point.  When we, as adults, are learning to ride without our training wheels and stepping out of our comfort zone, it is important to surround ourselves with positive and supportive people to uplift and encourage us during our times of discouragement, frustration, exhaustion, and distraction.  In turn, we must do the same for those whom we surround as they are moving out of their comfort zones.  You would be surprised at the impact that one person's attitude can have on another's progress.

So, once I decided to regain my composure and change my attitude, Genysis' attitude changed as well, and that very same day, she was riding with no training wheels!  With our encouragement, Genysis now believed in herself, and chose not to give up!  Now, she feels free and liberated and is able to explore a whole new world.  You can, too!