Stories Along The Way

Becoming a mother wasn’t an easy journey for me.

I was 36 years old, and I had reached a point where I was beginning to wonder if motherhood simply wasn’t meant to be part of my story. The years were passing, and I felt as though my time was running out. But one thing wasn’t fading—the longing in my heart to have a child.

I remember Mother’s Day of 2009 as if it were yesterday.

I was at church with my then-husband. All around me, mothers were being celebrated. It was a beautiful occasion, but for me, it was bittersweet. I had wanted a child for so many years, and once again, another Mother’s Day had arrived without me being a mother.

That morning, the pastor preached about Sarah from the Bible. Sarah had also longed for a child, and when it seemed impossible because of her age, God blessed her with a son.

I listened closely.

I remember noticing another woman at church who wasn’t a mother. I didn’t know her story or what was in her heart, but I remember looking at her and feeling for both of us. Maybe she carried the same longing I did.

That day, I prayed with everything I had.

I asked God to please give me the opportunity to become a mother.

About a month later, I had a dream I have never forgotten.

In my dream, I was giving birth.

It wasn’t one of those dreams that disappears the moment you wake up. It was incredibly vivid. I could feel the contractions. I could feel the pain of labor and delivery. Everything felt so real.

And then my baby was born.

In my dream, it was a little girl.

For those few moments, I experienced the happiness I had wanted for so long. I had given birth. I was holding my baby. I was a mother.

My heart was full.

And then I woke up.

I realized there was no baby in my arms. There had been no delivery. It had all been a dream.

Of course, part of me was sad.

But something happened in that moment that I will always remember.

I turned around and thanked God.

I thanked Him for allowing me to experience what it felt like to give birth and become a mother, even if it had only happened in a dream.

At that moment, I truly believed the dream itself was my gift.

And I was thankful for it.

I had no idea what was coming.

A couple of months later, around August, I unexpectedly started feeling sick.

My husband looked at me and said, “You’re pregnant.”

I thought he was crazy.

After waiting and hoping for so many years, why would I suddenly be pregnant now?

But he was right.

I was pregnant.

The thing I had prayed for, hoped for, and almost believed would never happen was happening.

I was finally going to become a mother.

Months later, I gave birth to my son.

But even his arrival came with something unexpected.

After he was born, the doctors and nurses were shocked that he had survived. He hadn’t been receiving the nutrients he should have because he had been attached to me by only a tiny piece.

I remember the doctors and nurses repeatedly referring to him as “your miracle baby.”

My miracle baby.

Those words have stayed with me ever since.

God works in different ways. I know everyone has their own beliefs and their own way of understanding the things that happen in life. But when I look back at my story, I know what it means to me.

I am blessed.

And deep in my heart, I truly believe God saw my thankful heart that morning.

I had prayed for a child, but when I thought all He had given me was a dream, I was still grateful. I thanked Him for those few beautiful moments of experiencing what it felt like to be a mother.

I didn’t know my story wasn’t finished.

I thought the dream was my gift.

But then He gave me the greatest gift of my life—my son.

I’ve experienced the miracle of giving birth. I’ve experienced what it feels like to pray for something when you’re almost out of hope and then watch your life change in a way you never expected.

First came the prayer.
Then came the dream.
Then came my miracle baby.

And becoming his mother has been the greatest gift of my life.