Sometimes God tells you to do something and you may ask “why me?” I recently had that experience. Shame on me, because when I finally did obey I saw God work through many ladies to deliver a huge blessing to a pregnant mom in need. It was a good lesson to me about attitude and obedience.
I had a friend from church reach out to me asking me to pray for a young woman who she was taking into her home. She knew this young woman, who was a friend of her daughter’s. This pregnant woman was due with a baby boy in just a few short weeks and was moving into my friend’s home with nothing for the baby. When my friend reached out to me my first though was “oh its too bad I don’t have any baby items laying around.” I long ago purged our home of anything baby related. I don’t like to keep things around when I know I won’t be needing them again. I knew when the twins were babies that I wasn’t going to go down that road again. Twins are tough and I knew I had my hands full with my three kids.
I felt God was prompting me to reach out to my network of moms and ask for donations of baby items that they no longer needed. In doing this, I knew that it would mean that I have to go pick up the items that would be donated. My friend who took in the pregnant mom works full time and would not be able to pick up the items. She was also working to rearrange her household so that the soon to be mom and baby boy could have a room in her home. My gut reaction was “why me God…. I don’t have the time and I don’t even know this pregnant woman.”
After God nudged me a few more times over the next couple of days I messaged my friend and asked what they needed and if she would like me to reach out to the ladies in my group called “Moms of 76092”, which is a Facebook group I created for ladies who live in my area. She responded by telling me that this mom-to-be only had a blanket and a few onesies. She was in need of everything else. She moved from another area and left a not so good situation. She did not currently have a job either.
I created the posting in the moms group and within the first day there were plenty of moms who responded saying that they had items to donate. It was amazing! God orchestrated everything and gave me the time that I needed to pick everything up and deliver to my friend’s home several times. Many of the women who responded didn’t know me at all. They were just members of this Facebook group and they responded to the posting out of the goodness of their own hearts.
When I felt God prompting me to ask others to help out, I never imaged we would get everything this mom needed including bassinet, crib, dresser, car seats, car seat bases, stroller, clothes (newborn through toddler) , blankets, bottles, high chair, baby tub, playmat, breast pump, new breast pump accessories, diapers, toys, and even nursery decorations! That is the thing about God. He is not required to tell us what he is going to do when he calls us to do something. My expectations and what God delivered were very different! This is exactly why we must listen when God calls us to do something. He can see the big picture. He knows all the players involved and we probably do not. He gets other people involved when it is for his glory and he doesn’t need us to know these people or their ability to give in advance. He knows the details and already has them worked out. All that we need to do is respond in obedience.
I created the posting. No big deal. Not that hard. I collected the items and delivered. Truly, no big deal in the scheme of my life, as God provided the time and made it all come together. But it was a big deal to the mom who got all of these baby items. Here are photos from the first batch of items that I delivered. I made subsequent deliverers with more donated items including two different baby swings, stroller, car seat, clothes, toys, and more.
And you know what…. God rewards us. That weekend after I brought her all those items I went to Canton with friends and I scored some amazing antique items for a fraction of their valued priced. Literally paying $30 for one particular item that I found was valued and selling online for over $200. Some may think that God doesn’t work that way, but I know that God does. He knows our love languages. Mine happens to be gifts. He gifted me with beautiful French and Asian antiques that I wouldn’t have otherwise purchased because they would have been too expensive. The woman who sold these items to me is now my friend too! I texted her photos of the antiques (which had been her grandmother’s) displayed in my home and she was so pleased they went to a good home. These antiques may not seem like a big deal to others, but they were to me. I still smile every time I pass them in my living room and bedroom seeing them on display.
I didn’t help this pregnant woman because I expected any kind of reward. But as I was carefully unpacking these items from their newspaper and bubble wrap after I brought them home from my day excursion to Canton I felt like God whispered to me “see what happens when you obey me.”
I am pleased to report that the baby boy has been born. Both mom and baby are happy, healthy, and living with my friend who has a heart of gold.
Thank you to all the ladies who donated: Buffy, Cicely, Lisa, Elizabeth, Tara, Shannon, Andi, Kelli, Artemis, Tina, Andreea, Samantha, Cariana, Cyrese, Erin, Shehla, Adrianna, Brittany, Carinann, and the ladies from Andreea’s church. I apologize if I missed anyone from the list, I was looking back at my notes for pick up. I know several dropped off on my porch too and I may have missed your names. Thank you all for helping this mom and baby in need, as well as my friend. May God bless you all in your own love language!
