Thursday, October 9, 2014

Patience Growth

I’m so grateful for God’s infinite patience with me, prayerful that others will have it for me, and know that I could work on giving it as quickly as I receive it from God and others. He’s really showing me the truth that when I pray and wait for Him to work in any situation, in another person, or in myself, I will have His perfect outcome. For the past couple of months Caleb has been learning to walk. This developmental milestone has taken much longer than I anticipated. Reflecting back to when he turned 1 year old adjusted (March 2014) and 15 months actual (June 2014), I just knew that he’d be attempting to take steps by the time he was 15 months old adjusted and 18 months actual. To my surprise, Caleb was still crawling at this time. Furthermore, he wasn’t even attempting to walk, and was just beginning to cruise. I became overwhelmed with the need for patience. I’d seen several of my facebook friends sharing videos of their babies walking, the same age as Caleb adjusted, on my timeline and my need for patience would overtake me even more. Additionally, whenever I’d go somewhere and see another 12-15 month old child walking so effortlessly my need was even greater. Although, I knew that my son was a preemie playing “catch up,” I still wanted, so badly, for him to begin walking, and thought that he’d be attempting to, since term babies usually begin walking somewhere between 11-14 months. However, even in considering his adjusted age, this wasn’t the case for my son. Instead of worry, stress, or letting my need for patience get the best of me, I took this issue to God. I knew that He had a plan for Caleb’s life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” I prayed, “God strengthen Caleb’s body, and help him walk as you’ve created him to do, and in the time you’ve appointed.” Patience could know perform its work in my life, because I knew that God’s plan for my son-including when he’d walk and meet other developmental milestones for that matter, were in His hands. I would share my feelings about wanting Caleb to walk, and how I believed he’d be walking by now with family and friends. All of them would say the same thing to me: “Be patient. Don’t compare your child to another child. He’ll walk when it’s time for him to walk.” Here we are 90 days later, and patience has paid off! Caleb can now stand unsupported, and is beginning to take steps, and walks alone a little. Although, I know learning to walk for Caleb was normal, because I’d been anxious about it and prayed, nonetheless I received the answer to my prayer. He’s now 18 months adjusted and 21 months actual beginning to walk. Waiting wasn’t easy, but it’s what God needed me to do instead. He needed me to exercise patience, and wait for Caleb to walk, partially, because I would’ve demanded the doctors and therapist take a closer look into a problem that didn’t exist, and ultimately because Caleb just needed MORE time. To my sisters, God just wants us to be patient while he’s working in us, in others that we’re paying for, and in our situations. When we exercise patience, we allow God’s hand to create a masterpiece of a testimony in us, in others we’re praying for, and in our situations. Prayer and patience is important. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” James 1:4 says, “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” As I continue to watch Caleb learn to walk alone and develop his gross motor skills, I get so ecstatic! Can you imagine how our Heavenly Father feels when he observes our spiritual development? Thank you God for your patience with us!

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