GOD IS BIGGER THAN ANY PROBLEM!

Pregnancy and childbirth is not a sickness, but a beautiful natural thing. However, there are times when serious medical complications can arise. What should we do in these times? Give in to the diagnoses and advice of the medical profession - or trust God? The following testimonies are stories of mothers who chose to trust God. And every time God was faithful. These are just a few of so many testimonies of God's faithfulness in this area, but we would need a book to print them all. May you be encouraged....

LOW PLATELETS

God used the birth of my last two children to teach me about His faithfulness, and that even though things don't always go the way we would like them to, He is in full control of every situation we face.

Our first four children were delivered by midwives at birthing centers with no complications. We had very positive experiences so when I became pregnant with our fifth child, it seemed only natural to go the same route.

My pregnancy proceeded normally and we were excited about the arrival of another one of God's blessings to our family. Three weeks before my due date, however, our excitement was replaced by concern after a blood test showed that my platelets were lower than normal. At that point the midwife, being concerned about my possible hemorrhaging at the birth (platelets help blood to clot), referred me to the back-up doctor whom I had never met and told me I would have to deliver in the hospital as a safeguard. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed with fear since I had never delivered in a hospital and had heard so many unpleasant stories of hospital births.

When I met with the doctor, his major concern was for the baby, indicating that if his platelets were low, he could have a brain hemorrhage from a natural birth. A test would have to be performed once I started dilating to make sure that the baby was okay. If his platelets were low, I would have to undergo a C-section. He said we would monitor my platelets every few days and if they got too low, labor would have to be induced.

As the days passed, my platelet count continued to drop until Friday, four days before my due date, it took the largest drop ever to 88,000 (normal is 130,000-400,000). The doctor was getting concerned by this point, yet after an examination he felt my body was not ready to be induced as that could be just as dangerous.

All of this was very stressful, and I knew I had to come to a point of peace about the whole situation. God used Psalm 125:1,2 to remind me that my baby and I were surrounded by His protection. "Those who trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever."

God spoke to my spirit very specifically telling me that I was not to be fearful concerning the child I was carrying or the labor and delivery. He reminded me that this child was His and that His hand had been upon him from the very beginning of his life. He said that His angels had surrounded him in the womb and would deliver him safely into this world.

My husband, Bruce, was a tremendous support to me during this time, and I was able to draw from his unshakable faith. We also received lots of support and ministry from our church family. It was especially encouraging to know we had brothers and sisters in the Lord lifting our situation up to our Heavenly Father.

On Saturday afternoon, the Lord impressed upon me that I must be willing to lay our expectations of having a natural birth on the altar to Him. As my husband and I did this at church that weekend, a calm peace flooded my spirit that remained throughout the coming days.

On Tuesday morning (my due date), I received the glorious news that the platelet test taken on Monday showed that my platelet count had gone up to 120,000, which was well within the safe range to wait for labor to start naturally. Later that afternoon I started early stages of labor and by Wednesday morning was in full labor.

After a blood test at the hospital indicated that the baby was fine, we were able to proceed naturally. And did he ever come quickly. The doctor almost missed the event. Jared arrived 11:59 a.m. weighing 8lbs 5 1/2 oz and very healthy.

God blessed us with a very conservative doctor who did not jump to intervene but waited for things to proceed naturally. We were able to have as close to a birth center birth in the hospital as possible. We were in awe of God's goodness and His fulfillment of His word to us. We are ever mindful as we gaze into Jared's eyes of God's everlasting faithfulness to us. Even though things didn't go the way we had planned, God had greater plans and He was glorified.

That was four years ago. Since then my husband and I have decided to leave the decision of the size of our family up to the Lord. After Jared's birth, my hematologist suggested that I never go through another pregnancy due to the possible risk involved and knowing that they had not found a specific cause to my auto-immune disease. We believed we were to trust God to make that decision.

In June of 1993 I became pregnant with our sixth child. God gave us the faith and peace to believe that everything would work out fine. I was tested monthly to check my platelets, and they remained below normal, but stable. Nevertheless, my pregnancy proceeded without any problems and after a very quick and easy labor, Cody was born on February 27th, 1994. We were greatly encouraged when six weeks after his birth blood tests indicated that my platelet count was in the normal range. Praise God.

God had once again proved himself faithful. I can't imagine what life would be like if we had only listened to the doctor rather than to God. Cody has brought our family tremendous joy, and my heart is filled with gratefulness as I watch our other children lavish him with love. I have no idea how many children God wants to bless us with. On days where I am exhausted I secretly hope that six is enough, but I want to remain an open vessel to do God's will and to raise righteous seed for His glory.

RENE MAGNUSON
Titusville, Florida, USA.

The names of Bruce and Renee's blessings are: Heather, Meagan, Brett, Ashley, Jared and Cody.