Note to self: Faith is not about what I think God should do;
but rather, trusting God to do it His way and in His time.

I was talking with a co-worker who is a grandma. She said when her son's wife was pregnant, the umbilical cord was attached in the wrong place. Doctors feared problems, including deafness. The family went to prayer, and do you know what happened? The baby boy was born perfect and is now a healthy 2-year old.

Something happened while I was praying for peace and contentment for our community of pregnant moms. I began to feel very peaceful and contented myself -- even though I was praying for others and not myself.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27 KJV)

God answers prayer: Karen Johnson had placenta previa (a serious condition that can cause severe bleeding, early delivery, and complications). Tests also revealed a marker for Down's syndrome. The family went to prayer. Karen had a full-term, perfectly healthy daughter!

Genesis 30:22,23 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore a son.
There have been many women asking for prayer this week who are trying to get pregnant. Please remember them in your prayers.

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dad's out there! We just want to honor you and tell you how much you are appreciated! May you grow closer to God like never before and may he bless you richly.

2 Samuel 22:33 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.

Check out what to eat and how to eat while pregnant: http://ht.ly/5kK19

Treat severe gum disease – Numerous studies reveal that pregnant women who suffer from gum disease are more likely to have premature birth. Animal studies also shown that periodontal infections impair fetal growth.

"A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society." -- Billy Graham, Christian Evangelist
Let's make sure we honor our father's this weekend!

Women in their 30s have a greater chance of having twins than women in their 20s. This is one reason twin births have increased: more women choose to start a family later nowadays.

Dear Lord, I pray for the pregnant moms who are expecting twins. Be with them through their pregnancy. Give them a good delivery. I especially ask that the babies would be born when they are mature enough to be healthy. Give the moms peace and grace. You are the Creator of life, and we praise you, our God. In Jesus' name, Amen

25% of twins born today are a surprise, meaning it was not known until days or minutes before the birth that there were twins. How exciting is that? Could you be carrying twins and not know it? Source: Twins Foundation

Here are some tips to avoid nausea while pregnant.
Eat small, frequent meals, every two hours (even through the night, if you can do that)
Dry crackers before arising;
Eat a high-carbohydrate diet: dry toast, honey, banana, baked potato, muesli and other whole-grain breakfast cereals, steamed rice, tofu
Sweet juices or flat soda in the morning
Avoid strong smells, fatty foods and spicy foods; some women cannot tolerate milk, eggs or meat
There is anecdotal evidence of acupressure to the wrists helping nausea
Vitamin B6, 50 milligrams by mouth twice a day
Do not use alcohol or tobacco, and limit coffee during the first trimester
Peppermint tea

1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. There are days I really need to work on this.

In the U.S, about three in every 100 pregnant women give birth to twins or triplets, according to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. And by many accounts, twin pregnancies are on the rise.

Proverbs 22:4 Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.
Psalms 149:4 For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.
Our pastor did a great talk on humility today...something we all can work on.

1 Pet 4:7-8: The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins (NIV) If you knew that the world would end tomorrow, would you love people differently?

1 Pet 4:7-8: The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
(NIV) If you knew that the world would end tomorrow, would you love people differently?

Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is... kindness (NIV). Kindness flows from knowing who we are in Christ. In Him, we are unconditionally loved and accepted with all our flaws.

Our hearts go out to pregnant moms who live in a state that is having a record-breaking heat wave right now. We pray you will be able to keep safe and comfortable.

1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
This is such a comforting verse to me and I hope it is for you also.

It's Monday. What would you most like to accomplish this week? I like the idea of giving your week a theme, such as learn new recipes, exercise more, start a journal, read a new book, clear out clutter.

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21). Let's focus on using our words to love, encourage and build up our husbands, kids, family and friends. We must be careful with the words that we speak and not inflict pain upon anyone.

Sometimes I can't sleep at night, like tonight, but this also happened often while I was pregnant. I think it's God's way of saying "Slow down and talk to me". We get so busy with our everyday lives, I think we forget to just slow down and wait upon the Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Stress is unhealthy for you & your baby. If you feel stress creeping up, try this technique. Close your eyes and inhale to a count of two and exhale to a count of four. Do this for one minute. At the same time, imagine yourself in a peaceful scene, such as on a beach or field of flowers. This one minute mental break has been shown to lower physical stress symptoms.

Stress is unhealthy for you & your baby. If you feel stress creeping up, try this technique. Close your eyes and inhale to a count of two and exhale to a count of four. Do this for one minute. At the same time, imagine yourself in a peaceful scene, such as on a beach or field of flowers. This one minute mental break has been shown to lower physical stress symptoms.

While I was pregnant, one of my favorite healthy summer snacks was frozen bananas...but I like to dress them up a bit. Just peel and cut banana in half, poke a stick through the bottom, spread with almond butter and roll in a sugar free granola. I like to wrap them individually in plastic and freeze overnight. They're an awesome summer treat for the kids too!

Prov. 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (NIV).
This verse is special to me because it was the first on my son learned at a young age.