This month we celebrate two very special people in my life, my husband and my son. Their birthdays are close together. We went to a Trampoline Park and had a ton of fun!
This posed a number of challenges for our family. But even in the midst of storms, we choose to celebrate the small wins, because every victory, big or small, is a testimony of grace.
When Did We Get Here?
Our son is now ten! Ten years old already. When did we get here?
It feels like yesterday I was getting ready to go to the lab when the contractions began. I called the doctor, who said, “Oh no, those aren’t real contractions.”
Well, tell that to our son, because he came right away! He was ready. Maybe the stress I was under had something to do with it; after all, I was in the early years of my PhD at the time, and that year was one of the most grueling seasons.
Do We Consider How Our Choices Affect Our Children?
Do we ever pause to think about how what we do affects our children, whether they’re unborn or already here? Or do we move through life focusing only on how we feel in the moment?
Deciding to have my son and continue my PhD in a country where I had no family or much support was not easy. I noticed that throughout my life, I’ve been placed in situations that demand faith-filled decisions, decisions that seem to shape the path toward a predestined end.
Looking back, I can see the thread of grace woven through it all. Back then, I didn’t understand values or how to make spiritually grounded decisions, yet somehow things kept working out for my good. That, my friends, is grace—the unwarranted favor of God.
Do We Know God’s Will for Our Lives?
Some might wonder, “Why didn’t I pause my PhD when I had my child?” I did, pause for five months. However, I continued the program because that was the will of God for my life at that time.
The will of God, generally speaking, is found in His Word. It begins with believing Him and taking Him at His Word. Before we chase new dreams, we must ask ourselves, are we already living out what God has already said?
He tells us to love one another. Every dream, every calling, every assignment we pursue hinges on this one command. Yes, faith is essential, the higher we go, the more faith we seem to need, because the road narrows and the climb gets steep. But without love, we can do nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV).
We must love God and others, but also ourselves.
What Does It Mean to Love Ourselves?
The Bible warns that in the last days, many will become “lovers of themselves” (2 Timothy 3:2 NIV). This kind of love is selfish, it’s when everything we do centers around us.
This is not the kind of love God calls us to. However, For some of us, learning to love ourselves is the first step to healing, because we didn’t receive that love growing up. We are not equipped to serve others well if we’ve never learned how to love ourselves.
We can’t truly love ourselves unless we know who we are, and we can’t know who we are apart from God. Otherwise, we’re only guessing.
And for those of us who believe we can serve God without forgiving others, we’re deceiving ourselves. Forgiveness is love in action. Forgiveness like other values requires process until we are able to do it quickly. We also need to forgive ourselves for the silly things we have done. Forgiveness is absolutely essential to fulfilling our God-given dreams.
So What Does All This Have to Do With Celebration?
When others genuinely celebrate us, like when someone throws us a party we didn’t ask for, it’s often a sign that we’re living out our core values. That is a reason to celebrate.
Aziel is growing into a young man who values kindness, forgiveness, compassion, family, and growth. In a world where these values are almost non-existent, as parents, that’s a victory worth celebrating.
Grace for the Years Restored
After completing my PhD, I was blessed, thanks to my husband’s support, to take time off and reconnect with my son. I think of Joel 2:25, where God promises to “restore the years the locusts have eaten.”
God truly does give back the years that seem lost, if we trust Him. The restoration may not look like what we imagined. Sometimes it comes wrapped in stillness or even what feels like suffering. Maybe we’re searching for a job while God is saying, “Reconnect with your children.”
But because we were conditioned to measure success by school, jobs, and titles, anything outside of that can look like failure. Yet, in God’s economy, that “pause” may be the very place of purpose.
Let Us Celebrate
So yes, let us celebrate.
Not because everything is perfect. Not because all the problems are solved. But because God’s grace continues to carry us through every season.
We celebrate family, health, faith, and growth. We celebrate the lessons learned in the waiting and the laughter found in the middle of it all. We celebrate that what once felt like sacrifice has become a story of restoration.
We celebrate because God is good, and that’s always reason enough to celebrate.
Scripture Reflections
- “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” — Romans 8:28
- “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9
- “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” — Nehemiah 8:10
With Grace and Growth,
Sanchia and team.
Audio Version
Listen to our new podcast Be Still And Grow, Episode 2: Thy Will Be Done: Learning to Trust the Process.