Birth Story - Strength By Gracie Sales

Slender, quiet, and composed she labored. As I checked the baby's heart beat the scar on her abdomen was unmistakable. It was large, taking up a long stripe from her lower chest to a few inches under her belly button. You could see the places the stitches used to be and how huge the wound must have been. When she was only 8 years old her brother was playing with a gun and accidentally shot her in her stomach. What pain she must have been in. I wondered how that compared to the pain she felt in her stomach now. She labored for over 25 hours and at 22 years old she had such strength and self control that I have never seen in a first time mom before. She silently cried at times but that was one of the only signs that she was in pain up until the last 15 minutes where she proved her strength even more. She held onto me as we both squatted on the floor and together through lots of blood, sweat, and tears guided her baby out. I wish I had a picture of her as I handed baby Kenji to her as she was still squatting there next to the bed. Pure exhaustion and exhilarating relief as she embraced her baby.

Baby Kenji you are blessed. You have been born to a fighter, a strong strong momma who already adores you. I pray you will know this strength as you grow and will know where it comes from. I pray that the Lord's strength will continuously be made known in your times of weakness.