Isaiah
Last night, while doing my usual scroll through Facebook, I came across a post from Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell. If you don’t know him, he’s a pastor out of Atlanta, and his posts have a funny way of showing up in my feed exactly when I need them most.
In this post, he shared a personal story about when his wife was pregnant, and they received troubling news about their baby. Instead of giving in to fear, they went home, opened the book of Isaiah, prayed together, and stood on God’s promises. By His grace, their daughter was born perfectly healthy.
Hearing his words instantly brought me back to my most recent pregnancy.
From the very beginning, fear gripped me. My doctors had told me I had a “pattern” of pregnancy outcomes: healthy baby, miscarriage, healthy baby, miscarriage, healthy baby…My first son wasn’t even a year old, but when I found out I was pregnant again, my mind automatically braced for loss. I didn’t tell anyone. I wasn’t excited. Honestly, I was in denial and I just didn’t want to get my hopes up.
Then one day, I came across this scripture:
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” — Isaiah 43:18-19
I knew God was speaking directly to me. This time would be different.
By the time I reached my second trimester, hope began to take root. But then came my anatomy scan. The doctors found a spot on my baby’s heart, something they said could be a marker for Down Syndrome. They ordered genetic testing, and I had to wait an entire month for the results. The fear came rushing back. My husband reminded me that our baby was in God’s hands and encouraged me to trust His will.
And wouldn’t you know it, Isaiah 43:18-19 appeared again in my path. It was like God was whispering, “I’m still here. I’ve got this.”
The test results came back completely normal. I felt peace again.
But the challenges weren’t over. Late in my pregnancy, I started bleeding. I rushed to the hospital, terrified, especially since I hadn’t felt my baby move. My mind went to the darkest place, until I heard his heartbeat. He was just getting ready to make his entrance. And yes—Isaiah 43:18-19 came to my mind yet again
This was my fourth child, but it came with so many firsts. So many scares. So many trips to the hospital, I’m sure the nurses knew me by name. Even though I trusted God, fear still crept in. But time and time again, He covered me.
A few weeks ago, I delivered a perfectly healthy baby boy. As I write this, he’s sleeping peacefully. His name? Isaiah. A forever reminder of the scripture that carried me through.
The moral of my story is simple: Don’t believe the final word of man. God has the final say. Fear and doubt may try to creep in, but His promises stand. Walking with God takes work, consistency, and dedication, but His faithfulness never wavers.
Isaiah 43:18-19 doesn’t just live in my Bible: it lives rent free in my head, my heart, and now… in my arms.
Thanks for being here. I’m so glad you came.
— From somewhere in the chaos 🌻
