Preparing for Rain

When Dan and I got married in 2005, we knew there was a slight possibility, because of a condition that I have, that we would not be able to have children. Knowing of the possible difficult road ahead, we bathed it in prayer for months before we started “trying”.  There were months that were heartbreaking, and full of fear of seeing that negative test once again. I was terrified of the thought of never getting the opportunity to be a mother.  But we knew that no matter what the outcome, that it was God’s plan. We knew that somehow that God would prepare us for whatever road was ahead of us, with or without children.  

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

We had purchased a 4 bedroom house the year after we got married in anticipation of growing our family. We had even planned out which bedroom was going to be the “baby’s room”. But we still had our moments of discouragement and hopelessness, questioning whether or not God had parenthood in our future. There were nights I walked by that room, or would walk into it and just stare at the walls imagining little baby things and just praying to God that he would provide the opportunity for us to be parents. After months it just wasn’t happening, and we were getting tired and weary of letting our hopes up.

One night we were watching a movie at home:  “Facing the Giants”, a football movie (or so we thought). A movie that we were hoping could get our minds off of our current reality. It turned out that one of the story lines was about the high school football coach and his wife suffering from infertility. Seriously…can we not get away from this? There were pieces to that movie that we could relate to so closely and it took over our emotions. There was one particular line/scene in the movie that stuck out to both of us, like it was a divine message directly to us. I didn’t know where to go with it, but we felt God was definitely working something. The line(s) were (relating to the coach’s discouragement with what his purpose was):

Coach Taylor:                          (Surprised) Mr. Bridges!

Mr. Bridges :                           Revelation Chapter 3 says: We serve a God that opens doors that no one can shut, and he shuts doors that no one can open.

He says: Behold, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and not denied my name.

Coach Taylor, the Lord is not through with you yet. You still have an open door here, and until the Lord moves you, you’re to bloom right where you’re planted…

I just felt led to come and tell you that today. (leaves the office)

Coach Taylor:                          (Stands up and runs after Bridges) Mr. Bridges! Do you  

believe God told you to come tell me that?

Mr. Bridges:                            I do.

Coach Taylor               :           I admit to you I have been struggling. But I’ve also been

praying. I just don’t see Him at work here.

Mr. Bridges                 :           Grant. I heard a story about two farmers who desperately

needed rain. And both of them prayed for rain, but only one of them went out and prepared his field to receive it. Which do you think trusted God to send the rain?

Within hours after that movie I see Dan moving things around in the spare bedroom, and asking me about baby room colors, etc. I thought he was crazy. “Why are you doing this?”…”We are not pregnant yet, we don’t even know when/if it is going to happen?”…..to which Dan looked at me with a huge smile and amazing conviction “I am preparing our field.” ….It wasn’t just a movie to get our minds off of things. God was using it to remind us we needed to have faith. 

Psalm 27:14 (NIV)
¹⁴ Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.