From the time we found out we were pregnant, we began taking weekly “bump photos.” I’ve always been one who has loved photos as a way to remember. And this journey is one I most definitely wanted to remember.
A few things stand out to me when I reflect back over these photos and watch this bump progression video:
1. It’s a slow and steady progression.
From week to week, it doesn’t look like much change. But from the first photo to the last, there is quite a drastic one. Isn’t this like life? We serve and love a God who works slowly. He is patient. He takes His time. And His design of pregnancy is just one example of that. It’s a long journey marked by slow growth. I’ve seen Him work in this manner throughout stories in Scripture that I’ve read. And I’ve seen Him work in areas of my life in a similar way. I often want to speed things along. I often feel as if I’m not making any progress. But this video is a visual reminder that great progress is made in small increments and to patiently surrender to God’s pace.
2. There is beauty, even in imperfection.
The lighting in these photos isn’t perfect. It changes from photo to photo, even though I aimed for consistency. I also started out wearing different outfits before deciding on one I could wear in each photo. I didn’t have any maternity clothes at the time I began, and so I settled for what I had–leggings and my most flowy top. Some days I had my hair and makeup done; others days I didn’t. And yet despite all these imperfections, there is such beauty and magic (at least to me) in this video. I am reminded to simply start things in life instead of waiting until I feel like I have it all together and will do something perfectly. Because there is beauty, even when imperfect.
3. There is such wonder in God’s design.
Isn’t it amazing what our bodies can do? God’s design for a woman to carry a human life inside of her is truly incredible. I stand in awe and wonder of His design of pregnancy. And I stand in humble gratitude for the gift it has been to be able to carry the life of our daughter these last 38 weeks. It is a gift I don’t take lightly. And though it’s not always been easy, it has been my greatest honor in life thus far besides receiving my salvation and marrying Clay. I think about these blessings of God’s design–my relationship with Jesus, my marriage to Clay, and the gift of this pregnancy–and I think about how each is filled with such wonder, and yet none of them are easy. God’s design for this life is not that it will be easy; rather His design for this life is that though it will at times be difficult, He will be with us through it all.
Motherhood has already been such a wonderful gift. It has been a long 38 weeks full of highs and lows—highs of great joy, celebration, deep gratitude, and an excited sense of anticipation; lows of fear that stemmed from our previous miscarriage, anxiety from our early scare, 20 weeks of nausea, and many aches and pains along the way. But the Lord most faithfully met me through it all.
Each week God has grown our daughter and grown my faith–whether I could feel it or not. As I look back over this pregnancy, it has certainly been a time of planting–in more ways than one. And I truly can’t wait for the season of harvest ahead.
We can’t wait to meet you, baby girl!
And a special shoutout to my sweet husband who so diligently and patiently took my photo every. single. week!
