Tag: Pregnancy

Q&A: Ministry, Pregnancy, and Infants Pt. 1

This article comes from some of the questions and answers that have been submitted on the Ministry Mamas Facebook page on Ask a ? Friday on the topic of: Ministry, Pregnancy, and Infants.

“I am so sick from morning sickness all day long. Sometimes it’s everything I have to make it to church, much less make it to church on time. It consumes my ability to be able to speak with other people because I am miserable. I’m not sure how to minister to others right now. Do you have any advice for me?”

  • “I had morning sickness with all four of mine and going to church was always a struggle. I had medicine with my third–and it was wonderful to only be sick 2 hours a day until labor day-but it didn’t work with my fourth at all. However, all that to say–don’t worry about ministering to others during this season. God will show you little ways you can still be a blessing, but don’t stress out about it. And last, you will discover that this season of sickness will open up so many ways for you to empathize and minister to others later on.”
  • “I know what you are going through, I’m there with you, but mine isn’t severe. People understand morning sickness and are sympathetic. Don’t stress about it.”

Q: “How do you handle visitation when it’s just you and your husband with younger children? We live in the country where you have to drive to every house (stroller is not an option). Do you get them out at every stop or is there another solution? We want them to be involved and enjoy ‘family time’ as we call it but it makes each stop so much longer to get them in and out of car seats.”

  • “My husband will go to the door first and knock and see if the person is home, then if they are he will signal to me to get the kids out of the car if they are open to a longer type of visit. This keeps me from getting the kids in and out of the car. If it is a quick visit then we will put on a special kid’s music CD and have them listen to it in the car while we are at the door within eyesight of our vehicle. We save specific CD’s for this situation so that they can still enjoy visitation even if they may not get out for very many of the visits.”

Q: “My pregnancies are really hard on me and honestly it’s hard for me to keep up with all the household work with other children as well as a busy ministry schedule. I am not the pastor’s wife but our family is very involved in our ministries. Is there a way to delegate these things in a right way so that I can focus on the last 6-8 weeks of my pregnancy? I feel like I should be nesting and resting right about now. “

  • “Speak to your husband about this. Since he is the leader of your home I would appeal to his heart about your need for rest and ask him to lighten the schedule of activities that he is in control of. Then, if help is offered, wisely delegate it to people who you know can and will help you in a right way.”
  • “You can only do so much, your growing baby needs you now more than anyone else. You don’t have to be mean or rude about your limitations, just be honest that you cannot do it all. Then, take some time to figure out if this is the time to cut back on some of the things you all may be doing in ministry and at home and come to peace with the reality that what you need to do right now is more important than what you want to do.”

Q: “I play the piano for our church services (Sunday School and the main worship service) and need to nurse my infant right around the same time I am playing for the morning service. What can I do to make sure that both responsibilities are taken care of?”

  • “Nurse your baby toward the middle to end of your Sunday School hour. This will allow you the time you need to be able to play the piano. If that is not possible then arrange your nursing schedule on Sunday’s to be able to be flexible, you may feed earlier or later than normal on other feedings to fit what you need to do.”
  • “Is it possible to pump and have a bottle ready in your diaper bag if your baby needs it? I did this for church services and it worked well if I was not able to get back to the nursery before my baby was starving for another meal.”

 

Ministry Pregnancy and Infants

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Expecting Grace – A Special Book Review

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Expecting Grace is a great new book written by Leah A. Highfill. She is a strong woman with an encouraging ability to write about the Lord’s work in her life. She has a special blog called, Embracing Grace, where she, a pastor’s wife encourages other ladies in their walk with the Lord.

In recent months I have begun to read her blog and be encouraged with her posts myself, that is why I am pleased to present to you today a wonderful review of her book. I have also included this review on my sister site, Ministry Mamas. See the same review here. We have 2 books on our Book Review list but are looking forward to adding more.

In reading my Bible reading today I found these verses, “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever…But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.” Psalm 73:26 & 28. These verses describe Leah Highfill’s experience with a unique condition that affects 1-2% of women, Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Basically, it is a condition where the woman’s body rejects the Human Growth Hormone and she suffers from a difficult and uncomfortable battle with nausea and weakness throughout the pregnancy. She survived and declares God’s work in her life in this God-honoring testimonial.

Leah shares hear heart as she dealt with this disease throughout her first pregnancy with her son Caleb. She and her husband were newlyweds that had just made a commitment to serve the Lord in a church in Canada when she became pregnant and the long 9 month trial began.

Her journaling through these months helped her in writing her book. I felt impressed to keep better track of God’s involvement and blessings in our family’s life because of her testimony of keeping track of the blessings and provisions God made for them because she was faithful to write what He had done.

This book will teach you the value of prayer. When their prescription costs were more than the weekly salary they were making. God proved himself faithful one blessing at a time. They took the time to take the large stack of bills that were mounting around $35,000 and pray over each one of them. As you read the book you see how God works in mysterious ways and lifts their burden.

She is a Christian woman who struggled in a dark valley and came out of it with a wonderful attitude to see needs around her and help other women with Hypermesis Gravidarum. We all have difficulties and should come out of them with a heart to help others come through similar struggles. This book can help you see the needs of pregnant women. Not only do some suffer and struggle with illness, their family does also. How easy it is to forget those expecting and assume they are fine when their body and health may be struggling.

This book kept reminding me to look for the needs of:
1. Pregnant women
2. Women who are having an extremely hard time with pregnancy.
3. Women who are far from their families and need extra support.
4. People going through financial struggles.
5. Men who are supporting wives going through difficulty.
6. Women on the mission field with burdens and struggles.

If a book can increase your sensitivity and prick your heart to see the needs of others from God’s eyes, then it’s worth reading! I hope you will take the time to be blessed.

You can purchase her book on Amazon.com. I was not compensated for reading and reviewing her book but I am so grateful I did.