During this time of waiting, God has been so good in blessing Ben and I with plenty of quality time together. Last night we curled up in bed, drank tea, and watched a movie. We often have moments like these where we share about children, relationships, values, theology and so forth. Simple things like that are meaningful to both of us, and it often draws us together as a couple. He is truly my best friend.

With a month left to go I often feel impatient to see the little guy's face but God knows when his time will come and I should rejoice in his good timing. It is amazing to know that soon we will have a little boy who is a combination of both Ben and I; the days of his life are marked by God and he has his special imprints on his life. As he is about to come, I often pray for Isaiah and his salvation; I pray that we will be devoted parents in raising him to know and love the Lord. As God has special purposes for each baby in the bible, I pray that Isaiah will be instrumental in God's work of redemption.

Women at my church have been such a blessing to me. They are a fount of wisdom and their examples have inspired me to learn and grow as well. I am also very thankful for the many resources that were given to me and now I want to share with you these things. I have been very encouraged by a book called, "A Mother's Heart." In it, Jean Fleming shares her vision and values for her family. The book encouraged me to understand how to teach my children to learn and to love God, how to set good realistic goals as a parent, how to encourage our kids, and to put our values on the right things. One of my biggest fears as a mother is that I won't be intentional about raising my children. I worry that they will grow up giving too much of their life to futile endeavors. Jean Fleming in this book gives me a better picture on how to intentionally raise my kids with the right values, vision, and character. Other books that I truly love include, "Shepherding a Child's Heart, " by Tedd Tripp, "One With a Shepard," by Mary Somerville, "BabyWise," "Stepping Heavenwards," by Elizabeth Prentice, and "Don't Make Me Count to Three," by Ginger Plowman. Others I plan to read include, "Instruments in the Redeemer's Hand," by Paul David Tripp, "Heaven at Home," by Ginger Plowman, and "Treasuring God in Our Traditions," by Noel Piper. I hope you enjoy these books as much as I do and I hope you will pass them down to other women who could use the same kind of encouragement.