Found: An Excellent Wife

"An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels." Proverbs 31:10

I'm sure many guys may be willing to argue with me on this, but I feel it needs to be shouted from every pulpit I'm given: I have the best wife in the world.  This becomes more clear to me every day, but never more so than this day, six days after she became a mother of three.  The faith and courage she put on display in our home leading up to the birth of our little Olivia Joy was worthy of its own proverb.

I didn't know how I could think any more highly of my wife.  She was a passionate career woman who was highly respected in her profession, and she gave up that notoriety for the humble service of a homemaker.  She endured the painful wait of an adoption (and the odd questions people give her) in order to provide a Christ-filled nurturing environment to a vulnerable young life.  My wife has followed me with encouragement and enthusiasm in finding a new church home (Baptist!) and eventually giving up our comfortable and beautiful small-town home to move to the big city and live on beans and rice while I attend seminary.  And in the midst of having a newborn in the house and applying to seminary, when I said I was ready for another baby, she said to me (a little paraphrased): "You've got that crazy look in your eye again.  Let's go for it."  She is an incredible woman of faith who challenges me with her actions to be a better man.

But on May 6th, 2013, she took that challenge to a whole new level.

There is no doubt that giving birth to a child is an extremely painful event.  So painful that 60% of American women receive an epidural to reduce the pain.  Upon our first rejection of God, He promised that this event in our lives would from then on be a painful experience (Genesis 3:16), and it is something we've been hiding from ever since.  We hide from it because of fear; fear of the child being too big, fear of not being able to handle the pain, fear of looking weak.

And with God's perfect timing, my wife admitted to me that she was convicted that her fear of childbirth had replaced her trust in God.  She read to me an article explaining the purpose of pain and how to focus on God's blessings in such a time of weakness.

"God often uses pain as a means of drawing our attention off ourselves and on to Him."

So she was determined to go into the birth of our third child to grow in her faith and trust in God; to experience his hand of providence even through the fear of such pain.  And it brings me to tears to think of how much faith she showed throughout the entire thing.  With fear of appearing to minimize the apparent pain of childbirth, I tell you that she was a woman comforted by the Holy Spirit that night.

As the contractions came and intensified, she breathed through them without making a sound. She showed incredible command over the pain, leaning on Him, the source of all comfort.  And when the contraction subsided, she let out a huge breath of relief and smiled enjoying the peace of the moment delivered to her in the battle.  She thanked God for and sought anticipation in the rest in between the battles.

Suddenly, things sped up and intensified even more.  And just when she thought she couldn't handle it any more, the doctor said, "It's time to push.  But just wait, because we are not ready for the baby yet."  She pushed two times.  With the face of determination longing to know the end of the battle, she willed the end of her labor.  "The doctor said to her, 'Hold on.  One more push and she'll be here."  And with one final push, the end had arrived.

There in her arms was our beautiful little girl.  At the end of the battle was great joy, rest, and satisfaction in the victory.  What a glorious moment and one I am thankful to have experienced.  That day, my wife was the strongest person I have ever known.  She showed me what it meant to trust God through fear and pain.  She showed me what God means when he says all creation groans in labor pains until Christ's return; that day when we will know that all of our fear and pain was worth the glory that awaits us in the end.

I have found my excellent wife.  She conquered one of life's biggest challenges.  She faced her fear and refused to let it steal her joy.  She is my treasure that points me always to the inheritance that awaits us in heaven.

Happy Mother's Day, my love!