I Prayed for You

Dearest Macy Bleu,

Before you were even born, I prayed for you. I have been praying for you, since the day I found out you were growing inside me, and I will continue to pray for you all of the days of your life. What kinds of things do I ask the Lord? Well, that list is endless. There are times I pray for things in the very near future, like when you will certainly struggle to make your way into this world and take your very first breath, when you will no longer be safe inside of your Mommy's belly where the Lord can use me to provide EVERYTHING you need. (Although I'm ready to have you out of there, soon you will begin the journey to a never-ending desire for independence and inevitable separation that we must endure, no matter how hard Mommy and Daddy try to hold on.)

I ask the Lord to deliver you safely. I ask for the umbilical cord to not be wrapped around you. I ask that you will not need assistance like forceps or a vacuum. I ask that your lungs are fully prepared to accept the first breath of life you will take. I ask that Mommy will not need to have a C-section and that you will breastfeed easily right away.

Then there are things that I pray about that are YEARS away. I pray that you have a long, happy, and blessed life. I pray that your eyes are open to see ALL of those blessings. I pray for you to praise the Lord's name, even when things aren't so good too, that you will see the lessons He would have you learn...there certainly will be many. I pray that your Daddy and I are able to provide guidance and Truth for you help you along the way. I pray that you will love the Lord with all of your heart, mind and soul. I pray we will be good examples of His goodness in your life. I pray that your big brothers will do the same.

I pray for BIG things, like your ability to remain pure until you are married, and I pray for smaller things, like you being able to brush off not being invited to a birthday party in Kindergarten. I pray that you will talk to your Daddy and me in either one of these situations, and if you choose not to, I pray that the Lord provides you with Godly friends and mentors who will speak the Truth to you.

I pray that your Daddy can provide enough love, support and attention for you to be fulfilled with the need to be loved and accepted by a man. I pray that he will show you, through his love for your Mommy, that the only thing a man puts before his wife is his relationship with God. I pray that you always see my appreciation for your Daddy, and learn to appreciate Godly qualities in your future husband.

Speaking of your future husband, I have been praying for him too. (I know he may or may not be born yet, and if he is, he is likely no older than five.) But anyway, I pray that he is raised to love God and fear Him, that he will save himself for your wedding night, and that he will love you unconditionally all the days of your life, providing for you, supporting you through the hard times, loving all of your imperfections, respects you, shares a million laughs with you, and looks at you through the eyes of Christ (otherwise, he has to deal with your Daddy).

I pray that you are humble. I pray that you are the girl people see as beautiful on the inside, a girl who is kind and accepting, the girl who seeks righteousness, the girl who stands for something bigger than herself in the midst of a million temptations. I pray that you love other people, that you will not seek material possessions and wealth, nor approval for things that always fade like beauty. I pray you are not embarrassed to dress a certain way, to drive a certain car, or to be who you know God has called you to be. I pray you seek His approval above all others, even your Daddy's or mine.

I pray that you will out-live me and your Daddy. I pray that we never have to see you suffer physically, and in the event that we do, that you will heal quickly. I pray that you will be surrounded by people who will love and care for you, in the event that your Daddy and I are no longer here. I pray that you will be that loving, supportive person in your brothers' lives as well. I pray that you appreciate and respect your family. I pray for you to be patient and forgiving of people's shortcomings. I pray for you to have a heart of gratitude for all things that are provided for you in life, be it the intellectual ability to make good grades in school or the physical ability to see, hear or walk.

I pray that you KNOW, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that ALL good things come from God, that He sent His son Jesus to die on a cross for your sins (and mine and everyone else's), and that you can NEVER do ANYTHING that will separate you from His mercy, love, or grace. He is a good God...always! I pray that you place your faith in that, knowing that the same God who holds you together inside my womb as I type this, is the same God you will one day stand before, giving an account of your entire life. I pray that you know that life in this world is temporary, short, and meant to be lived with purpose. I pray that you seek all that He has in store for you, my sweet baby Macy, living a life that serves and honors the One who created you, all the days of your life. I commit your life into His hands. In Jesus' name. Amen.