(Cover photo by Kristen Pace Photography)
Sometimes our deepest sorrows become our greatest joys. For some people, getting pregnant and carrying a baby is as easy as breathing. It just happens. For some people, the path to having a child is laden with potholes, detours, heartaches, and great sorrow. It was easy for my husband and me to conceive and for me to carry our children. But my heart went out to my friends who experienced infertility or the inability to carry a child to the age of viability. Conception and childbirth are two of many blessings from God–ones that should never be taken for granted.
Infertility hit closer to home when our son and his wife began trying to have their first child. What was effortless for their friends and relatives became a long road of trials and despair. Deep down, we knew God had a plan for them to have a family, and we prayed for His will to be made known. I could sense the pain she felt when her close friends and relatives announced their pregnancies in unending succession. Although our dsaughter-in-law gave many a baby shower, she was always the shower planner and never the pregnant mom.
God gives us many gifts and blessings.
The desire of their hearts to have a child was eventually answered through the blessing of adoption. When a 4-pound baby girl was placed in their arms, it was love at first hold.
This adopted child became the light of our lives as grandparents and the answer to her parent’s prayers. Somehow she managed to wrap her parents, two sets of grandparents, four uncles, and two aunts around her tiny little finger! We all believe adopted children are a special gift because God miraculously places them in our arms.
Although they continued to try to have other children, years again would pass with no success. Eventually, they felt completely satisfied with God’s provision. But God had more plans for them. In May of 2021, they announced that she was pregnant at the age of 39. Although a difficult pregnancy and both feeling some days like Sarah and Abraham, my daughter-in-law is now 38 weeks in her journey. In the past few months, instead of giving the baby showers, she was the pregnant mom for whom the showers were being given.
This Thanksgiving, we celebrate the gift of this pregnancy. November is also National Adoption Month—our reminder of how God answered our prayers with our precious granddaughter. We were also blessed when another son and his wife gave birth to a daughter three years ago and a son 18 months ago. Of all the blessings in life, all grandparents would agree that grandchildren take first place in the blessings contest.
This pandemic has been replete with many hardships. I don’t know of any group of people who endured more hardship than the Pilgrims. When they gave thanks on Thanksgiving Day, it was after the most grueling year of their lives.
Ginny with her two daughter-in-laws.
God continues to bless us even during this pandemic. Our suffering has become our Thanksgiving. And when we gather on Thanksgiving this year, our grandson will be on our hearts as minds as we count our many blessings and await his arrival. And no one is more excited to welcome this new fella to the family than our other grandchildren.
What blessings are you thankful for during this pandemic?
For Your Health,
Ginny
Ginny Dent Brant is a speaker and writer who grew up in the halls of power in Washington, DC. She has battled cancer, ministered around the world, and served on the front lines of American culture as a counselor, educator, wellness advocate, and adjunct professor. Brant’s award-winning book, Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World, was endorsed by Chuck Colson and featured in many TV and media interviews. Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer was released in May 2020 after her journey with cancer and was recently awarded the First Place Golden Scrolls Award for Memoirs, and Second Place in both Selah Awards for Memoirs and Director’s Choice Award for Nonfiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. It was written with commentary from an oncologist and was featured on CBN’s Healthy Living Show, Atlanta Live, and CTN’s Homekeepers. Learn more and cancer and wellness prevention blog and book information at www.ginnybrant.com.
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