“When Faith takes a Journey, it packs a Tambourine.”

It’s usual for a pregnancy with ‘multiples’ to visit with the high-risk doctor of the hospital at least once in the early stages of pregnancy.  The doctor’s would be watching more than just 1 baby, so I was immediately considered ‘high risk’ before there was any reason (in my mind) to truly deem my pregnancy ‘high risk’. With that encouragement from my OB, and with everything as normal as could be, I set up the appointment and went to see the specialty doctor.

That ultrasound lasted FOREVER, but at least the ultrasound tech was friendly and we chatted during the entire 2.5 HOURS as she rubbed the tool over my stomach. Everything seemed upbeat until she saw something on her monitor and immediately got VERY quiet. When I asked her what was wrong, she wouldn’t respond and instead said in a very serious tone, “I’ll be right back.” Minutes later, she came back with her supervisor and they started repeating the ultrasound in the same spot. Everything was VERY serious and when I asked what was going on they responded by saying, “Uh….the doctor will come and explain everything soon. Just be prepared to see us every week from here forward.”

Every week?!  When you hear that, you know it means there’s something VERY wrong. Panic was setting in…Why on earth did I tell my husband he didn’t need to come to this visit with me?!?!

Soon, the doctor came in and did his own ultrasound, all the while not talking to me or anyone in the room.

Finally, he explained.  Without going into all of the details of what they found, the bottom line was that “Baby A’s” life was in jeopardy.  From this moment forward every visit would be a risk-assessment visit as they would be trying to determine if it was safer to deliver the babies or to try and keep them in. “Baby A” needed additional care as he was off-the-chart tiny, unable to receive the nutrients he needed, while “Baby B” was growing at a steady rate and doing well. If they delivered Baby A he could receive the close watch he needed and potentially increase his chance of survival, but Baby B would then struggle because of such an early delivery.

I left the appointment, stunned with the news that there was a very good chance that I might actually lose one (or both!) of our babies, and I drove to Steve’s office in what felt like a fog.

Steve got in the car (I couldn’t bring myself to get out to walk inside to his office) and I gave him the news through my tears. After he took it all in, he responded with, “Okay, we’ve got to name them…Right now.”

“What?!” I said, thinking that trying to choose a name was the furthest thing from my mind.

“We need to start praying for them, by name, and asking others to do the same.”

So they got their names. Baby A (the one who was struggling) was named Will as we would be praying that he would have the ‘Will to fight’, the ‘Will to survive’. Baby B was named Andrew (or Drew)….I’ll tell you why another day.

Remember – Psalm 43:1 tells us that God calls us BY NAME and we are His. Baby Will belonged to God, and so it would be up to God if he allowed Will to live and grow in our family here on earth…or not. That’s why his name was so important. We felt that if the bible teaches us that God called him ‘by name’, we should too.  So began our journey (at 2-3 doctor visits EVERY SINGLE WEEK) of wondering if Baby Will and/or Baby Drew would make it.

That’s when I read my friend Jackie’s post about Miriam leaving Egypt. (Click here if you’d like to read her original post).

The idea was that after the Israelites were released from Pharaoh’s control they left Egypt and walked up to the Red Sea. Believing they were trapped, God miraculously used Moses to part the Sea and they walked through safely, on dry ground.  Moments later the Egyptians were caught in the Sea as the waves crashed in around them and the Israelites were saved. That’s when everyone celebrates and we get to read an amazing reminder for our own, faith-building times.

Exodus 15:20 – “Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.”

Miriam believed God was going to take care of them when they were preparing (quickly) to exit Egypt…when she only had a few minutes to grab her most valued possessions. She trusted God was who He said He was, and threw her tambourine in her bag knowing, full of faith, and believing that God would give her the opportunity to use it later.

“When faith takes a journey, it packs a Tambourine.”

What a sweet reminder for me as we were about to go through an even greater faith-walk, wondering if Will was going to make it or not. I needed to choose to pack my Tambourine….each visit….believing in faith that God wasn’t surprised by any of it and that HE still held me tightly in the palm of His capable hands. (Isaiah 41:13)

We bought a tambourine and Steve and I used it to continually remind us that we would celebrate God’s presence through the fire we were walking through, ringing our tambourine at each opportunity He gave us.

Remember….there’s always places of JOY amidst the suffering, if we choose to see it.  

We determined that regardless of the final outcome He was still worthy of our praise, and so we would praise Him at each opportunity He gave us….no matter what.

Are you on a faith-journey right now?  Maybe someone’s life isn’t in jeopardy in your home but maybe a situation has you wondering what you’re going to do, or what is coming next.  Can I encourage you to ‘pack your tambourine’ and look for opportunities to praise God for who He is and the power He has in the midst of your situation?

When our eyes are directed toward Jesus and the power He has to conquer all, the faith journey we’re walking doesn’t seem near as scary.

Just keep your tambourine close, and get ready to use it.