Who Has A Newborn Baby

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.

NOT EVERY MOMMA’S STORY STARTS THE SAME WAY. The differences are vast and beautiful, but there was a universal moment that you, like every momma, experienced, which signaled the beginning. There was a special spark from heaven when you heard your baby’s first cry. It was as if electricity coursed through your heart and somehow caused it to beat in the rhythm of motherhood. No matter how your baby arrived in your arms, that sound signaled the start of a completely new chapter in your life. Across the generations, this moment marks the beginning of a journey that is both thrilling and overwhelming.

When I brought my older daughter home from the hospital after she had spent a few days in the NICU, I laid her in her little crib in our tiny second-floor apartment. This was it; I was a momma on my own without nurses, doctors, or even my husband, who was preparing to go back to work. To say that I felt overwhelmed was an understatement!

Sometimes we feel like this, don’t we, Momma? It’s all brand-new, and it’s up to us. The first time my daughter cried that day, my heart raced, and both of my legs cramped so badly that I could barely walk the short hallway to her room. But I held on to the walls and hobbled toward the sound of her cries. That’s how being a momma of a newborn sometimes feels—like we are hanging on to whatever stability we can find and stumbling forward the best we can. Although we don’t share the same experience, the same emotions accompany many mommas in those early days.

When he felt alone after fleeing to the wilderness, David sang to the Lord: “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.” When we grasp for something to hang on to, we can trust that God is our help. We can cling to Him and remember that His arms are big enough to hold us and our babies.

Tonight we pray for the momma of a newborn. Lord, You know everything this momma is feeling. You know all her joys and all her fears. You know all the questions in her heart, and You have the answers. Tonight we ask that You help her feel Your presence surrounding her and her baby. Multiply her rest tonight and give her strength for the days ahead. Help her know she’s doing a great job, and You are proud of her.

We ask in Jesus’s name, amen.

Creator God, thank You for this precious life. As much as I’ve anticipated bringing my baby home, I’m tired, and there is so much I don’t know about this child and being a mom. Tonight I ask You to help me . . .