When someone looks at pictures from a newborn session, they do not often think about the stories that are woven into the memories they are viewing. There is so much preparation and anticipation leading up to the moment that a baby is born that the outside world does not see. The interesting thing is that every single birth story and its surrounding events are very unique when you look under the surface. And sometimes, they unfold into a wonderful testimony.
Kimberly witnessed a miracle from God from the very start of her pregnancy, as she had experienced healing. Before she had even seen a positive pregnancy test, she had believed that the Lord wanted her to have a son. Amazingly, seven other people were sent from God to Kimberly to confirm to her, including two strangers, before she took a test.
After telling her husband she was pregnant through a sweet, personal gift, the two of them shared the news with their family and friends in such an intentional and tenderhearted fashion. Kimberly told her family on Father’s Day to honor her father, as he was the last person who had prayed specifically over her life for her to have a son. And to their friends, they handwrote cards to send in the mail along with a picture of the positive pregnancy test. Many of them wept as they had been praying alongside Kimberly and her husband for this miracle.
Kimberly expressed that throughout her pregnancy, she watched her belly grow in awe of the miracle that was forming within her. She found herself developing a new understanding of the love God has for her and that her immense love for her baby is only a small glimpse of God’s steadfast love for his children.
When it came time to choose a name for their baby boy it was not a difficult task, as his name was revealed to them through prayer. They named him Noah Isaiah, which means “rest” and “the Lord is salvation.” His name perfectly reflects the heart behind the book she had just finished writing on Psalm 23. It is titled Home, and is a personal devotional centered on finding true rest in the Lord. She dedicated the book to Noah, and the first words she spoke when he was delivered were “Thank you, Jesus. I don’t deserve him.”
Meeting Kimberly before she gave birth and then after for newborn pictures, I witnessed the grace, joy, peace and humility that she embodied through it all. The weeks surrounding her son’s birth were quite the opposite of the positive characteristics that she outwardly displayed. The completion date for the house they were building was postponed, their apartment flooded right when they returned from the hospital, and their beloved grandmother’s health suddenly took a turn as she went to be with the Lord. The way she and her husband handled the heavy and overwhelming setbacks that the world unleashes was a true testament of faith.
Through it all, her eyes were on Jesus and she put her trust in him. If she could go back to earlier in the year, she would encourage herself that, “If Jesus says it, believe it. Hold on, because it will come before you know it. And the same God who promises it will carry you through it.” So when looking at these lifestyle newborn images, one could imagine not just a family in a fragile and beautiful season, but a testimony of faithfulness, strength, and peace that does not depend on circumstances. Ultimately, there blessings and rest that are God-given, even in the midst of life’s storms.
