Faith Gift

At the risk of sounding like a crazy woman (which Hubby thinks I am at the moment!!), I bought a faith gift for Bubba a few days ago.

A faith gift is basically a gift I have bought for Bubba, in the faith that one day he or she will receive it. A bit like a woman collects items in her bottom drawer before she gets married, I wanted to "collect" one item for Bubba. No woman has the guarantee she will get married, just like none of us has the guarantee we will fall pregnant and become Mumma. 

So why have I done this? The Bible tells me that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen (Hebrews 11:1). I am hoping to become Bubba's Mumma, so by purchasing this faith gift I am providing "substance" to the thing hoped for; I am acting in faith for what is not yet seen, that we will one day see, hold and cherish the reality. 

I'm not saying this is right for everyone. So please don't think you have to rush out and do the same. It is not a "formula" to make God do what I want Him to do, It is just something I wanted to do to say to Him, I have faith that You are God, and when you see fit, You will answer my prayer for Bubba to be born to us.

It's actually something I had been wrestling with for a while. I had considered buying a faith gift at the beginning of Summer, but didn't go through with it. Even when a friend suggested to me a couple of months ago, when we went shopping one day, that I buy something "in faith". But I still couldn't go through with it.

Whenever I went into a Baby Shop, or into the Baby section of a larger store, I always felt like a fraud. Like I had no right to be there. I felt as though the mums and pregnant mums-to-be were staring at me, because I had no right to be there! Silly I know! But that's how I felt!

But recently, I have experience a couple of things, answers to prayers through words which other people have spoken to me, and I wanted to act on what I believed the Lord has been confirming to me. So I bought the faith gift.

It obviously had to be unisex. It obviously had to be something which would be practical, not something which would "go off" or go "out of date" or "out of fashion" or a certain size, for obvious reasons. It couldn't be seasonal, because I don't know how old Bubba would be at the relevant season. It had to be something with longevity. So I looked at the sleeping pods. 

I did feel like a fraud going into Mama's and Papa's, even more when I had to enquire about the price of something I considered buying. But I felt the biggest fraud when I approached the till with my purchase. I didn't want the assistant to ask me any questions, or I would have to say it was for a friend! She didn't, so it was OK. 

But after I had bought it, I felt elated. I felt at peace. I didn't for one minute think, "What have you done you stupid woman!" No. The Lord sent His peace to me. 

Regardless of when Bubba arrives, even I have to endure the rest of the tests and stuff, I am standing in faith that the Lord has heard my prayers, and will bring Bubba for me to be Mumma to.

And so Bubba's faith gift is hidden away in my "bottom drawer" ready for him or her to take naps in.