Tag Archive for: motherhood

From Birth to Rebirth

On 26th November 1999, at 3:02 am, Monic gave birth to our daughter Megan, 28 days early, a precious gift, she has forever altered the rhythm of our lives.
Twenty-five years later, on 26th November 2024, at 3:30 am, Megan brought her own firstborn child, Oscar, into the world, 12 days late.
Reflecting on this extraordinary overlap of life’s moments, of shared birthdays, made me reflect yet again on God’s providence.

Gospel Parallels

With this profound connection I want to invite you to reflect on the miracle of physical birth and its parallel, the transformative gift of spiritual rebirth through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Birth itself is a remarkable miracle.
It is the culmination of waiting, preparing, and trusting in God’s perfect design.
Just last week, I wrote about Megan’s experience of waiting for Oscar’s arrival, likening it to the gospel principle of trusting in the Lord’s timing.
The Scriptures repeatedly remind us that God’s ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9) and that His plans unfold precisely as they should.
This shared birthday between Megan and Oscar is more than mere coincidence; it’s a divine reminder of the intricate weaving of our lives into God’s eternal tapestry, God-incidence.
As Megan transitions into motherhood, she enters a new season of selflessness, love, and spiritual growth.
For us as grandparents (Oma and Grandad), Oscar’s arrival highlights a legacy of faith, a continuation of priesthood promises, sealed through generations of time.
Holding this perfect little boy in our arms was simply beautiful and joyful!

Rebirth

The timing of Oscar’s birth also echoes the promise of rebirth offered through Jesus Christ.
While physical birth brings us into mortality, spiritual rebirth through covenant living and the grace of God prepares us for eternity.
Christ Himself taught, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
Just as Megan has given Oscar the gift of life, our Heavenly Father offers us the ultimate gift: the chance to be born again through Christ’s atonement, to become new creatures in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17).
These moments of birth, and the spiritual parallels they draw, urge us to prepare for the ultimate reunion with our Heavenly Father.
Reflecting on the miracle of birth, may we also renew our commitment to the miracle of rebirth.
For in Christ, we find the fulfilment of every promise, the redemption of every waiting season, and the joy of eternal life.
What moments in your life have shown you God’s timing and the hope of spiritual rebirth?

The Blessing of Waiting…

When a mother is expecting her baby, the anticipation grows with each passing day.

For our daughter Megan, now overdue with her first child, the wait may feel endless.

Much like pregnancy, life itself is full of waiting periods that test our faith and refine our patience – a hot topic in our recent conversations!

The Lord’s Timing

Yet this period of waiting and preparing mirrors a gospel principle we are all called to live by: faith in the Lord’s timing.

Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we learn that God’s blessings come according to His divine timetable, not ours.

In the scriptures, the word wait means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust.

The scriptures teach us: “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” (Hebrews 10:36)

Pregnancy, like life itself, reminds us that much of our joy comes from learning to trust that the Lord knows when blessings should arrive.

Preparation

Just as Megan has prepared her home, her heart, and her body for this new baby, we, too, are asked to prepare spiritually while waiting for answers, blessings, and miracles.

In our home, we have a beautiful painting depicting the Saviour’s parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).

Five were wise and made the most of their waiting time, ensuring they had enough oil for their lamps.

Similarly, waiting for a baby – just like waiting for any of God’s blessings – is a time to spiritually “gather oil.”

For Megan, the waiting has certainly allowed her to grow in patience and hope, enduring her final quiet and sometimes uncomfortable moments, before life changes forever.

For us in life, it’s about staying spiritually ready, trusting that the Lord’s promises will be fulfilled in His way and time.

The baby’s arrival—whether today, tomorrow, or in a few days—will happen at the exact moment God has lovingly planned.

The scriptures teach that God’s timing is always perfect: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Just as birth happens on God’s timeline, not ours, so do the blessings we seek in life.

And when they finally come, the waiting and preparing make the joy that much sweeter.

In this life, we are all “waiting” for the ultimate promise: to return to our Heavenly Father and be reunited with our eternal family.

When Megan holds the baby in her arms for the first time, I’m sure the waiting will be but a memory, a beautiful reminder of the blessing of trusting in the Lord’s perfect plan.

What blessings have you discovered during your own seasons of waiting?

Mothers of Faith

Across a large part of the world today, it’s Mother’s Day.
To each of you dear mothers, we express our sincere gratitude and thanks.
Your precious sons and daughters are safe as they serve here in Belgium and the Netherlands.
We appreciate you for being the kind of mothers you are and doing the things you do.

Faith

Thank you for your faith and constant sacrifices.
We know you love, cherish, encourage, respect and inspire each of them.
Like you, we hope and pray for their success and happiness – daily.
We promise to love them, help them, watch over them and treat them as if they were our very own sons and daughters.
We feel as if they are!
We can’t send you your missionary today.

Flowers

Nor is it likely that you’ll receive real flowers from your missionary son or daughter.
But take a look at our latest mission pictures below.
What we can send you are some pictures of a few of your sons and daughters surrounded by lots of flowers! 😊
We are pleased to report, that they are blooming, just like Keukenhof’s tulip gardens!
It is a sweet honour and privilege to serve side by side with each of them.
We truly work with the greatest young men and women on planet earth.
We know that, and feel that, every single day.
We know too that they love you, so very, very much.
We likewise know that your love is unconditional, unbreakable, and forever.
The love you have for your son or daughter is like nothing else in the world.
You will recall a recent statement by President Russell M. Nelson…
“Our Heavenly Father has reserved many of His most noble spirits—perhaps, I might say, His finest team—for this final phase. Those noble spirits—those finest players, those heroes—are you!”
It is our witness, that each of your sons and daughters are part of “His finest team” here in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Dear Mothers – may the blessings of heaven be poured out upon each of you on this special day as you continue to exercise your faith and watch from afar.

Arm in Arm

Early on Friday, we said farewell to our departing missionaries at Schiphol airport.

An hour later, we welcomed 11 new missionaries to the Netherlands.

It was an emotional rollercoaster of a day.

Elder Ranse Cottam drove us back home.

For those who know Ranse, or have met him for even a moment, will know that he is filled with and serves with the “pure love of Christ”.

Pure Love

Love indeed, is the true sign of every true disciple of Jesus Christ.

His parents and little sister were coming to collect him, mid-afternoon.

What unfolded during their visit was beautiful.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” – Matthew 5:8

It was a sweet reunion.

After 2 years, a family together again, in pure love.

It was heavenly, as if “angels above us are silent notes taking” (Hymn 237 – Choose the Right)

The feeling of pure love permeated the room, filling our hearts and souls.

I beheld joy.

For a moment, Heaven’s doors were unlocked.

I beheld wonder.

In the stillness, God’s presence surrounded us.

I beheld pure love.

Motherhood

I witnessed the love of a mother for her son, and a son for his mother.

They sat, snuggled next to one another.

Time stood still.

With one another, they linked arms, held hands – tightly, yet gently, wrapped tenderly, in each other’s love.

Honouring sacred covenants, I observed the selfless love of a devoted mother and son.

Beauty

It was beautiful.

In that moment, I was changed, by the pure love of Christ.

Tears came easily for all of us.

Motherhood is a divine role.

Motherhood is about loving and nurturing others.

Symbolically, Ranse was held by two mothers, arm in arm, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, surrounded with pure love.

I will treasure this hallowed sweet memory – forever.

I hope and pray that our hearts may be filled with charity, the pure love of Christ.