Trusting that Momma Does Know Best

We serve a God of mysteries.

Ephesians 1:9 says He has revealed His will to us through the gospel of Jesus Christ, but Deuteronomy 29:29 states that “the secret things belong to the Lord.” I think there’s a special mystery reserved for moms - our momma instinct. I can’t explain my actions in the story below, except to say that they were guided by this special gift from God.

It was Sunday evening, and my husband and I were lolling about in robes at a fancy spa. We were celebrating our third anniversary with a couples massage. After our massage, we read by the pool. Since my mother-in-law was watching our daughter, we kept my husband’s phone nearby as we relaxed. Suddenly I felt the urge to call my mother-in-law and make sure all was going well, fully expecting a good report. The first time I called, it went straight to voicemail. I tried again. This time, she answered. I could hear the worry in her voice as she told me that our daughter had a fever. We immediately headed home.

When we got in the car, I saw I had a missed call from my mother-in-law. I wasn’t sure if she had tried calling again after we had just hung up on my husband’s phone, so I checked the time she’d called. 5:52. I checked what time I had initially called her. 5:52. Then it dawned on me. The reason my first call from my husband’s phone had gone straight to voicemail is because it was the exact moment that my mother-in-law had tried calling my phone. I had called her to check-in at the exact same time she called to tell me something was wrong!

This was my daughter’s first fever, so I had no idea what to do. She had no other symptoms. The next day, I talked to some friends who advised me to just watch the fever since it wasn’t very high. I trusted these friends, but I felt compelled to take her to the pediatrician. My sweet girl had a double ear infection. The doctor prescribed antibiotics, and I immediately felt uncomfortable with this course of treatment. I asked my family and friends to pray over it, and I prayed over each dose we gave her. After four doses, she developed a rash.

There was no indication that my daughter was getting sick when we left for the spa. And yet, I felt the urge to check on her at the exact time my mother-in-law knew she had a fever. There was no indication that something serious was causing her fever. And yet, I felt like we needed to see the doctor. There was no family history of allergies to amoxicillin. And yet, every dose I gave her felt wrong.

She’s back to her happy, healthy self now, and I can see God’s involvement as I reflect on the whole experience. Do you struggle to trust the decisions you make for your family? Consider these instincts with me: when we sense a threat, our bodies enter fight or flight mode. When our baby cries, we instinctively want to go to them. The Enemy tries to convince us that we don’t have what it takes. He wants to make us doubt our fitness as a mother. But we have been hard-wired by our Creator with these instincts.

Mommas, we may not always know what’s best, but I do believe that we can rely on a deeper “knowing”. Perhaps it’s the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and His gentle nudges. Perhaps it’s a separate gift God gives women as they become a mother. Whatever it is, it’s mine and it’s yours. We can walk confidently in that.

Blessings,

Kelley Thigpen