Buy Blue

I don’t think I’ve ever talked about this with anyone before, but as it’s our son’s birthday, today seems as good as any.

When Aubyn was about 18 months old and our only child, we went to Athens, GA for a charismatic conference.

I had no clue what we were going to, but Justin and I had been invited by some friends who wanted to pour into us. Justin had recently stepped down from the ministry and we were living with his parents. We had no idea what the future held, where we would end up, how long we’d be living with the Colletts, if our family would grow, or where he’d find work. Were we going to church plant? And if so, how were we going to make that happen?

So many questions and so many unknowns, but Pastor Craig and his wife Tina put our minds and hearts at ease, took us under their wings, and said, “Join us.”

So we did.

And I am so grateful we did.

The gentleman leading the conference was known for his prophetic ministry. Stories were shared, both about him and by him, about seeing God move in all corners of the world. That sounded nice and all and something that one day I hoped to experience, but this was all new to me and a little out of my league.

They had times for prayer and always asked those wanting prayer to come forward and be prayed over. Always at Justin’s prompting, I would trudge up there with him and skeptically look around wondering how in the world we got to where we were, but at the same time grateful we were exactly where we were.

On the last evening, as someone was praying for us, the prophetic guy walked past us on his way to someone. He immediately stopped, came back, and stood in front of us.

I don’t think he said, “hot diggety!”, but he might as well have.

The enthusiasm in his voice was undeniable and he just loudly exclaimed, “Buy blue! Buy blue! Buy blue!” as if he was on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. He clapped his hands, maybe slapped his leg, mentioned something about a baby, smiled and congratulated us, and kept walking.

Justin and I looked at one another wide eyed and in our unspoken language asked each other, “What in the world?”

That might seem so insignificant to you, but that brief encounter carried me through some of my darkest days.

Something like 2 weeks later, maybe less, we found out I was pregnant. I thought, “Holy cow! That guy just nailed it! I can’t believe he knew we were going to be pregnant when we didn’t even have a clue!”

But it was a girl. Sweet Embry. I love her to the moon and back and wouldn’t trade her for the world, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit we were a little disappointed. And that’s okay. What it meant to me was that we weren’t done at 2. We were to have another child and it would be a boy!

And then I found out I was pregnant again! This had to be what the random prophet foresaw. This was going to be our son and then our family would be complete…

As I sat in the doctor’s office a yearish after Embry was born and listened to the doctor tell me that there was not a heartbeat, I cried and held Aubyn tight. I told the doctor that if all I got in this life was my two girls, I was already blessed beyond measure, but inside, I was a wreck.

The grief hit and the next few weeks were a blur. Was this the baby boy God had promised? Had I lost him?

I didn’t believe it was.

I wouldn’t let myself go there.

I held out faith that if Craig and Tina believed in the prophetic, that God was still active even in America, that miracles still happened and the Holy Spirit was real, then I could believe that they believed and maybe that was enough.

Call it naive. Call it wishful thinking. Call it whatever you want, but it stuck with me. There was no reason for the gentleman to stop and even speak to us, much less to have a prophetic word for us. I know how it sounds and I know people have been hurt by some people claiming to be prophetic, but deep down I knew it was true. I knew enough to know everything happens in God’s timing and in God’s way and I would have to wait.

This gentleman’s words brought me comfort and gave me hope in this time of grief. I don’t know how you reconcile doubting yet believing, but that is the only way I can describe it.

Fast forward 5 months after I received the crushing news from the doctor and the plus sign on the pregnancy test showed up yet again. Could this be?

I couldn’t wait until week 20 so I did the chromosome test at week 10 and waited for the call.

They called us while we were on vacation and I couldn’t believe what they were telling me. Were they messing with me? Were they sure? How accurate was the test?

Oh my gosh.

We’re having a boy!!!

I honestly don’t know who was more excited, Justin or me! Definitely not Aubyn!

And when I held this precious baby boy in my arms for the first time, I was reminded of that prophet’s words once again and thanked God that gentleman had listened to Him and passed it along to me to give me hope in truly some dark days. It wasn’t on my timeline or how I expected it, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

So happy birthday baby boy! You truly are a gift from God and I couldn’t imagine my life or our family without you.