“God Heard” – Some Perspectives From Keenan.

He has blessed Nonie and me so abundantly during Nonie’s pregnancy and labor. He helped us decide when it was the right time to have our first child—just in time for Nonie to give birth before we would need to move for graduate school. He has helped Nonie as she has studied and prepared for childbirth. When labor finally began last Wednesday, He was there to give Nonie strength when hers had waned: by the time he was born, she had gone without sleep for nearly 50 hours. He blessed Nonie with a keen awareness of her body, confidence in her attending midwives and nurses, and a healthy baby. God heard, so we named him Samuel.

“God heard” is only one of several accepted translations of the Hebrew name Samuel. Others include “Heard of God,” “Asked of God,” and “God is his name.” We are overjoyed with the arrival of our son, Samuel Marshall Reesor. It didn’t take long to fall in love with him. How can one put these feelings into words? I could not have been prepared to see how Nonie would have to persist and sacrifice in order to give birth to our son. This experience has greatly increased my love for her and my testimony of the Lord’s love and concern for His children.

Although Nonie’s labor was long and difficult, what ultimately characterized the labor was her focus, stamina, and humility. I have never seen anyone do something so difficult, yet there was no preoccupation with the difficulty of the task. I’ve been trying for a long time now to describe it, but words fall so short. If one could see her focused gaze and hear her paced breathing transform for only one moment into a suppressed cry then instantly return to their former state; if one could see her complexion change to purple and her meek eyes swell from three hours of pushing; perhaps then one might begin to understand the struggle she and the Lord entertained to bring our boy safely here.

Seeing Nonie give birth has given me a new respect for women. Having a child can mean walking to Death’s door to get him. I learned that sometimes God chooses not to deliver us from suffering so He can bless us with transcendental joy. I learned that sharing the experience of childbirth as husband and wife can knit the heartstrings still more tightly together. Thank you, Nonie, and thank you, God, for blessing us with a beautiful baby boy!