BlessingWay

A blessingway ceremony creates a sacred and safe environment where a mother-to-be can explore the challenges and joys that lie before her as she approaches birthing and mothering. Surrounded by the most important women in her life, she gains a sense of power, confidence, and support that will help her rise and endure during labor, delivery, and motherhood!

Below is an example of a script for such a ceremony.

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We will explore the scriptures for strengthening and encouragement. We will go to God in prayer asking him to specifically bless her impending birth experience.

Years ago, I attended my first blessingways  for one of my dear friends, and I fell in love with the old Navajo Indian tradition!  

I had the privilege of composing the meditation and reflection time. It turned out to be a beautiful time together with good food, some pampering of the guest of honor, a few special symbolic gifts, some time to reflect on our amazing Creator and help the new momma to center her thoughts in the hope and truth of the gospel!  

Movement 1-Creation

Genesis 1:18

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”  

What a beautiful design! I love this picture of how God made man and woman to fit together. When you dig a little deeper into the hebrew word, helper… it makes even more sense.

the Hebrew Ezer describes aspects of God’s character – he is our strength, our rescuer, our protector  and our help!  Ezer is used 21 times in the Old Testament and each time, except for this time in Genesis it is used when the children of Israel are in a tight spot and are calling out to God for military help. Help! Save us! And ezer was the Holy Spirit’s choice of word to describe the first woman.  Eve was someone who would provide valuable and vital strength and assistance to Adam. 

So, there was the intentional creation of woman and of course he dramatic introduction to her husband where he burst out into poetry...

“Then God commanded the man and the woman to be fruitful and multiply…” And later we see that is just what they did!  Eve begins bearing children.  And it should be noted that as in all of His creation, God declared his handiwork good, the man and the woman, VERY good! 

And so we can see that God created you a strong, valuable, beautiful, complex, creation of a loving Creator.  And we see him commanding Adam and Eve to have children... and we can be sure that it is His strong, creative hand that designed the childbirth process as well!

Let's all read together and declare in praise Psalm 139:14.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

And now lets take a few minutes to pray specifically for Mother-to-be.  That she would rest confidently in the truth that her God who is wise and good created her body for birth.  Lets pray that Mother-to-be would find strength in this.  That she would recall this truth even as she is in the throws of labor pains. 

Movement 2- FALL

We know the story well, Adam and Eve did not live in bliss forever in the Garden where they were created.  The serpent came to them and tempted them to doubt God's goodness... 

She took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.

Sin and Shame entered the world... and then came God's response.

To the woman he said,

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;

in pain you shall bring forth children.

Your desire shall be for your husband,

and he shall rule over you.”

We have no way to know exactly what child birth was like before the curse... but we know what it is today.  We have all seen what Hollywood and media have made it.  The screaming, the fear, the pain, OH the PAIN, the hospital, the surgery!!!  And we know what it is in our own hearts.  We each have our own fears.  Our own experiences.  And since we are humans, just girls really, it is important for us to acknowledge our fears, the brokenness we have seen and heard about. To stay anchored in the reality that because we live in this cursed world everything does not always go perfectly. Everything God is putting together, Satan is try to tear apart.

Let's take a minute now to pray for Mother-To-Be.  Let's pray against fear.  Against lies and doubts.  Against relational stress, against all the ugly that could be.  Let us pray for peace for a precious and sacred experience as she and father-to-be bring baby into the world. 

Movement 3- Redemption

And so, it could be that we are stuck with pain in childbirth. That God is angry at our sin and has cursed us. Everything is broken and not the way it was created to be... But we know better! Also as part of the curse God declared to the serpent: 

I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.”

And THIS!!!!  Is the first promise of the Redeemer!  We celebrate His birth during the Christmas season!  We read the mother of Jesus' song of praise in the gospel of Luke. 

And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.

We hear God's heart of love for his children, we see his rescue plan as he sends His one and only Son to the earth to die, to pay the penalty of eternal death for our sins, to draw us near to Father.  We are adopted and welcomed as sons and daughters!  

Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. 

So what does this have to do with birth?  When baby is born... As believers and followers of Christ this Redemption plan gives us HOPE! It also renews our perspective!  This amazing creative God who designed birth has not just cursed us because of our sin, HE has redeemed us!  And everything about us!  We can draw strength from the fact that He designed our bodies perfectly to bear and birth children, to bring new life into the world... and though cursed, a hope has dawned.  God is renewing ALL of his creation including childbirth!  And It is my hope that as women and mothers we are able enter into and enjoy the experience of birth in our lives as he originally intended! It is a Joy!  It is glorious!  It is life giving!  It is powerful!  We were created to be a strength, like a warrior, we were created to nurture, we were created to give life, both literally and spiritually!  And so for us, as women who live in the good news of Jesus, we can be "about" birth. We can think about and be strengthened by the fact that our bodies are so beautifully and wonderfully designed and that we have what it takes to birth and raise children.  All because we have a creative, loving, inspiring, Father-Creator who gives us good gifts. As in all of life, it's never our genius, our awesomeness, our powerfulness, our wisdom, it is His!  And it causes us to praise!  

Again, let's declare together Psalm 139:14!  

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

Let's pray for Mother-To-Be now in light of this wonderful truth of redemption! Praising God for his work in her life.  His grace to her.  And specifically that she would know the presence of her Creator and Redeemer as she is experiencing birth.  And like Mary, that her heart would be bent to praise God as she experiences his gift to her in the labor, delivery and then the snuggling of her new sweet baby! 

And finally... 

Movement #4-NEW CREATION

Paul compares our longing for Christs return as a woman in childbirth! He seems rather familiar with the process for a man who never married.  Listen to the references he makes in Romans 8:22

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Let us close in prayer. Prayer that Mother-To-Be notices that she is part of a bigger story than just this birth story of her new baby.  And that it is but one sign that is pointing to the greater hope we have been given in Christ.