Miracles come in all packages!

This is a message to my family to keep the faith, faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains...

Sonja Taylor

By Renee Roberson

On October 24, 2007, a miracle baby named Amillia Taylor turned 1 year old in Miami, Fla. The daughter of Sonja and Eddie Taylor, Amillia was born at 21 weeks weighing just a little over 9 ounces, and is the first baby known to survive after a gestation period of fewer than 23 weeks.

The Taylors' story begins with a struggle many couples face when trying to start a family – infertility. They conceived Amillia through in vitro fertilization, and there were complications from the beginning. Sonja Taylor was put on bed rest early on in the pregnancy, and was finally released after about four months. "After about two weeks I got dehydrated and went into premature labor," says Sonja Taylor. "I was put back on bed rest but lost my mucous plug." Taylor and her husband immediately headed to Baptist Children's Hospital in Kendall, Fla. The staff there sent her to get an ultrasound and told her they would have to deliver the baby as soon as possible. But Taylor's maternal instinct kicked in, and deep in her heart, she knew her baby would die if it were delivered at 18 weeks."I put my foot down and said, 'You are not delivering this baby right now,'" Taylor says. Although she was leaking amniotic fluid and was already dilated, Taylor refused to let her doctor deliver the baby. She stayed in the hospital, with her mother and husband keeping a constant vigil over here. When she started spiking a fever almost a week later, the doctors knew they had to act soon. They gave Taylor steroids to help develop the baby's lungs and prepared for an emergency C-section. "I was septic, and my uterus and cervix were both infected," Taylor says. "When they took her out, the whole room gasped. They were shocked because she was so small. She had one eye opened and was looking around."

Amillia Taylor was born weighing 9 ounces and measuring 9 1/2 inches long (about the length of an ink pen). Taylor says the neonatologist on staff didn't know what to do with Amillia because he had never seen a baby so small. She had one nurse assigned just to her.

Lessons from July

In the last few months, I have learnt: (NB:YOU=ME not anybody's toolkit just one i need to remind myself about)

Choose wisely what you pursue because it will determine your character. Choose wisely how you pursue it, that reflects your personality.

Perseverance produces character...Perseverance can just mean continuance in prayer. Battles/wars can be won on your knees.

Falling in love involves a lot of self control and wisdom. I am pretty sure that it is possible to disengage the lust gear before it is too late. if you find you are falling, use WISDOM as your landing gear. You always know better.

God knows you better so He should tell you what to do...

Habits can be broken.

One must desist from insisting that they are entitled to something.

Asking/Requesting produces humility, absolutely refines the character, demanding on the other hand....well

Wrestling and waiting for His blessing, for His hand to open strengthens one's resolve and faith. Its almost silly to give up when you know that He has heard every cry and seen every tear you have shed then to just walk away in hopelessness/defeat is 'like a kick in His teeth'. Why ask God for anything if you do not Expect it? He most certainly answers fervent prayers from earnest/righteous persons.

Why bother pursuing Plan B if you are praying for Plan A? Faith is like putting your eggs in one basket. Then asking God to carry it....His hands are rock steady. What may seem like your everything crashing down could just be Him spring cleaning...

Align your will to God's so you know what to ask for, or pursue or say or enjoy...

By engaging in conversation with Him from the OT through to the NT, He is constantly revealing Himself...His mercy, His humor, His love, His grace, His plan...

He says knock and it will be opened. He knows to give better gifts than our own earthly fathers so Trust Him when you seek Him. Trust Him when You ask Him.

Remember His will is Perfect. Ask for His will to be done. It is a sure thing!

There may be pain/breakups/tremendous soulshaking changes but it is designed in a way that you will rise from the pits and be prosperous. Have faith in your Almighty Father.

Never stop loving or believing that He has begun His work in you and He will as sure as day finish it! Your desire, dreams, ideas are by His design-now if you only let Him use this tapestry for the purpose for which He created it...WOW!

Have hope. Hope is the cord that keeps one moment attached to the next, much like the umbilical cord from a foetus to the life supply (mother). Hope keeps you close to God.

Faith is a reliable "currency". To speak to God, you have to go by faith that He hears you right? By faith we are saved. Faith is a strong belief. Faith sometimes feels like it has its own bloodstream. In the worst conditions, faith allows you to see past them, gives you strength and draws out a path along which you can reach a good place. It is important that your faith be full ALWAYS! Feed it. Don't inflate it when you know you feel like your hanging from a string or its waning. Nourish it with verses, prayers, stories from your past/others' stories. Ask God to add on to it that you may be encouraged in all things...Faith really is the substance of things hoped for! This faith is in the Lord who never fails..like how the USD used to be-a reliable medium of exchange. If you go to God with faith, well, just remember the woman who bled for 12 years. Her faith saved her when she touched Jesus' garment. Faith is a powerful currency.

Fasting focuses your mind on God. It allows you to feel weak in the flesh and feed your appetite spiritually. How we should be everyday really..knowing our weakness and strengthening ourselves with the Word.

Remember that we are all unique. Give place to respect rather than gossip.

Feel free not to judge. We are, after all, different.

Say Sorry.