Could God be present in our most vulnerable moments?
Our most recent guest on the Ask About My Faith podcast, Jeannie Baron is a mom, doula, and childbirth educator who has been sharing her faith since she was young. She lives as an open book on the topic of faith, whether she’s with her clients, students, friends, or family. During our talk, we heard stories of how God is meeting women in their most vulnerable moments during labor and delivery. Throughout this podcast, we’re reminded of the steadfast love of Jesus and how His Presence is always available to us.
Saved on The Prairie
Jeannie was raised by a Christian family on the Saskatchewan prairie in Canada. At the young age of eight, Jeannie was struck by her need for Jesus and gave her life to him while living on the farm. She often wondered if her prayers to receive Jesus were truly working. During this time, she’d pray these words to triple-check that God had come to reside in her heart:
“Lord, I want you. I want to live for you. I want you in my life.”
Due to her family offering a Christian foundation, Jeannie’s faith was strong and vibrant in her youth. Her first time leading someone to the Lord was at a sleepover with a close friend. Right before bed, Jeannie’s friend blurted out, “I don’t think I know God!” Jeannie promptly responded with, “You need to!” and shared the full Gospel with her. To Jeannie’s great joy, her friend received Jesus as the Lord of her life and they were both overwhelmed by the redeeming, saving, and sudden power of God to meet the lost.
See our article: 3 Reasons Why Sharing Your Faith Story Matters
Friction, Frustration, and Faith Under Fire
“We have to put what we believe to the test.”
During her teenage years, Jeannie wanted to test the waters, as most of us do in our youth. She began drinking and experimenting with what the world had to offer. At this time, Jeannie began to experience vivid dreams. One dream that was particularly profound displayed a vast image of the heavens opening, angels flying all around, and the feet of the Lord Jesus descending to the earth. When Jeannie woke up, she began audibly praying to the Lord, “Help me get back to you. Help me get back to you.”
Related Podcast: A Life Surrendered to God with NFL’s Ben Utecht
As time went on, Jeannie attended Bible School in Austria and grew stronger in her biblical foundation. Upon returning from Austria, she met a man who caught her eye. His name was Wade, he was the lead guitar player in her brother's rock band, and Jeannie felt pleased to meet someone who had an edge about him. Powered by the conviction that Christian boys were wimps, she was happy to be swooning over someone who wasn’t in the Church.
Shortly after the two began dating, Wade’s mom was suddenly diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. Upon receiving the news, his mother passed away unusually fast, just two weeks after receiving the diagnosis. When Wade visited Jeannie to grieve the sudden loss, questions about faith began to bubble up.
“What’s this religion thing about?”
Jeannie braced herself and answered her boyfriend: “I do know God.”
Jeannie shared the whole Gospel with Wade. He listened attentively but wasn’t ready to receive just yet. When Jeannie went home, she began praying for Wade to have a soft heart that would accept Jesus.
At 3 AM, Jeannie received the call that changed everything. Wade was ecstatic to share that he gave his life to the Lord in his home during the middle of the night.
God in the Delivery Room
Shortly after, the two were married. Throughout the years, the happy couple welcomed two babies into their family. Jeannie was content homeschooling the kids, but would often pray, “Lord, give me an ‘out there’!” as she desired an avenue for faith outside of the home. The Lord provided the outlet she was praying for in the form of becoming a doula.
While supporting a client during a difficult birth, Jeannie had the opportunity to witness the miraculous. During a surge of pain and anxiety with contractions, Jeannie offered to pray for her client who was in such an intense state. The first question out of the woman’s mouth was: “Who are you going to pray to?”
Jeannie was confident and answered, “Jesus.” To her delight, she received the “okay” of her client. Jennnie prayed for the Lord to give her client strength, to release her from the anxiety and pain, and to cause the baby to arrive quickly. Following prayer, her client visibly changed. Her countenance appeared lighter, more confident, and her baby was delivered within half an hour.
Curious to learn more about why prayer works? Read our article below on the power of prayer!
Related Post: 11 Bible Verses About Prayer
Advice for Everyday Life
Read the Bible
Whether you’re a mom, student, working 9-5, or any combination of the above, Jeannie wants all of our listeners to know that being in the Word will change everything. When we read the Bible, we are ignited with passion for the Lord and for others. As we receive the teachings of Jesus, we are equipped to make the world a better place. Here are some of Jeannie’s favorite passages to strengthen yourself in the Lord:
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28
Regardless of the season, it is always the time to read the Word, apply the teachings of Jesus to our lives, and share our faith with those around us. Have you been hesitant to share the Gospel with someone in your life? Let Jeannie's stories inspire you! Pray for them, share your story, and trust that God will work all things together in His perfect timing.
How to Be Vulnerable With God
Being vulnerable with God isn’t rocket science: it’s simply talking to God and being honest with Him about what we’re experiencing. That being said, sometimes the concept of being vulnerable with God can feel scary because God is God over the whole universe and we are quite small in comparison to Him. Some of you may even be asking, “Does my voice matter to God?” However, as we see in Jeannie’s life and the lives of the women she works with, being vulnerable with God is as simple as talking to Him, expressing how we’re feeling, and leaning on Him in our time of weakness.
In the Bible, vulnerability with God looks like honesty, prayer, and sometimes – even intense words that are directed towards God. As we see in the life of Job, David, and our Savior Jesus, we find that these men were unafraid to be candid, honest, and raw in front of God.
Job was a righteous man, who endured immense suffering and loss, yet he wasn’t afraid to be direct with God about how he was experiencing the pain and trials. David, a man credited with being “a man after God’s own heart,” wrote some Psalms that show his anger, impatience, and frustration towards God. Even Jesus, being humble enough to take on the crucifixion, was still unafraid to be vulnerable with God, ultimately crying tears of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His unjust arrest. And to encourage you even more, all of their moments of vulnerability with God are recorded in the Holy Bible, for all of us to read and learn from.
Bible Verses About Being Vulnerable
Below are some of our favorite Bible Verses about being vulnerable, humble, and trusting God in the waiting. Jeannie also shares some of her favorite scriptures about vulnerability and trust with us too!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
This first passage is one of Jeannie’s favorites. This passage is not only encouraging, but also a key scripture about vulnerability and dependence on God. How can we trust the Lord if we are not vulnerable with Him? Hear Jeannie’s stories of grace, vulnerability, and trusting the Lord by listening to part one of our interview with Jeannie Baron!
But He (Jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
These words were written by the Apostle Paul in Macedonia around A.D. 55 -57. He penned this sentence after leaving Ephesus due to riots from his teachings on Jesus. In his letter, Paul is being vulnerable with God about his desire for the ‘thorn in his flesh’ to be taken away from him .Little did he know that this vulnerability scripture would empower billions of readers as they yield to the will of Jesus. His perspective offers us the good news that even when we are weak, Jesus promises to be strong in us!
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28 ESV
This passage in Romans is another favorite of our guest, Jeannie Baron. Despite our frustration and wrestling with God, this passage promises us that no matter what comes our way, God is adamant to work all things together for the good of those who love Him!
He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. - Luke 22: 41-44 NLT
If you’re ever wondering, “What does God say about vulnerability?”, simply remember this passage in the book of Luke. We see Jesus lead by example in regards to vulnerability and honesty before God. While we will never be in the same position he was in, Jesus modeled to us His example of vulnerability with the Father.
What Did Jesus Say About the Vulnerable?
All throughout the Bible, Jesus doubles down on His conviction that His followers are to take care of the vulnerable, the marginalized, the widow, the orphan, and the oppressed. In fact, the most iconic sermon that Jesus ever preached– the Sermon on the Mount– highlights the command to treat the least among us with honor, respect, and dignity. He calls the poor, the mourning, and the persecuted “Blessed”.
Jesus also said,
“Truly, Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”- Matthew 25:40 NIV
As we learned in our interview with Jeannie, she is intent to follow in the ways of Jesus in every aspect of her life. She honors the vulnerable, is able to walk with those in intense situations, and she speaks the hope of Jesus into the lives of those around her. Her stories show us that being vulnerable with God empowers us to be like Christ towards those in vulnerable situations.
