The Power of Three
By: Amazing Guest Author
One of my biggest takeaways from Justin Fatica’s book, You’re Amazing, is his Three Minutes of Power. It’s a concept in which you take a particularly difficult time in your life and think about the ways in which God has given you the strength and ability to overcome it with His grace and love.
When I reflect on one of the darkest, most difficult times of my life, I’m brought to a time when I experienced multiple miscarriages. I’ve always been a health-conscious person, trying to eat healthy, exercise, and find positive ways to reduce stress. So, when I became pregnant, I eliminated alcohol from my diet (I was an occasional drinker), ate healthy foods, and tried to get adequate sleep. I thought that if I did everything within my power, my babies would have the right foundation from the very beginning. So, as you can imagine, after losing pregnancy after pregnancy, I was left with despair, heartache, and fear.
Now, I want to mention the most important element of my mental health and well-being through all of this was Jesus Christ.
You see, when I realized that what was happening was out of my control, I had to surrender to his healing peace. So, I did what felt right: I grabbed my rosary beads and prayed. I attended daily Mass, when possible. I put my life in his hands. What perfect and loving hands to be in!
Little by little the fear and doubt dissipated. I leaned into this cross and He carried me the rest of the way. And guess what? I became pregnant again, but this time things were different.
My first ultrasound revealed everything was normal. Wow, what a relief! Praise the Lord! I actually embraced the months of morning sickness and weight gain. My baby was healthy and growing! My fears gave way to complete trust that He had me and my most precious gift, my beautiful daughter, in His loving embrace.
This leads me to the last important step in the Three Minutes of Power: Gratitude. I certainly wouldn’t wish anyone to go through the experience of losing pregnancies, but I did have a much different outlook on what had previously seemed effortless. It gave me a deepened sense of compassion for couples who experience the loss of a child. It made me more empathic toward the couples who struggle with infertility. It also made me realize that I was not alone in my grief. It seemed that even though no matter where I turned, I saw families with healthy, happy children. But it was only after my losses, that I connected with others who shared their stories of grief. With every loss, I had a stronger desire to stand for the protection of the unborn. Today, it’s one of the most important causes I defend.
We all experience times of sorrow, uncertainty, and fear in life. But I’m here to testify that we don’t have to do it alone. We can say these three little words with heartfelt confidence: Jesus, I trust in you!
