My Child: My Story

Author's Note: This is very real to me. I am a Christian and believe every detail about her unusual conception. Please be respectful of that. Comment and criticize, but please do not bring religion into it or criticize what I believe. I hope you all enjoy this. :)

                His foot is sticking into my lungs. Again. I love the baby very dearly already. I just wish he wouldn’t stick his foot up my ribcage; it makes it kind of hard to breathe. And I have no clue how to get him to move. I’ve tried everything: herbal teas, bending over a little, and even one or two jumps; nothing works. I know this child is the Messiah but can he not stick his foot into my lungs?

                Yes, that is right; I just said the child I am carrying is the Messiah. He has come to save my people—and the world, for that matter. He is my blessed child. To be honest, I have no idea what I am doing. He is my first child. I’m not even married yet; I am betrothed to Joseph—a wonderful man—but we have yet to marry. This baby is not his, though. He is not the son of anyone on earth; he’s the Son of God. I know that sounds impossible, but, believe me, it is surely possible. I am living it right now. I am a virgin and pregnant.

“Will you please move your foot, sweetheart?” I might as well try something I haven’t yet: asking. No response; no change. Great. I guess I’ll just have to deal with it.

“Mary, are you all right?” My little sister, Naomi, asked as she came in the house to drop off a ball. “Why are you talking to your stomach?”

“I am fine, Nay. And I’m talking to my little one because it is the one thing I haven’t tried to get him to move his foot.”

“Oh, all right . . . Mary?”

“Yes?”

“When we come back in for bed, could you tell Rebekah and I your story? Please?” Naomi looked insistent; she wasn’t going to take no as an answer.

“Of course, Nay.”

                I couldn’t say no to my little sister. Besides, I didn’t mind telling them; I positively enjoyed it. They were of the few that believed me. Unfortunately, not many did. I must admit, my story is a little—okay, a lot unbelievable—but it is true. God has always told us, His people, that He can do anything if we have faith. I have believed in what Gabriel told me and God’s will has been done; I have become pregnant with the Messiah of the world. And the Messiah’s foot will still not budge.  

“Can we hear it now?” Rebekah asked. She and Naomi had come inside from playing to get ready for bed.

“No, sweetheart, get ready first. Then I will tell you.” The two scampered off and got ready while I finished up sweeping the room. A few minutes later, I went into the bedroom that me and my little siblings (two sisters and a brother) shared.

“So are you going to tell us the story now?” Rebekah and Naomi asked together. I giggled at how my twin sisters could respond at the same time.

“Yes, I will. Now where do you want me to begin?” I teased.

“At the beginning, of course, Mary.” Naomi responded.

“Alright. Well, one day, about five months ago, I was doing my chores. It was like any other, normal day—or so I thought. About mid-morning I was out by the well and there was suddenly a bright light surrounding me.”

“I looked up to it and had to squint as he was so bright. Slowly, my eyes grew accustomed to the light.” I squinted and held my hands in front of me and slowly lowered them to show them what I had done. “And then I realized it was an angel standing in front of me. He spoke to me and said, ‘Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you’ and then said that I should not be afraid and that God had found favor with me. When he said that, I felt calmer but I was still afraid.”

“But why were you afraid, Mary?” Naomi asked.

“Mary had every reason to be afraid. I mean, it’s not every day that an angel visits you. Right, Mary?”

“Ye….” I started.

“Well, I wouldn’t be afraid. I’d be happy,” Naomi interrupted.

“You would to be afraid: anyone would.”

“Would not.” Naomi stuck her tongue out at Rebekah.

“Wou…”

“Girls, girls. Hush. You both are right . . . in a way. Beckah you are perfectly right. Anyone would be afraid. Nay, you are also right. Everyone reacts differently to different situations. Maybe you would be braver than me, sweet girl.” I smiled as I touched her nose with my finger for emphasis and she giggled.

“Now may I continue?” The two nodded.

“The angel, Gabriel, told me that I would become pregnant and give birth to a child. So now I have my little boy growing inside of me.” I grabbed their hands and placed them on my growing belly.

“But, Mary, how do you know it’s going to be a boy?” Rebekah asked incredulously.

“Because that is what the angel told me. He told me I would have a son and call him Jesus. He told me that he would come out of the house of David and reign forever. ”

“Well, how did you respond? That sounds impossible,” Naomi asked as if she were hearing this for the first time.

“I know it does, sweetheart. And that is precisely what I thought. I asked how it could be since—as you two know—I am not married so I could not be pregnant. And you know what he told me?”

“What?” The twins asked, completely engrossed in the story.

“He told me that the Holy Spirit would come upon me, leaving no room for people to question that the baby is God’s. He will be called the Son of God” I said breathlessly. I will never get used to saying that.

“Woah” Rebekah started.

“That’s so cool,” Naomi and Rebekah said together.

“Wait a minute, doesn’t your baby’s coming fulfill old prophecies?” Naomi asked.

“Yes, it is very cool. And yes his coming fulfills different prophecies. Isaiah, the prophet, said a son would be born of a virgin . . .”

“You” the twins said together. I giggled, as did they.

“Yes, me,” I smiled, “Isaiah said that he would be born of a virgin and be called Immanuel, meaning God with us. The coming of this child means that God will be here on earth with us.” I felt his foot finally move. I could breathe again.

“Mary, I just felt him move,” Naomi said.

“Me too. That is so cool.”

“And feels so weird.”

“That’s you’re nephew you are feeling. You are feeling the Son of God: Jesus, our Immanuel.”