Rachel grunted in frustration, trying desperately to get the squirming Timmy into a clean diaper. She sighed. It was getting harder and harder the bigger he got. She glanced up at the wall calendar. Three days and he’d be seven. Another birthday, another year with no progress.

Her mind drifted back to the day of his birth. She was so excited to finally become a mother. Those final moments were so scary, though, when the doctors found the cord wrapped around his neck. Everything that happened next was a blur. They warned her he’d been without oxygen for too long, that he’d never be normal. She’d lived in denial for a long time. Timmy acted like any other baby, but each birthday was a reminder he’d never be the child she hoped for. Every birthday became a day of mourning.

Shaking herself out of her funk, she gazed at the cherubic face of her little boy and her heart swelled with love.

“Come on, buddy, let’s head to the park.”

Rachel loaded Timmy into his stroller to enjoy one of the last days of summer. They travelled the short distance to the playground. The birds sang overhead, and cottony puffs of clouds dotted the sky. As the sun warmed Rachel’s skin, her heart filled. When they reached the park, Rachel positioned Timmy’s stroller by the playground so he could watch the boys and girls swinging on the swings and zipping down the slide. With her longing gaze fixed on the happy children, Rachel didn’t notice the dog until it was too late. Before she could stop it, a shaggy Golden Retriever had his paws up on Timmy’s stroller, his tongue furiously licking his face. Panicked, the owner came running up behind to pull the dog off the child.

“I’m so sorry. He slipped out of his leash. I hope he didn’t scare your son.”

Rachel barely heard the woman, as her attention was riveted on Timmy, who was overcome with smiles and giggles. Rachel had never heard him laugh so hard. Suddenly, Timmy reached out his little hand and pointed at the animal. “Dog!” he uttered, clear as day. Rachel’s eyes filled with tears. His first word! She stared at her son. With a shaking voice, she praised him. “That’s right, Timmy, that’s a dog. Good job!”

Rachel spent the next hour on the phone, telling the story to anyone who would listen. She and her husband spent the evening redoubling their efforts to get him to speak, showing him all his stuffed animals and telling him their names.

Weeks went by without any progress, and Rachel fell back into discouragement. One fall morning, she and Timmy were sitting out on the deck, watching the leaves dance to the ground. The neighbor’s tabby leaped onto the deck railing. Rachel thought nothing of it, until Timmy’s eyes went wide and he pointed. Out came one small syllable. “Cat!”

Once again, Rachel thanked God for giving her this moment. The fall turned into winter, and the winter melted into spring. She took Timmy to every pet store, every petting zoo in the area, and surrounded him with animals. Still, no more words came. As another birthday approached, day-to-day life drained Rachel more and more. Had she imagined Timmy speaking? The more she longed for him to progress, the harder it was to see him trapped in the body that he had been given.

After a particularly frustrating day spent watching her sister’s two-year-old surpass her son in every way, she plopped Timmy down on the floor with some blocks and slumped down next to him. She couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. All she ever wanted was a normal child. Was that too much to ask? Sure, she loved Timmy, but there were so many things he would never be able to do. Why had God called her to this life?

Timmy looked over at Rachel and clambered clumsily into her lap. He reached up and touched a tear with his finger. Pointing that finger at her nose, he uttered the word that changed Rachel’s life.

“Mama.”

Rachel’s heart melted as she hugged him close.

“That’s right, baby. I’m your mama. Don’t you ever forget it.”

If Timmy never spoke another word, never learned to walk, it would all be okay. She was his mama. She sent up a silent prayer of thanks to God for giving her the privilege of being his mother. He was perfect in God’s eyes, and perfect in hers as well.

Children are a heritage from the Lord,

    offspring a reward from him.

Psalm 127:3