Look Inside: b'New Baby Survival Guide (ebook)'

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NEW BABY SURVIVAL

GUIDE

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TRANSLATION GUIDE

W

e are two British mums/moms with three boys each, so we have lots of experience of

changing nappies/diapers before putting baby into a babygrow/romper/sleepsuit, settling them with a HYQQ] TEGM½IV ERH XEOMRK XLIQ JSV E [EPO MR XLIMV pram/pushchair/buggy.

Our words and spellings may differ from yours, but we believe many aspects of motherhood are the same— and especially our need to spend time with the Lord and to trust our newborn baby into his care.

New Baby Survival Guide Π'EWWMI 1EVXMR ERH 7EVEL 7QEVX 8LI +SSH &SSO 'SQTER] 4YFPMWLIH F] 8LI +SSH &SSO 'SQTER] 8IP 9/ -RXIVREXMSREP

IQEMP MRJS$XLIKSSHFSSO GS YO 9/ [[[ XLIKSSHFSSO GS YO 2SVXL %QIVMGE [[[ XLIKSSHFSSO GSQ %YWXVEPME [[[ XLIKSSHFSSO GSQ EY 2I[ >IEPERH [[[ XLIKSSHFSSO GS R^ -7&2 &PYI -7&2 4MRO 7GVMTXYVI XEOIR JVSQ 8LI ,SP] &MFPI 2I[ -RXIVREXMSREP :IVWMSR ‹ 'ST]VMKLX Œ F] &MFPMGE -RG TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

(IWMKR F] %RHVq 4EVOIV Printed in China

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CONTENTS Translation guide

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Welcome

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Author Q&As

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Real-life stories

68

New Mums’ A-Z

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W

elcome to the wonderful world of parenting!

With three boys each, we understand the wave

of “Aaaaaaaaaagh!!!� that threatens to drown new mums.

As Christians, the dreaded “Quiet Time� with your Bible EPWS PSSQW MR XLI FEGOKVSYRH°MRHYGMRK XLSWI TIWO] twins born to all mothers: guilt and inadequacy.

Church becomes a struggle. If we made it, we were usually elsewhere during the sermon (in mind and/or body). Nappy changing, crying (baby and/or you), and dreading whipping your breasts out publicly can leave ]SY EPSRI MR WSQI HMRK] FEGOVSSQ GSZIVIH MR ZEVMSYW bodily excrements and running mascara, needing to GO ,31) ,SVQSREP QMRHW ERH TVEGXMGEP GLESW GSRWTMVI When people encourage us with “You’re Supermumâ€?, [I GLIGO SYV ORMGOIVW EVIR´X SR SZIV SYV XVSYWIVW ;I EWO JVMIRHW Âą4VE] JSV SYV 5YMIX 8MQIW² 7]QTEXL] EFSYRHW FYX JVSQ OMRH QSXMZIW RSX QYGL KIRXPI GLEPlenging to re-establish good habits. Of course, we will all have days when we miss time in God’s word or fall asleep mid-prayer, but when days turn into months, it becomes unhelpful and ultimately sinful.

8MQSXL] Z MW FVMPPMERX “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.�

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;I RIIH XLSVSYKL IUYMTTMRK MR XLI KSSH [SVO SJ motherhood. Being equipped doesn’t mean owning E KSPH TPEXIH FYKK] SV ORS[MRK [LEX XMQI XLI PEXIWX KYVY EHZMWIW - GYX Q] XSIREMPW )UYMTTMRK QIERW VIEHing the Bible.

So, here’s a survival guide, which is do-able and Godcentred. There’s probably no time, brainpower or energy JSV ]SYV YWYEP ±WSPMHW² FYX ±0MOI RI[FSVR FEFMIW GVEZI TYVI WTMVMXYEP QMPO WS XLEX F] MX ]SY QE] KVS[ YT MR ]SYV WEPZEXMSR² 4IXIV Z These studies are aimed for those moments when ]SY GER UYMGOP] &MFPI HMT +SH PSRKW XS WTIEO XS ]SY ;LIR XLSWI ½ZI QMRYXIW GSQI TVE] JSV XLI WTMVMXYEP HMWGMTPMRI XS XEOI XLIQ (SR´X JIIP KYMPX] 7SQI HE]W MX just won’t happen. That’s OK. God loves us because of Jesus’ death, not because of our “Quiet Time Quota”.

As his beloved children, he loves us even more than you love your precious newborn.

CASSIE AND SARAH

P.S. These studies are best consumed with chocolate...

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01.

REST FOR YOUR SOUL PSALM 116 v 1-9 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.

Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow.

4 Then I called on the name of the LORD: “LORD, save me!�

The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.

The LORD protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me.

Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

For you, LORD, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,

XLEX - QE] [EPO FIJSVI XLI LORD in the land of the living.

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T

LI %RKPMGER 4VE]IV &SSO YWIW XLMW TWEPQ MR MXW TVE]IV SJ XLEROWKMZMRK EJXIV GLMPHFMV XL° ERH ]SY GER WII [L] ,S[IZIV PSRK SV XVEYQEXMG your experience of giving birth, the Lord was with you in it. o, S[ FEH [IVI XLMRKW JSV XLI [VMXIV SJ XLMW TWEPQ Z # o ;LS HMH LI XYVR XS Z # o ;L] Z ERH # -R XLI 0SVH [I ½RH VIWX JSV SYV WSYPW Z IZIR MJ [I JIIP JEV JVSQ VIWXIH TL]WMGEPP] ,I LEW FIIR good to us, both in our recent experience of childbirth and above all in bringing us to new spiritual FMVXL XVYP] HIPMZIVMRK YW JVSQ HIEXL Z Thank you, Lord, for a safe delivery and for being with me through the birth of my child(ren). Help me to ½RH VIWX MR ]SY XLI 3RI [LS HIPMZIVW QI JVSQ HIEXL Amen

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