I am thoroughly certain, yes, completely and explicitly convinced that God's eyes are fixed with compassionate care upon single moms. Why? Because their plight encompasses so many areas of physical, spiritual, and emotional challenges.

I just returned from Hawaii a few days ago where my son Jason and his wife April live. They gave birth to a little girl - KAILI ANN SCARBROUGH. She's so precious. I'm just so in love with her. I didn't know how cuckoo a woman could get when her "baby" has a baby. It's crazy!

April's been breastfeeding; in fact, her every moment revolves around Kaili Ann's feeding schedule. With pen and paper in hand, she records every nursing episode so she'll know when to expect the next one. All Kaili Ann has to do is let out one peep and April's mother and I jump up in one "grandmother's dance" and resound, "Is it time? Is it time?"

Observing such a fixation on our part reminds me of Isaiah 49:15 - "Can a mother forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you."

Are you serious? April forgetting to feed Kaili Ann? Yet God's Word makes a stunning analogy: It's more likely that she will forget her newborn's needs than God will forget hers.

So what does that say about the concerns you have? How does that address your worries as a single mother, problems like, "Lord, there's not enough money for school supplies or this month's rent." What does that say about your deepest heartache that you believe will never go away? What does that say about your false belief that God no longer cares or sees what you're going through?

Isaiah 49 expands the promise. God consoles, "No, I have not forgotten you. Behold, I have you inscribed on the palms of my hands. Your walls are continually before me. Never will you be out of my mind."

In other words: He exhorts:

- Never will there be a moment when you're on your own

- Never will I stop loving you or turn away from you

- Never will I grow cold or neglect what you bring to me in prayer

One of my favorite Hebrew names of God is El Shaddai - known as the breasted God, the One who pours forth, the all-sufficient One. And just like a mother's breast has almost infinite power over the child, El Shaddai's lifeblood sheds forth infinite power, as well.

God offers, "Come unto me and drink. Open your mouth and I will fill it." This is the God who delights to succor His single moms, the One who longs to hold them, to protect them in their weakness and difficulty and seemingly human impossibilities.

So cling to Him. Embrace your total dependence upon Him. Envision His insatiable desire to pour Himself out into your deepest hurts, desires, and dreams.

Draw near, my friend, and receive. Everything you need can be found in the all-sufficient One, God almighty. It's true: You are Kaili Ann in the arms of El Shaddai.

Lovin' you,

Pam

See Pam's blog for another tidbit about Kaili Ann - "The Hawaiian Grass Skirt."