“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” - Jeremiah 17:7-8

I absorbed the words of Jeremiah 17:7-8 while canoeing down the Chippewa River in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, late in the summer of 1991. The leafy trees along the riverbank perfectly fit the words of the prophet. The verses were read at my wedding in December 1993, when I married Betsy (Johnson) at Bethesda Lutheran Brethren Church in Eau Claire. Little did I know how we would need those words over the next nine years.

By December 2002, after nine years of marriage, Betsy and I remained childless. As far as we knew, we were capable of producing children; we simply hadn’t conceived. But we trusted in the Lord even through this “drought.” In 2003 an opportunity came to adopt a baby girl. We were present for the delivery – our happiest moment as a couple. At last, we were bearing fruit as a family.

We sought to adopt again in 2006. This time God brought to us a baby boy, whom we were once again privileged to welcome into the world at birth. Kneeling before our son’s crib, we offered praises and thanks to God for all those “dry” years. These two precious children were meant to be ours.

And then God surprised us with still more fruit. On our son’s two-month birthday – twelve years and five months from our wedding day – we discovered Betsy was pregnant. Miracle upon miracles!

And now, almost four years after the birth of our youngest child, we see God producing yet more fruit. No, not more offspring, but the fruit of watching our children growing physically and spiritually. They all three confess Jesus Christ as their Savior. They pray for each other. And our oldest, now seven, prays for other kids to come to faith in Christ.

As the leaves turn color and fall from the trees outside, I seek to deepen my reach in the stream of living water, trusting the Lord to keep me green and bearing ever more fruit for him. God is faithful. He will accomplish his plan… in his time. Amen.

Rev. Randy Mortenson serves as pastor of Ebenezer LBC, Mayville, ND.

By Randy Mortenson

Randy Mortenson serves as pastor of Ebenezer Lutheran Brethren Church, Mayville, ND. He is also the author of the re:Think column.