John the Baptist - Because I Said So.

Luke 1:45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

Raising kids is a difficult task. Ask any parent (or grandparent) who has accepted the responsibility of teaching their child right from wrong. It's a long tedious process of discipline and reward that never seems to end. No loving parent enjoys discipline, but the long-term reward that it produces is beyond measure. And when your child actually comes to you for advice and follows it, the bond that is formed in that moment - one of love and respect, builds that relationship. I think the same is true of God and His children - if we choose to listen and learn, the reward is beyond measure.

When Elizabeth was told that she, a barren woman, would conceive - she could have spent that time doubting and worrying and fussing over what was to happen. When she actually did conceive, she could've spent the next nine months afraid of miscarriage, wondering if what God had promised would actually be fulfilled. But that's not what Elizabeth did - she praised God when she got news she would be pregnant - when she actually conceived, she spent months thanking God alone (wonder how Zechariah felt about this) and when she meets up with Mary she has a realization:

God had blessed them both because they heard and they believed and they never doubted.

Often times I second-guess the choices I make or the ones I'm about to make - but I truly believe it's because I didn't spend enough time in prayer before making it. When we make decisions after we've gone to the Lord and waited for His answer, those are the times to be confident - not only will you be blessed because God's answer will always have a better outcome, but you are blessed because you've been able to grow in your relationship with Him.