I know this is true. When we call, God comes.

Come by here, my lord, come by here. Come by yuh, my lord, Come by yuh. Kumbaya, Kumbaya.

During my 60-ish hour labor with my son, I consulted all of my logical, rational, book-ish knowledge. I clung to the plan I made even though my first encounter with a real contraction devoured that plan and spit it in my face. I tensed against every wave for hours and thought that if I could just “get it together” and control my body, I could control my labor.

Come by here, my lord, come by here. Come by yuh, Come by yuh. Kumbaya, Kumbaya.

In the literal 56th hour. Exhausted. Weary and after looking for an escape, only to realize that the only way out is through. In that 56th hour I turned to my doula. I turned to my husband. I turned to my nurse and midwife. I said I need Jesus to come by here. I need Oshun. I need Yemaya. I need every elevated Ancestoral Mama I have. I need all of them to come by here.

My doula began to sing. Come by here, come by here. Come by yuh, Come by yuh, Kumbaya, Kumbaya. She added names and mamas as she sang. I called and they came.

It was the most sacred roll call of my life and I felt the presence of everything Holy as each entered.

Only after I had surrendered my plans, will, ego, ideas of how it ought to be and called out to The Divine did my baby turn and drop down. The rest of the journey was ecstatic and glorious.

I could have called at any time, yet for me it took hours (equivalent to months in labor:) to let go and accept- this. This is how it is.

Right now, we are all in a long labor and at the 56th hour. A time of immense destruction and creation. Birth.

May you have the strength to surrender and call.

Dear God. Come by here, come by here. Stop by our hearts.
Come by yuh, Come by yuh. Enter our minds.
Kumbaya, Kumbaya. Visit this place and stay a while.

We need to see you. We need to hear a word from you.

Come by here.