Bordered pages, mostly blank for writing, fill these "Times," and each page has an appropriate quotation. Like a pregnant woman, they display a variety of emotions, e.g., Louise Erdrich's "Morning comes. I throw up quickly and eat a cracker . . . very little can be done except to endure" to Job's "Acquaint now thyself with [God], and be at peace: thereby shall good come unto thee" (22:21, KJV). My favorite is Henri Nouwen's one about hope: "Hope is trusting that something will be fulfilled, but fulfilled according to the promises and not just according to our wishes."
The journal contains spaces for noting the physical development of the baby, recording milestones of the pregnancy, tips for coping with pregnancy, and ideas for names. The authors have even included sections on "Overtime!" for the period beyond 40 weeks that many women have to endure and one titled "Time of Fulfillment."
The Quickening Heart concludes with space for writing "A Letter to My Baby" and a letter from God which is actually a paraphrase of Jeremiah 2:21 and John 15:5-7. Truly this is, as the authors say, a deeply spiritual experience, a "Time Like No Other."
Remember this lovely book to give as a gift to any expectant woman .
Arleta Jones is a freelance reviewer from Dayton, OH.
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