I received this text the other day from a precious and dear friend, Lynn.
“When I lost my third baby in just over a year, its remains had to be surgically scraped from my body. I felt as though the surgeon had removed my heart and soul along with that baby. I came home from the hospital numb and confused, without even the initial anger I felt before the surgery. How do you mourn a person you never got to meet? Not long after, Heather (that’s me) met me at my car and brought me back to existence with a quick embrace and a sharing of her story of Riley (stillborn) and Parker (born after 5 miscarriages) and all of her babies. She prayed for me; even though I refused to acknowledge it at the time, those prayers carried me through the most difficult time of my life. Her story reminded me of the Christ I willfully forgot and gave me the courage to call out to Him several months (and another baby lost) later on my way to an ultrasound. An ultrasound I had scheduled to confirm the loss of baby number 5. But instead, the ultrasound showed the steady, strong heartbeat of my precious little girl. That little girl is now five years old and has the faith that can move mountains! Heather’s prayers saved our lives and shifted the trajectory of our family for generations to come”.
The Lord brought two thoughts to my mind after reading this (and after I stopped sobbing)
1. Our own stories and heartache can always be used to bring hope in others’ suffering, and will always be used to display God’s great glory. 1 Cor 1: 3-4 says “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God”
2. There is always, ALWAYS hope in the midst of pain and suffering. Romans 5:3-5 explains this so well – “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been POURED OUT into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Biblical hope means a STRONG and CONFIDENT expectation – expectation of something good to come. Biblical hope has 100% certainty and does not mean “cross your fingers”. Lynn’s story is such a testimony of the goodness of God. Even in the midst of the deepest pain – there will always be a ray of hope for us to hold on to. Love you, Heather
(Pictured is the sweet, little 5 year old – that steady, strong heartbeat)
