Baby Blessing

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

A week ago this Monday I started experiencing some complications with my pregnancy. I went a whole week trying to believe the best and trust in the Lord for my strength and the life of my child. Although I was very concerned about the welfare of my baby, God gave me the grace to lift my hands in church on Sunday and sing praise to Him who had risen from the dead! What an awesome privilege to place the cares of this world in a God who has conquered death and the grave!

Sunday evening I had severe pain and bleeding, so on Monday I went to the doctor for an ultrasound. It was then that we learned that the baby had no heartbeat. We also learned that the baby was too small, much too small to be 10 weeks. It was difficult to determine if there wasn't a heartbeat because the baby was no longer alive, or if I was actually much earlier in my pregnancy--too early to detect a heartbeat. So we had to wait. But not long. On Tuesday evening, at home with my husband beside me, I miscarried. As we cried together over our loss, Jeff reminded me that this was simply the earthly shell of our child, and that it's soul was already in heaven with the Lord. Even in great sadness, it was easy to praise God for taking our child before it experienced pain, loss, hurts, evil and sin. Our child will never know the sorrows of this world because God is good, kind and merciful. And to us, He gives us grace to live without the little life that had just begun to make its presence known in our lives. We have named the baby "Blessing" because that is just what it was. Blessing has two brothers, Bryan and Jack, and a sister, Anne-marie. In the time we knew of the baby's coming, it brought smiles to all of their faces, and joy to Jeff and I. Blessing has brought Jeff and I closer together, and given us a greater love for God. It has also made heaven much sweeter. Our baby is surrounded by a great grandfather, a great grandmother, and a grandfather so recently passed. Blessing is also surrounded by so many other precious babies of friends, whose parents never saw their faces or held them in their arms. They are there together, our precious little ones, and heaven never looked so good.

Thank you, God, for your Blessing. Thank you that you give, and take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Just this Sunday, we sang the words to this song, knowing that in all probability, our little Blessing was already with Jesus.

Alive Forever Amen

Let the children sing
A song of liberation
The God of our salvation
Set us free
Death where is thy sting
The curse of sin is broken
The empty tomb stands open
Come and see

He's alive, alive, alive Hallelujah!
Alive praise and glory to the Lamb
Alive, alive, alive hallelujah
Alive forever amen

Let my heart sing out
For Christ the One and only
So powerful and holy
Rescued me
Death won't hurt me now
Because He has redeemed me
No grave will ever keep me
From my King

I'm alive, alive, alive Hallelujah!
Alive praise and glory to the Lamb
Alive, alive, alive hallelujah
Alive forever amen

Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy of our praise
Worthy is the One
Who has overcome the grave
Let the people dance
Let the people sing
Worthy is the mighty King