Dear friends, near and far;
Maybe you know us well, or maybe you've just met us a few times - or maybe not at all. We've decided it's time to share something with all of you...a little hope, a little unfulfilled dream we carry around. Up until now, this has been kept very private - only our families and some close friends have known. So are you ready?
Here it is: we'd like you to pray with us that God blesses our family with another baby.
We've been praying about this for what feels like forever...
I remember a good cry/conversation I had with God in the shower when Elijah was about three weeks old, asking God for another baby later on. I think that was my heart aching to feel the things I thought I would experience when I had my first child...instead of the grief that threatened to choke the life out of me then. I wouldn't have been able to handle another child then, as God wisely knew!
Sometimes I think, 'Lord, You've already given me a lot of pain. Do I have to deal with this, too??? Will Elijah be our only child?' Then I am reminded of God's goodness, and that He doesn't see things the way I do! What seems to be painful and hard may be the very thing the Father is using to show me His tender love and care. I just can't see it right now, this side of heaven.
We know that lots of you have experienced the pain of wanting but not having children. Some of you have longed for them your entire lives, but God hasn't answered your prayers in the way you thought He would. We know that so many people have felt this pain and have struggled for much longer than we have. We don't have any answers for the "why's", but we do want to trust God, whether he gives us another child or not.
There. You know our secret. Will you pray with us?
"God gives. God takes. Blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21b)
6 comments:
I am so excited for you guys! I will definitely be praying! :)
Oh, Julie...though our story is very different than yours, we can certainly empathize with the longing you have for another child/children. And though God has blessed us with our two since all our losses, I can still remember the aching to hold a screaming little baby in my arms. And, yes, I know others who have struggled very differently and have never been able to have children, but it's okay to be real with our own feelings and desires, too... so thank you for your genuineness in your writing. :) I will be praying not only for another little one to join your sweet little family, but also for lots of ways that you can grow closer to God through this situation.
Love you guys!
Tracey, for the Whiddens
Hi Julie. I have been following your blog on the advice of a friend of one of your friends. Our lives our similar in that my husband and I are the parents of two special-needs children(5 and 4 yrs), and reading your thoughts have encouraged me more than you know. This post caused me to "comment" as the subject is close to my heart. Our kiddos have identical disablities, though genetic testing has revealed nothing. We have prayed and prayed since it was clear we would be "walking it again" with the second one, about whether this was it for our family. Well, I am eight week along with our third and I am so, so fearful. We are praying for healing for this baby and the Lord's mercy for our family. I know it's not the same situation as waiting for a baby, but I am sure you can understand my anxiety. I will be praying your family in this specific way. Sorry for this super-long story. Blessing to you as you share from your heart.
ps, I am a friend of Hannah (Glick) Martin's sister, Mary. :-)
Thank you, friends, for the encouragement! I am terrible about commenting on the comments here, but do thank you for visiting and praying!!
Tracey, we love you guys and enjoy seeing the pictures on your blog of the little girls. So cute!!
Mrs. Cassel...I think I understand a little bit of what you must be going through. Knowing that God is sovereign yet we have the ability to make real choices, too -- and the "risks" those carry. I will pray that God will comfort you through the unknowns of the future...that you won't spend much time caring what people will think about your "risk"...and that God will give you guys a healthy little child!! He knows and cares, but sometimes He calls us to walk a difficult path (as you know more than I do). Thanks for your comments. :)
julie, you are so inspiring and encouraging. i will be praying for you and your husband. circumstances will change or not but our Lord is still the same. and we have many witnesses cheering us on..
praying. ((julie))
I can't help but notice that the LORD placed you guys in a 4 BR home in such a quick way....HE KNOWS and is so very, very REAL. I am praying for those bedrooms to be filled....
Post a Comment