What a blessing!

March 22, 2013

This time last week I was headed to Nashville, Tennessee (well, actually Henrietta, 30 miles north of TN) for a retreat that would prove to be a huge blessing in mine and Jeff's lives.  It was a retreat for couples who had lost children and was hosted by David and Nancy Guthrie.  David and Nancy have lost two babies out of their 3 children and are a remarkable testimony to the Lord.  We shared a rental car on the way there with another couple, the Bailey's, and it was great to sort of arrive with "friends" that we'd already met.  We were instructed to not talk about the reason we were all there, our children that had died.  This was really hard to do all day as well as when we arrived and met the other couples, but it was nice to know a little bit about everyone before we dove in to the deep stuff.  Eventually after dinner we began to share our stories one by one and would finish them the next morning after breakfast.  There were some couples and families that have been through so much with multiple children and they still wholeheartedly love the Lord.  I have to say that I'm just in awe of them and their faith. 

Our Molly girl is saying "Gig 'em!" in heaven

There was one story that really hit home with Jeff and I.  Not only was I teary eyed and crying while they told their story, I had to work really hard to not start sobbing.  I can feel myself tearing up now just thinking about it.  A couple from Alabama (yes, they are huge football fans!  Hopefully we can show them a good time in College Station this football season!) had a little girl named Leah almost exactly a month after Molly was born.  They already had a 3 year old little girl and this would be their 2nd and had a normal healthy pregnancy.  She was diagnosed with group B strep which is very common and doctors have steps to follow after the baby is born, but unfortunately Leah spent 6 days in the NICU before passing away from GBS.  They were completely blindsided as we were.  Bevin and I have a lot of the same struggles and Adam and Jeff seem to have a lot in common as well.  While our circumstances of meeting are less than ideal, I'm so thankful for them!  Somebody that completely gets where we are in our lives and what we are going through.  Somebody we can lean on and be friends with.  Someone who we can have serious conversations with or talk football with.  Thank you Lord for bringing us together!  Here are the links to Leah's facebook page: Leah's Legacy and Bevin's blog: The Tomlin Family .  Bevin, I hope you don't mind me sharing these!!  Let me know if you don't and I will take them off, I completely understand!  I can't help but believe that Leah and Molly are best friends in heaven.  That's right!  A little Texas A&M aggie and an Alabama.. uh, elephant?  is that right?  Or we can call her a crimson tider?  Either way, we know she is a Bama fan and Molly is an Aggie fan!  :)  And it makes me smile.


Sweet little Leah

There are so many other amazing stories we heard!  Several had children with special needs and there were a few that just put their young child to sleep one night or for a nap and they never woke up.  People really go through some trying times in their lives, but it's just not talked about the way it should be.  I mean just since Molly died, more people, some I barely know, have reached out to me telling me they had lost a child and I had no idea!  How is that possible?  People that I would've loved to be loving on, praying for or just being a good friend to them.  Obviously, you don't want people to be your friend out of pity, but if you want help or a true friend or someone to pray for you, just ask God to supply it.  He knows what you need, just ask with unselfish intentions and according to His will and believe you will recieve it.  I'm sure if someone who doesn't have good or true intentions with no desire for the Lord asked to be a millionaire, it most likely won't happen... but who knows, maybe it would happen and God would send another lesson along with it.  Anyways, getting too deep and beside the point now!

"Whatever you ask in my name, I will do, that the Father be glorified in the Son.  If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."  John 14:13-14

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have recieved it, and it will be yours."  Mark 11:24

There are many other stories from our Respite Retreat weekend that I'd love to share and I'm sure some will come out on the blog here eventually (Retreat friends, if you don't want me talking about you, let me know now!!  Haha!  But seriously...  :) let me know). 

Our wonderful new friends, the parents

Molly's wonderful new friends in heaven, the children who were loved so much by the parents above

I still ache from Molly's death and am learning that it will probably never go away, but after meeting some sweet people who are further down the road than Jeff and I, I know I will be fine.  And I have a very peaceful feeling about that.  The Sunday morning that we left the retreat we had a small worship service where Nancy said some very wise words.  The last song we sang was "Blessed be the Name".  I have always loved that song, but I can't seem to get through it anymore without crying.  Oddly enough, I even remember singing this while I was pregnant with Molly during a really stressful time and not being able to get through it then.  Maybe God was starting to prepare me?  Either way, God gives and God takes away, but we can know that through joy and pain God is good and that's where we should take comfort. Be thankful for your children because even though they aren't perfect, they are a HUGE blessing in your life.  Cherish and treasure your time with them, good and bad.  They are only ours for a brief time.

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your nameBlessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your nameEvery blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your nameBlessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away