Isaiah 65:17-20

Good evening!

Isaiah 65:17-20: "For I will create a new heaven and a new earth; the past events will not be remembered or come to mind.  Then be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy, and its people to be a delight.  I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people.  The sound of weeping and crying will no longer be heard in her.  In her, a nursing infant will no longer live only a few days, or an old man not live out his days."

Oh my heart is heavy today.  I follow a photographer who lives in Hawaii and I've always loved her work on her blog.  She helps other photographers and gives tutorials on different subjects.  She's always been a help to me, even though I don't know her personally.  She has 3 beautiful boys and she became pregnant again last year with another boy!  His name was Gavin and he was born healthy and sweet and I enjoyed seeing pictures of him.  And then, around Christmas time, he was put in the hospital.  He contracted RSV and then Pertussis.  He was very sick and was getting worse.  He was beginning to suffer and yet I still really believed he would recover.  He would get well.  He would go home.  He would grow up and rough house with his brothers.  He would be their sweet baby boy and be spoiled.

Never did I expect to read this.  Please join me in praying for this family as they face their worst fears and live their worst nightmare.  Their lives will never be the same. 

My prayer is that Gavin's short life will live longer than any one dreamed possible.  I pray he can help other women be more aware and educated about illnesses, vaccinations and medical care for their children.  I pray he will help all of us to cherish our children even more, realizing that life is short.  You never know what tomorrow will bring.  It could bring life...it could bring death. 

But rejoice!  One day, there will be a new heaven and a new earth.  One day, rejoicing will be heard when there once was crying.  The worst pain imaginable of losing a sweet little baby will not be able to be found.  Babies will grow to be men who live out their days as they were meant to.  Oh Lord come quickly!

So while you are praying for this family, trust what God says in verse 24 of the same chapter.  "Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear."  He knows what this family needs and will answer even before they call out to Him.  And while they cry out to Him to help them survive this tragedy, He will hear them and be everything they need Him to be. 

Sending you love and praying for peace that passes all understanding Natalie.  God be with you and your family.  Gavin is with his Savior; he is loved...he is whole...he is perfect. 

Isaiah 42:16

Good morning!

Isaiah 42:16: I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.


Seven years ago today, I was laying in a hospital bed, getting lots of love from my family, and getting ready to go into surgery to remove an ectopic pregnancy. In a matter of hours, I went from not knowing I was even pregnant, to intense pain and bleeding, rushing to the ER where I was told I was pregnant and that I would need emergency surgery...right away. My head was reeling. The pain was almost too much to take. I was tired. I was scared. I saw my husband scared for the first time in my life. This wasn't happening to me. It couldn't be. We had prayed for a baby and this is what we get?!

As I look back on these last seven years, I can tell you that I thank God for that little baby and the short life he/she had. For years I held on to that baby as "if only things could have been different". Now, I no longer live in the past but I celebrate what God has done by using that horrible night to benefit my future.

The good always outweighs the bad when it comes to God. Sure I had pain, and I was confused, and I still carry a hurt for that baby that only a mother can understand. But my husband and I grew closer together, I met the doctor that would one day deliver my triplets, our family prayed for us like they have never prayed before. God guided me down unfamiliar paths that I would not have chosen to walk down myself. He lit the right way before me and darkened the paths that I did not need to go down. I learned to lean on Him when the road grew rough and I watched in wonder as He smoothed them right before my eyes.

I shudder to think where I would have ended up had I gone through losing this baby, and the seven after it, without knowing the Lord was with me through it all. Life can painfully blind us at times, without warning or remorse. Who is going to lead you? How will you make it out? How will you get through the rough times?

God promises that He will do these things for you...He will not forsake you. He will not leave you where you are at. He can make that dark path before you illuminate like you have never seen it before! You may not know where you are headed but just take a hold of His hand and follow Him. He knows where you are going and trust me, it's a far better place than you could ever get to by yourself.

October 15th is ironically for me Pregnancy and Baby Loss Remembrance Day around the world. Check out this site and hug a friend you know is suffering today. If you have never lost a baby, hug your kids extra hard today for they are gifts from God!

To my crew of babies up in Heaven..."Momma loves you little angels and I can't wait to hug you for real one day. No matter how short your lives were, you were created for a purpose and I thank God for that!"