October 25, 2016 - Our Due Date

To some they may not understand why today was such a big deal to us, or families like us who have experienced the pain of losing a child. I couldn't wait to find out our exact due date when we found out we were pregnant. I wanted to know when I could expect this baby to be here. October 25 was supposed to be the very last day for Olivia to come, if we made it that far. It was the day that we knew we would either already have our baby girl here, or would be having her that day. It was the finish line that we were so excited to reach.

Aiden with the Princess Minnie we got in honor of Olivia Grace. 

Today was a hard day. It's the day she was supposed to be here. It was a day that brought back all of the pain and emotions that were felt on July 2nd, when we heard the news that Olivia no longer had a heartbeat. This day was supposed to be a day of joy for our family. It may not seem like a "big deal" to others, but to us it was.

Riding Prince Charming Regal Carrousel

We woke up to texts and messages from people who were just letting us know that they were thinking about us and praying for us, which meant more than you will ever know to us. One even reassuring me that I could do this, and make it through today, and of course she was right! I don't think we've ever felt as loved as we do now.

We decided that we would spend the day at the most magical place on earth, Disney. :-) We thought this was the best way to honor our precious Olivia Grace. Although it was a hard day, we had a great day. The weather was absolutely perfect, the crowds were low, and we got to spend uninterrupted time together. There were a few moments that I choked up or had to fight back the tears, but over all it was good.

We had a few fast passes for Character meet and greets, and rode a few rides. I was a little upset to see that Aurora (Sleeping Beauty for the non-Disney people) was not meeting with Cinderella. I had this plan in my head, and had hoped that she would be the visiting princess, but she was not. We decided to skip, as it was Elena of Avalor, and just took a picture with Cinderella.

We also took Aiden to his very first Character dining experience. My dad was able to get us a reservation at Crystal Palace. As you can see from the pictures, Aiden wasn't too impressed with the characters. ;-) He loved them from far away, but when they got close, he wanted nothing to do with them. The food was absolutely AMAZING though. It was so good.

My dad also had sent a surprise for us that was at our table waiting. We got a few questions as to why we had all of it our table, and one "congratulations." I think people were just confused because we came in with a boy, and had all of this pink princess stuff, and of course they didn't know why we were there.

Mickey Rice Crispy Treats, my favorite, and Goofy Taffy

The balloon that was attached to our treats. 

Loved all the details

Baby boy surrounded by pink! 

There was one cast member who gave us fast passes to see Tinker Belle, because we had to wait on Snow White, so shared with her a little bit of our story.

This verse was sent to me on Monday, and I have repeated over and over again since then.

I woke up feeling more at peace about today through everything that has happened. I know that God is in control, and that He loves me. It's just so hard to understand why this happened. Nevertheless, through it all, we will praise Him. We will turn our sorrow and pain into a light for Him. He will have the final say, and we know He holds the victory.

I love that my tattoo is showing in the middle of this picture!

Olivia was with us today, just like she is everyday. We can't wait for the day we are reunited with our baby girl in eternity. Until that day comes, we will honor and remember her in every way we can.

Grace is Enough

As we get closer to Tuesday, our due date; the more emotional, anxious, and upset I get. I am struggling big time, and I've been trying so hard to hold it in. This weekend has been so hard, yet exactly what I needed. 

You stood outside my grave

With tears still on Your face

On Friday, we had a girls worship night out. We went to see Bethel Music, and it was amazing. The Spirit of God was definitely in that arena. It felt as though everything the band said, as they were ministering, was exactly what I needed to hear. In fact there was one part of the concert, if you can even call it that, that Amanda Cook was singing spontaneously from her heart and she sang "I'm on a cliff about to fall." She then proceeded to talk about how we needed to let go and fall into the arms of Jesus, that He will be there to catch us. These were the EXACT words I sent to Jen a day before. I had been texting Jen and was telling her how I have felt this week. We talked about how I felt like I've been on this cliff, and am literally on the edge about to fall. 

I heard You say my name 

My night was turned to day

I realized in that that has been my problem all along; not being able to let go and fall. Being true to myself and my feelings. I've been afraid to be completely honest with myself, and to let myself fall into God's arms. In that moment it clicked that I have to let go, as hard as it, I have to let God have his way.

As they continued ministering, they began to talk about how it's time to let God move, and awaken the part of you that died. We have to let him perform His miracle. Then, they went into this song: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRG5U-RaVdI 

Of course by this point, I am a complete wreck (in a good way). When we heard the words that Olivia had no heart beat and that she had passed, there was a part of me that died as well. My hope, my dream, my future was suddenly gone. I have been scared and afraid to face that death. I've tried my very best to hide my feelings, my hurt, my emotions, and my pain. I've been telling myself that I have to be ok, I have to be strong. My reasoning behind this was: 1) I'm a pastor's wife, I felt like I have this standard to uphold, and that by "losing it" I am failing; 2) I felt like people were looking to me to be strong and be ok. These are lies and unrealistic standards that I've put on myself. 

You came, I knew that You would come

You sang, My heart it woke up

I put this pressure on myself for no reason. I kept telling myself if I push it to the back, I can control it. And I can't.... I can't control or contain my emotions. It's only made it worse, and in the process, hurt me more.

I'm not afraid, I see Your face, I am alive

You came, I knew that You would come

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 

You said death's only sleeping

With one word my heart was beating

I have quoted this verse so many times, but I never knew it's true meaning until now. This version, The Message, brings so much power and understand to this verse:

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, 

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.

My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. 

I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

This got me... I definitely wouldn't call what we've been through a gift. I have prayed and cried out to God to not let it be true. In fact, while we were getting ready to deliver Olivia, I kept begging that God would somehow make her heart start beating again. I just wanted all of this pain and hurt to be gone. I don't want to deal with it, I don't want to face it. But, the very next line gives me hope. 

"My grace is enough; it's all you need."

It's only by God's grace and power that I am still standing right now. We feel as though we've literally been through hell. We have experienced the effects of death in a way that most people will never experience. We have walked through the lowest of lows in the past two and a half months. And I have been so scared to face that truth.

I rose up from my grave

My fear was turned to faith

I have put up this facade. I told myself that I am okay and that I am strong, when I am not. I am a wreck, and barely holding it together. It wasn't until this weekend that I understood what I have been doing. 

You are a miracle working God

You are a miracle working God

Fast forward to today, Sunday. As we began to worship, I couldn't stop the tears. Partially because Chase sang songs about grace, which is Olivia's middle name. It's {not so} ironic that the middle name that we picked for her, is the very thing I need the most. At the end we always have a time to respond and elders who are available for prayer. I knew that I needed prayer. I am at my weakest right now, and feel as though I'm barely hanging on. I didn't have to say to much, Mrs. Patsy knew exactly what I needed. 

You are a miracle working God

You are a miracle working God

As she began to pray over me, she prayed that I would be released from myself. There are so many things that she said, that I needed to hear. I explained to her that I have been holding on and trying to be strong, because I feel like I have to be. She then said something that I've been told many times, by many people, but it's so hard for me to grasp. She said that I do not have to be strong. I'm not expected to be ok. God can not move until I am real and honest with myself. Until I let go. 

You turn my fear into faith 

You raise me up from the grace

Something clicked this weekend, and I realize now that it is ok to be broken. It's ok for people to see my weakness. In my weakness, God can and will show up. He will use the weakness, just as much, if not more than He can use the strength. 

You came, I knew that You would come

I am so beyond thankful for the people that God has placed in our lives. We don't have to pretend to be something that we are not. We can be us, and know that they genuinely do care about us. 

Tuesday will still be a hard day for us, but I feel more at peace about it. I know that His grace and strength will get me through. 

A New Beginning

You may read this title and automatically think I'm talking about the move... But, I'm not. When something traumatic happens in your life, such as loosing a child, you basically have to start over. It feels as if your identity has been wiped clean, and you are a completely different person. Lately, I've been doing a lot of studying on my identity.

Through waters uncharted my soul will embark

I'll follow your voice straight into the dark

Before we lost Olivia, when someone asked me who I was (my identity) I would reply that I live for my family. I am a mom and wife before all other things. I am a Christian, a daughter, a sister; I am me. When you lose someone close to you, there is a before and an after. There is a distinct difference between the two. It's almost as if your life stops and restarts. It's hard to remember what life was like before the pain of the loss, especially when it is your child you are grieving. My problem before, was that I was building my identity on things of this world.

And if from the course You intend 

I depart

Speak to the sails of my wondering heart

If you look up the word identity, it is defined as who someone is; the quality or beliefs that make a particular person different from others. Our identity is found in the distinct characteristics that set us apart from everyone and give us worth. Our identity is based on what our heart craves and loves the most. This is also what motivates and moves us.

Like the wind 

You'll guide

Each of us want to matter and to take our place in the world; we want to know why our life counts and what sets us apart. We all have a need for a significant identity. While we all have this need, we also seem to at some point in our lives have an "identity crisis." This is because so often, we build our identity on things that move - things that aren't dependable or constant.

Clear the skies before me

And I'll guide this open sea

When we try to find our significance and worth in ourselves and others, we will often find ourselves disappointed, upset, and hurt. We are an imperfect people; without the right foundation we are worthless. We have to build our worth on something that has value.

Like the stars 

Your Word 

Will align the voyage

In 1 Samuel 16:1-13, David receives a new identity. He goes from being a keeper of his father's sheep, to receiving the anointing of God in a moment. In verse 13 it says, "the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward." Each of us share the destiny and calling of David; we too have been rushed by the Spirit of God, and will rule as the sons and daughters of God. (Ephesians 1:11-14; 1 John 3:1)

And remind me where I've been

And where I am going

 If we allow our worth and significance to come from something so solid and eternal as God, we don't have to pretend when we are imperfect. We don't have to try and manage our image or pretend we are okay, when we are really broken. God's grace changes everything in defining who we are. 2 Corinthians 4:7 says, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." Christ's Spirit is the treasure inside of our broken life, he is moving and working in us in powerful and unique ways. Each jar of clay is shaped differently to hold His Spirit for different purposes. Each jar has unique marks, cracks, and broken places; but through these places, God shines through. The places where we feel most vulnerable in our identity, are the ones that are the most useful to God. He uses these unique places to show His glory.

Lost in the shadows amidst fear and fog 

Your trust is the compass that points me back north

When our value, self-worth, and identity comes from God, it can't be found in how we measure up. So whether you feel worthy or ashamed of your brokenness, know that it is God's character that gives us worth, not our own. We have been saved through our faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Jesus 

My Captain

My soul's trusted Lord

All my allegiance is rightfully yours

We all have an insane calling, and an insane identity; we just have to accept it. We have to choose to build it on the right things.

Like the wind 

You'll guide

For me, this is a hard thing to do. There are so many times that I hide behind Chase or even Aiden. I look at their callings, ministry, and lives and think that there is nothing that I can do to compare. However, we can't compare our calling or identity to others. We all have a unique identity, purpose, and calling.

Clear the skies before me

And I'll guide this open sea

For so long, my identity has been based on other people. Before marriage, it was my family, then it was my marriage, then it was Aiden. When we found out we were pregnant with Olivia, I suddenly felt like I had a new identity to step into. I was going to be a mom to two under two. I started studying and researching how I could be a better mom to both of my children with both of them being so young. When we found out Olivia no longer had a heartbeat, that all came crashing down. It was as if my "clay" was thrown up against the wall. Everything suddenly changed in that moment.

Like the stars 

Your Word 

Will align the voyage

My identity now includes that I am a grieving mother. That includes the days that I dread facing. The times that I have to go hide in the bathroom because of a melt down. The things that trigger a memory that suddenly sends a spiral of emotions. The times that I just want to lay in bed all day and cry. It's a part of my identity that will always be there, and I am learning how to cope with. But, through this new identity comes a new ministry.

And remind me where I've been

And where I am going

This means that I am constantly broken, and there is no way to rebuild my new identity on anything except for Christ. It is through Him that I am able to face the hard days. He is the only thing that is constant in my life, and that has never been more clear than now.

Jesus 

My Captain

My soul's trusted Lord

All my allegiance is rightfully yours


https://youtu.be/dfhy8COCrEc

Our Tattoos...

Tattoos are such a taboo subject in the south. You either love them or hate them. We didn't really have a preference on them, until we had a reason to get one. 

Our before picture

After Olivia passed, we talked about getting something in tribute of her. We will NEVER forget our baby girl, and her life has changed us in so many ways, but we wanted to do something special for her. Something that would last until we were with her again. We talked about it, prayed about it, researched it, and sought out Godly wisdom on them. We both have so much peace and happiness from the designs we choose. 

The story behind mine...

I searched and searched for a cool design or something "different" that would remind me daily of my baby girl. Every thing I looked at just didn't seem "good enough." At first, I talked about getting her foot prints, but I just didn't like the way that looked; and it would be easy for people to assume they were Aiden's. I wanted something that not only reminded me of Olivia and the impact her life has made, but that would also give me a reason to share our story. 

I was doing my quiet time, and reading my book, "Grieving the Child I Never Knew" [Which has helped me tremendously, and I believe I came across it at the exact moment God wanted me to in Barnes and Noble.] when something stood out to me. Her name. The devotional for that day was on not being afraid to say your child's name. It talked about how to some, saying the name may make them feel uncomfortable, but by calling their name, it is refusing to let their life be forgotten and aids in the healing process. It went on to talk about how God knew your child's name, before you even named that child. 

"But now, this is what the Lord says - he who created you, he who formed you: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." Isaiah 43:1

"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands..." Isaiah 49:15-16

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:13

One of my fears, has been that life will just "go on" as it was before. That Olivia will be forgotten, as though she never existed. Reading this brought into perspective that no matter what happens, who knows, who doesn't know, who forgets, who remembers... The One who spoke the Earth into creation, not only knows my baby's name, He knows her. For me, her name means everything. We choose the perfect name for our baby girl, because we wanted it to have the perfect meaning. While I was pregnant we searched and searched for a name that we not only loved, but that also held power in it's meaning. God knew what the future held, and he knew that the meaning of her name would get us through these dark times. He knew exactly what we needed.

This gave me the idea for the perfect tattoo... Her name. There is nothing that means more to me, than her name... Olivia Grace. It is a daily reminder of the peace and grace that we have received in the darkest of times. It is a reminder of my precious, perfect baby girl. It is a reminder that God's Will be done, and the He knows best. It is a reminder that God is not done with us yet, and that He has the final say.

I immediately knew that I wanted my tattoo on my arm. As a mom, you look forward to being able to hold and love on your kids all the time. I'm able to carry Aiden in my arms (right now) whenever I want. I was only able to hold Olivia in my arms for a few moments, before she was taken away. My heart aches with such longing to hold my baby girl in my arms; to be able to wrap her up, and kiss her forehead. Because she no longer lives on this Earth, her name and story is all I have. By getting her name tattoo'd on my arm is my way to always carry her with me, even when I can not physically carry her.

The blue at the top, is from when I was deciding on where to place it. ;-)

The story behind Chase's...

Chase could probably write this, and explain his way better than I can, but I will try and explain it, however, I advise you to ask him when you see him. :-) 

Chase wanted something that was dedicated to our baby girl, but that also had a double meaning. He wanted something that would make people ask what his tattoo meant. So, that is what he got. :-) We both love his design, and Shane did an awesome job of turning his idea into an awesome piece. 

His tattoo uses the Greek lettering of Alpha (his right) and Omega (his left), Chi (the X) and Rho (the P). Chi and Rho are the first two letter of Christ in Greek. Alpha means the beginning, and Omega means the ending. The "leaves" around the crest are olive branches. The name Olivia literally means olive tree. In the bible an olive tree or olive branches, are a symbol of peace. (Read the story of Noah) So, if you put the whole tattoo together, it means that Christ is both the beginning and ending of all peace. 

Chase's explanation is that Christ is the source of his peace, it is found only in Him. The olive branches, have a double meaning, because of what Olivia's name means, they are also a tribute to her. They are surrounding the letters, because it is through her that we have been able to find true peace through Him. 

Chase's outline 

Our tattoos are a constant reminder of our baby girl, and the goodness of our God. We absolutely love them, and are so proud of them. It gives me hope and oh, so much joy!

Thy Will...

Thy will be done... That is something that I'm sure many of us had prayed, sang, and trusted in. Thy (God's) will be done. What does that mean? What is God's will?

Here is what the bible says about God's will..

1. "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

2. "Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Hebrews 13:20-21

3.  "Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." Ephesians 5:15-17

4. "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:36

5. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that be testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

It's even in the Lord's prayer...

6. "....your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..." Matthew 6:10

This is what Jesus said was his will, his purpose...

7. "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." John 6:38-40

So what is God's will? I believe that while we do have the choice of free will, each of us have a certain "purpose" on this Earth. We have to make the choice to fulfill that "purpose" or "will".  The first choice we make towards fulfilling His will for our lives is whether or not we will choose Him. His will is that His children love Him and seek Him. Without Him, we are nothing. There is no "will" or "purpose" without the Sovereignty of God.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength... Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

"'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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

The very first thought I had, after coming to the realization that our Olivia was gone, was "God, how can this be your will." In my mind, in that moment, God had taken away my baby girl. He had crushed my hopes and dreams. Throughout this process of grief and healing, I have often repeated that same question. I just don't understand how this can be a part of His plan. How can God allow us to hurt this much? I have read so many scriptures, testimonies, blogs, and several devotions and still haven't come up with an answer. I don't think that we will ever truly understand why this happened on this earth, but we can have hope. We can lean on God and trust that his will is the best. He is Sovereign. He is God and I am not... He is the God of miracles... His life is flowing through my veins... He has given us promise after promise, and he will not fail us. 

"God is our shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not be afraid." Psalm 46:1-2

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27

"Do you now know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16

By clinging to God's promises, we feel safe and secure, protected, and led. He is our refuge. In Him, we can find comfort. We can find peace. We can find strength. We can find true joy and happiness again. In Him, his will, will be revealed. 

I stand before You now

The greatness of your renown

While I don't have all the answers, and still don't understand why this happened to us, I do see the affect it has had. It has been through much prayer and studying, that I have realized that God did not take away my baby girl, He saved her. As much as I want Olivia Grace here on this earth with me, she is in heaven. I'm sure if she had the choice, she would choose to stay there, and I couldn't blame her. She will never experience the kind of heartache that I have, she gets to live in heaven for eternity with our Savior. She drew the big straw, she gets the better end of the deal. Her life has purpose, and has brought so much joy to our lives. She has changed us. And I like to think that she is helping God align the path for our family. 

I have heard of the majesty and wonder of you

King of Heaven, in humility, I bow

A few days after the passing of Olivia Grace, Chase got an unexpected email. Before everything happened, we had been praying about God's will for our lives and family. We wanted more out of life. We want(ed) so bad to make an impact for the kingdom, and it just didn't feel like we were doing that where we are. We talked and prayed about whether or not we felt like this opportunity was something that we wanted to pursue. At first, I had so many emotions and was broken about it. (I was already broken enough without adding anything else on top of that.) It seemed like this was the perfect opportunity, but I didn't understand why now. I was scared. I was scared that if we made any decisions, that we were choosing to move on, and I wasn't ready. I was not ready to "get over" the fact that I had just lost a child. Now seemed like the most unconventional, and worst time for God to start answering prayers. Especially, when we just cried out to him a few days ago to make our baby girl move. In my selfish mind, I felt like if He was going to answer any prayers, it should have been that one. If you can't tell, I was mad at God... I felt like this was all His fault. I kept thinking, "How am I supposed to pray about a decision that could ultimately separate me from my baby girl." If we stay where we are, we are only 10 minutes away from where she lays "sleeping." It was during all of this, that God broke my heart even more, but in a totally different way. My sweet, loving, Godly husband snapped me out of it... And I will never forget his words... "This is going to make you cry and it is going to upset you, but I have to say it. She is not there. Her body is there, but she is not, and you know it. No matter where we go she will be with us. We will never forget her." He was right, and the flood gates opened. He said I couldn't let fear of leaving because this is where she is buried stand in the way of what God wants. He said we didn't have to make a decision right this second, but made me promise to pray about it. I sat on my couch, holding Aiden, crying and praying most of the afternoon. 

As Your love, in wave after wave

Crashes over me, crashes over me

I didn't pray for an answer, I just prayed for peace. "If this is your will, give me peace." That's all I wanted. That's all I needed. Peace. Remember from my previous blog, Olivia means a symbol of peace. :-) While I was crying out to the Lord, basically begging for peace, it was like a wave overcame me. 

For You are for us

You are not against us

God can give you unexplainable peace. Before all of this happened, I struggled with anxiety almost daily. I have anxiety attacks, which are easier to hide, but make me feel like I'm dying on the inside. I usually just work myself up to that point, and I have no idea why. So, having peace is always something that I've struggled with. Not that I don't trust God, I've just let fear get in the way in my peace. I'm not going to lie and say that I'm off of all anxiety medicine now, because I am not, but I can tell you that I have more peace now than I have ever had. God has used everything that has happened to work on certain areas in my life, and this is a big one! 

"The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." Psalm 29:11

Chase text me and asked if it was a thumbs up or thumbs down on my end, because he needed to know what I was feeling. I sent him a thumbs up. I had my answer, and the reassurance I needed from the one who holds the future. I still had a lot of questions, and some fear, but I had to trust in God's will, and that He would work everything out for us. 

Champion of Heaven

You made a way for all to enter in

While we have prayed over every position we've ever taken, this one was different. The prayer and thinking that went into this decision was more than any other. Our life is different now. For one, we are moving for the first time with a child, but we also just had to bury a child. My fear was that people would think that we were taking this position to try and run away from what happened. I told Chase before we left for our visit, that I was scared people would think or say that. And some have... As much as I wish there were, the is absolutely no way to run from the pain of losing a child. It is not something you can run or get away from. That child is always with you. Olivia will be with us no matter where we are. {Call me what you want, but every time I say that or think that the song "He Lives in You" from The Lion King plays in my head. (I admit that I am a Disney Junkie and have an obsession with all things Disney, and am proud of it.) But, it's the truth! Just change He to She...} This decision was not a spur of the moment decision, because of what we were going through. This decision has been prayed over, thought over, and we have sought out the Lord's will.

I have heard You calling my name

I have heard the song of love that You sing

It is no secret that we LOVE Disney, but our love for Disney goes further than just Disney. Every time we've gone to Disney, we have fallen more in love with the area and location (Orlando). During all of our prayers and seeking, we have talked about and prayed that God would put an area on our heart. When we began praying for our ministry, and where God might lead us next, we wanted to not only have a heart for the church, but also the city. This was something that we had never prayed before. Before, we only focused on the church. While the church is so very important, we believe that you also need a heart for the community. How are you supposed to minister to the community, if you don't have a heart for it? 

So I will let You draw me out beyond the shore

Into Your grace

Your grace

When we took our last trip to Disney in late May-early June, it was just Chase and I. We talked about how we both such a heart for that area. We also talked about how amazing it would be to do this all the time, to be able to raise our kids there. It was only a few days after we left, that the shooting happened in Orlando. We both literally ached for the community. To us, it almost felt like "home." 

You make me brave

You make me brave

You call me out beyond the shore into the waves

I say all of this, to show you that God will give you the desires of your heart. He will bless you far more than you've ever imagined. In all of our pain that we faced, we never imagined that on opportunity like this was waiting just around the corner. When it didn't seem like it, He was listening to our prayers. He was preparing us for His ministry. 

You make me brave

You make me brave

No fear can hinder now the love that made a way

We went on July 22-25 to "try out" and formally interview for the position. I say "we" but ultimately it was Chase. We both fell in love with the area, the church, the vision, and the possibilities. It was everything that we had prayed for. The church is in Altamonte Springs, Florida, which is just outside of Orlando... It is approximately 30 miles to the entrance gate of Magic Kingdom, according to google maps. ;-)

I like to think that Olivia had a hand in this move and opportunity. Everything has lined up perfectly for us. We had initially planned on getting involved in a support group that is located in Montgomery, before we decided to take this position. They take summers off, and start back in August, so we were having to wait until they started back with their monthly meetings. We have recently found out that there is not only a huge support group for people who like us, have experienced the loss of  infants, but there are also a few people in the church who have a very similar story to ours.

You make me brave

You make me brave

No fear can hinder now the promises you made

As much as we would have never chosen this path of grief and loss, it has completely changed our lives and our ministry. There are so many people that we will now be able to connect with and show the love and grace of Christ, that we would have never been able to minister too before this. We are so excited to see what God has in store for us, and for His ministry. He is making me brave, and calming all of our fears. He is still working and changing me, for His glory. He is continually revealing His will for us. Seek Him, and you will find Him.

Look out Disney, here we come!! :-)

https://youtu.be/6Hi-VMxT6fc

The Dreaded Questions

As I have slowly started going out a little more, I've been dreading the comments and questions that may arise. If you are a person who has experienced loss and grief, you will understand what I'm talking about. Today one of those "dreaded" comments hit me like a ton of bricks. I was holding Aiden when a man asked me how old he was, just trying to make small talk. When I told him the man said,  "It's about time for another one isn't it?" My heart shattered into a million pieces. This man had no clue what my family has experienced in the past few weeks, and he meant no harm in the statement, but I wasn't prepared for it. All I could do was shake my head and say not right now, then turn and walk away with a lump in my throat. It's in these moments that all I can do is ask God for strength; that has been my prayer over and over and over. 

There are so many times that I just feel broken and like a total mess, and the only thing I can get out is "God give me strength." And every time I say that prayer, I feel an overwhelming peace. (I think it's no coincidence that the name that we picked out for our little girl - the very week that she entered into Heaven - is a symbol of peace and grace). 

No matter what we go through, God can and will give us the strength and peace we need to get through it, all we have to do is just ask. There are two verses that I have clung to through this heartache - One was sent to me by someone that I look up to and have the most respect for; the other just happened to be the first verse I read after everything happened. They are my go to verses when feel like I can't go on, and when I need strength. 

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” - Psalms‬ ‭147:3‬ 

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  - Isaiah‬ ‭40:31‬ ‭‭

 We all have "mountains" that we have to climb in our lives, whether you are climbing it today or in 5 years. No matter how big or small your mountain is, God will give you the strength to get through. He will bind up your wounds and renew your strength. 

I'm fairly positive that there will be 1,000 more tough questions and comments for us to face, but I know that He will give me the strength I need to face them, even if I am fighting back, or quite possibly burst into, tears.