“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” ~ Psalm 139: 13-16
This post is written with the weight of a heart that grieves for a brother and sister in Christ. It comes with tears. This post comes with sadness but more than anything, it is written with hope in awe of a captivating Savior.
I glanced over to my phone as the familiar ring of a text chimed through the kitchen. Then, as quickly as I had blinked, my heart sank and the tears came. It was a message that we knew we would receive eventually, but have waited for with bated breath. It meant that sooner rather than later we will travel to surround Brooke and Brandon with love, as we walk with them and draw near to our powerful and loving God. It was confirmation that we will say goodbye.
In the spring Brooke and Brandon, two of the most amazing people on earth, were given news that things were not ok. Early into B’s pregnancy Briar was diagnosed with a neural tube defect. As the test results returned, the hearts of two parents, a family, and friends were broken while the doctors explained exactly what the diagnoses meant for this sweet boy. Brooke’s honesty and vulnerability as she blogged through her experience has shed light into a world that many people fear. She is brave and beautiful beyond words that I have to describe her. You can see her maternity pics and more of her store here.
To say that I can even begin to understand would label me a fool. I can’t. The only thing I am able to do is pray for the hearts of my friends as they grieve, listen when I can, and just be available. It feels helpless.
On September 13, 2010 at 3:38 a.m., sharing his mommy’s birthday, sweet Briar was born and welcomed into the arms of his amazing parents and in to the arms of Christ where his body was made whole. From a worldly perspective that bears the weight of death. It means that a grieving family spent bitter-sweet moments with a beautiful baby, woven perfectly by God’s design, that didn’t last long enough on this side of heaven. However, to those who are a part of the body of Christ, that sentence bears one thing that I wish the entire world could know…HOPE. Briar will never know a life of pain or suffering, he will never know sorrow. He will only know joy and the love of Christ. He will only be whole and never as we are, broken, here on earth. His parents are able to say goodbye, because of hope. Hope that they will in fact see Briar again because our goodbye is not the end.
Embracing the pain with our friends, we will celebrate baby Briar and we will praise. Though we know God is here and he has given everything, we plead for Him to come and meet us where we are. We ask him to come mend our hearts when they break. We will praise the One who is worthy alone. We will praise him because his power is made perfect in our weakness. We praise him because his arms are open and waiting to comfort us. We praise him because we do not wonder where Briar is. He is resting and cuddling sweetly in the arms of Jesus.
One Wild Hair 