Psalm 139:13-16

"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."

Monday, February 28, 2011

Birthday Week

Happy birthday week, my sweet Grace!  Your daddy and I are celebrating you this week as we wait to meet you Friday!  I cannot believe we are so close to getting to meet you and see your sweet face!  We are praying extra for you this week, that God would continue to use your life to give Him glory, and that He would heal you.  We pray that He would guide us as your parents as we make further decisions for you after you are born.  We pray that God would be with your "team" of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, etc, and that He would be with our family and friends as they can't wait to meet you.  We pray for continued peace throughout the week as we prepare for you.  We pray that we will get to spend the most time with you as we can, as we celebrate your precious life.  Most importantly, we pray for God's will to be done through our family.

I feel so blessed to be your momma.  I feel chosen.  Thank you for changing my life.  I love you to the moon and back!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Grace's Song

Yesterday, a local radio station, Star 93.5 FM, had a segment in honor of our sweet Grace!  We continue to be amazed at how many people are joining with us as we pray for Grace.  We are so thankful.


Here is the spotlight song they played after the segment:

Friday, February 25, 2011

One Week!

I cannot believe by this time next week, Chad and I will meet our precious baby girl Grace!  We are excited as we prayerfully await her arrival.  We have been her parents now for 38 plus weeks, and are so excited to see her face next Friday.  Please join with us as we pray for her, all of our team of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, etc., and our families and friends as we prepare to meet this sweet girl.

We are scheduled to check in at 6:00 am next Friday, March 4, for our C-section at UMC.  The rest that will happen that day is unknown to us, but we know that our God knows exactly what will happen.  We trust that He will guide us as we long to make the best decisions for Grace as her parents.  We know that He will be near to us throughout it all.  We have found peace in His presence and power.

Thank you is inadequate to express our gratitude for all of your love and prayers for us during the past few months and in the coming weeks and months.  Literally, I don't know how to thank you.  We are truly blessed to have an amazing group of people praying on our behalf.  We pray that somehow you will know how much your care and concern means to us.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Friday, February 18, 2011

The God We Serve is Able

We have a date for our baby girl's birthday: March 4, 2011!  That is two weeks from today.  Grace is also full term now.  I cannot believe we are so close to meeting this little girl who is changing so many lives. 

Last Sunday, God spoke to me through our amazing pastor, and I just wanted to share what He has taught me.  The message was about "Courageous Commitment" from Acts 21: 1-16.  However, scripture from Daniel 3: 16-18 got my attention.

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.'"

The thing that spoke to me in their courageous commitment was the part "the God we serve is able".  Our situations are obviously different, but the same God who was able in the Old Testament is able today.  He is able in our situation to completely, perfectly, and miraculously heal our baby girl.  I believe that with all of my heart.  He is able.  The God I serve is able.  I do not question His ability.

The unknown part is will He?  Will He heal our baby girl in the way that we want Him to heal her?  I want Him to heal her so that she is the baby I have always thought I would have...a "normal" baby.  I want Him to heal her not only for that reason, but also so that she is a testament to His power.  So that others will know His grace.

I just don't know that He will.  But I know that He is able.  I am so thankful for this truth.

Another part that spoke to me was when they said "the God we serve is able to save us from it.....but even if he does not..."  They understood that even though He is perfect and loving, God may not save them from the blazing furnace.  But they were courageously committed to Him anyway.  They wanted the king to know that they would not serve his gods or worship his image of gold even if he did not save them.

I believe that the God I serve is able to heal my baby.  But even if He does not, I want you to know
-that I will continue to serve Him
-that I will always believe in His ability and His goodness
-that His thoughts and ways are not my thoughts and ways
-that I will continue to love Him
-that I believe He will be near to me
-that my baby girl will dwell in His house forever
-that one day I will dwell in His house forever with my baby girl

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory...for ever and ever!"  To Him be glory.

36 weeks, 3 days

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Family Photos

Andrea Reed with Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep came to our home a few weeks ago when I was 33 weeks pregnant to give us family photos.  NILMDTS is an amazing foundation...there is a link to the website on the right side of my blog.  The photographers donate their gifts to families like ours.  Consider donating to support their mission.  We will be donating in honor of Grace, as well as Andrea our photographer.

Here are a few of my favorite photos...












I love this quotation from the NILMDTS website: "Dearest Baby, may you know, our greatest blessing was having you."  Grace, you are our greatest blessing.

T-Shirts - UPDATE

Hey!  I am getting a little overwhelmed/stressed with all of the t-shirt comments!  We are very thankful for your support of the Gifts for Grace campaign! 

From now on, please forward t-shirt comments/requests to Katy Shearer on Facebook or on e-mail (katy.shearer@comcast.net).  Thank you!!!  If you have already posted a comment here or on my Facebook, I will forward it to Katy.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Gifts for Grace T-Shirts

A friend of ours is offering t-shirts for sale to assist with the Gifts for Grace day (see my post http://giftsfromgrace.blogspot.com/2011/01/gifts-for-grace-day-of-giving.html).  All proceeds from the t-shirts will be donated to the Gifts for Grace campaign.  A limited number of t-shirts are available and are only $10!  Please comment if you would like a t-shirt!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

35 weeks!

Our Gracie girl is 35 weeks today!  I cannot believe that we will meet her in about 4 weeks!  We will have a C-section either March 3 or 4, unless of course she decides when she wants to meet us!  We are both excited and afraid.  Excited to meet her and see her and LOVE her!  Afraid of further decisions we will have to make and what her life will be like.  We continue to pray for wisdom with decisions.  We trust that God is with us, and that He will carry us. 


From "Unredeemed" by Selah:

Life breaks and falls apart
But we know these are
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed 



Here are some pictures of our precious baby girl!  We love her so much!!!





We love you, sweet girl, and are amazed at how your life is changing the world!  Your momma and daddy cannot wait to meet you and kiss your chubby cheeks! You never know the miracle the Father has in store.