Following is an email we sent our prayer warriors on March 28th of this year. I pray with my whole heart it blesses yours…

Friends in Christ,

This is, undoubtedly, the hardest email we’ve ever written. Most of you haven’t heard…but baby number 4 was 7 weeks along. Last night, some unsettling symptoms prompted me to call the doctors’ office. We hoped and prayed, with all our might…that this was just a bump in the road. They scheduled an ultrasound and blood work today.

The ultrasound tech had a grim look on her face, and asked if our due date could be off. I stuttered that we were pretty sure they’re correct, and God bless Ryan for asking the hard question: “why do you ask that?” In that moment my heart dropped to my feet and tears flowed as she replied “i see a yolk sack, but no baby.” She went on to say it might be a blighted ovum, which basically means the space for the baby forms, but the baby never develops.

The nurse taking my blood prayed with me. Hugged me. And reminded me of the verse that had been on my heart all day, “ALL things work together for GOOD, for those who love the Lord and are called according to His Purpose.”

Next we met with the doctor, who laid out all possibilities. The baby could have never formed, and reminded us that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage. Assured me that many friends of ours have been there, and would come forward to minister to us should we need that comfort. When she said that they want us to come back in a week for a follow-up ultrasound, the room started to spin. I couldn’t bear the thought of coming back in another seven days to get confirmation of what they suspected.

And then, a glimmer of hope: she said there is still a chance, albeit a SMALL one, that next week we come back and hear a heartbeat. That because of irregular cycles and such the dates could be off. That ultrasound will be this Wednesday.

We’re asking God for a miracle, placing this burden in His lap. Asking Him to bring more believers to Him by this baby’s testimony. But if it’s not to be so, we just pray for His Grace and Peace to rain down on our family. This has been excruciating, especially because three days after taking the test Anaya delighted us by saying “I sure hope God brings us our baby brother soon!!” All the thoughts and what ifs are trying to push their way in…………….and we just pray for Him to strike those thoughts down with His mighty arm. Replacing them with the peace that surpasses ALL UNDERSTANDING.

Please join with us in praying this little peek-a-boo baby here. Should you have prayer groups of your own you can share this with, we humbly ask that you do so, using our first names only, please. My brother and his wife are a month out from delivering their first baby, a sweet little boy. We don’t want them to hear of this and get worried. Please also pray for them: for a healthy, joyous delivery and strong baby boy.

With Easter around the bend, we KNOW the promise of new life and SEE it all around. The power of the resurrected Christ in each of us restores our hope in His infinite wisdom. God is SO GOOD, so faithful, all the time. We thank Him for the miracles that happen with each passing Spring, and thank Him for tenderly embracing our family and friends.

Most gratefully yours in Him!