Having Rylee has brought so many blessings to our family-not the least of which are the families we've met. Sometimes the families have children with the same disorder as RyleeBug or also have special needs children. Often we've met these families over the bedside of their child-forging friendships, conversations set to the tune of heart and oxygen monitors. From time to time God allows us to cross paths in the most mundane of settings-work or WalMart-grinning over buggies and wheelchairs as we discuss ways to stretch a dollar. Rylee's Rally allows us to personally meet and love on the families we've only met over the phone or prayed for through a church's prayer line, heard of through a 'friend of a friend.'
For some reason God has blessed us, allowed our hearts to touch-in those quiet still moments we gain a small glimpse of His purpose for us. While we can never fully trace His hand drawn masterpiece for our family, we can always trust His heart.
'The Lord himself has gone ahead-He will be with you, He will never leave you or forsake you. Don't be afraid and don't be discouraged.' Deuteronomy 31:8 (paraphrase)
"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.'" Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Please remember in prayer this month and next those of us who have lost a child. Look us in the eye, put your arm around us...word aren't always necessary. We can never say enough what it means to us when someone remembers, talks about our sweet baby girl. Our special needs family has lost several children in the past few months-our dear friends the Fitzpatricks and Vannatters are remembering their daughters, the first year mark of Fiona and Emma's passing. Other families like our own-the Cribbs, Laneros, and Carters-are marking in our own way birthdays, imagining what their little one would look like three years old, four years old, seven years old; remembering smells and touches as a mommy, carried in their hearts forever just as they carried that precious, much longed for, perfectly made masterpiece under their heart for nine months.
Pray that God will continue to fill our hearts with a peace that passes all understanding. That our families can live the very best life possible-living with joy, laughing loudly, soaking in and enjoying every precious moment...and in doing so, by living each day to the fullest-we honor and celebrate our children's lives, and the One who gave them to us.
