from a friend~

So my sweet friend Candice, whom the Lord so beautifully used to help us step out in faith for Seth, posted about him on her new blog last week. I wanted my kids to have this in their printed copies. {Hope that's okay Candice!} It's such a comfort that others were touched by our son's little life. And that they are praying us through and walking beside us as we continue to seek the Lord and all He has for us.

Broken Hearts

November 17, 2011

I had just finished writing my first blog the other night when I got a text from my friend and photographer, Kam. They have 3 children…2 girls by labor and a boy from Thailand who was a labor of love. Her family was in the process of bringing home their 4th child Seth, a precious boy from China who had five congenital heart defects as well as a malformed right arm and hand.

The text message read…”Candice, our Seth died.”

I couldn’t breathe when I read it. I literally fell to my knees and started crying. The first words out of my mouth were, “God, why? I don’t understand.”

I immediately starting praying for Kam and her family. And then proceeded to feed the boys and go through bed and bath routines…life doesn’t stop for heart break when you’re a mom.

So I got the boys to bed and opened up my Bible. I am currently reading the Bible in a year. I do not say this to brag…in fact, I can’t believe I am 33 and have been a believer since I was 12 and I am just now reading the entire thing. Anyway, I am about a week behind and I begin to read where I left off and it says this, “But Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into Heaven. He saw God’s glory, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Acts 7:55-56

I started smiling. In my head, I could see a vivid picture of little Seth looking at the Son of Man standing by God. And Seth was whole! He could walk and his arms and hands were healed and his heart was perfect. And I just felt the Holy Spirit say to me, “He is home”.

The thing is, through this process, hundreds of people have been praying for Seth. I have a picture of him on my garage door and it says “Please pray for Seth”. He has been bathed in prayer because of Kam’s family and the people who love them. Seth was favored! God hears our prayers and God’s answer to all of our prayers was for Seth to go home. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. I know their family is devastated. I’m sure they feel like their hearts have been ripped out. I can remember the pain of our miscarriage. How I grieved for a child I had never even met. But Kam’s family had photos and a name. Seth was just as much their child whether he was in China or in their home. They had dreams of him growing up and being a part of their family. But God had other plans. And I believe His plans will bring Him glory. And more people will hear of His faithfulness because of a precious little boy named Seth. God loves Seth more than any human could ever love him…God created him.

I will continue to pray for Kam and her family. The pain will never leave them, but it will get better. And one day they will hold Seth in their arms…

Give justice to the poor and the ORPHAN, uphold the rights of the oppressed and destitute. Psalm 82:3