Praying...

I don't know how many of you also read Nate & Tricia's blog, Confessions of a CF Husband, but he posted yesterday about the tragic death of Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest adopted daughter. I wanted to post about it last night but honestly my heart was just too heavy. I cried for them while my son was napping & the girls were at school, I prayed for them & specifically their son over & over. I went to the memorial site they set up & watched the video of their precious girl & my heart broke for them again. I have a friend who has 2 adopted daughters from China & she has often said that although they are not the daughters of her womb they are certainly the daughters of her heart. She proudly acknowledges that they were adopted in the hopes that others will be inspired by her story. In support of one of Nate's later posts, I don't think using the word "adopted" was meant as a stigma (as some people took it) it was meant as a blessing & an honor.

I cannot fathom what the Chapman family is going through right now but my mind (without my permission) keeps trying to. I suppose it is only human for our brains to jump from deep sadness for them to imagining ourselves in their place. What would we do? How could we go on? We also have a 5 year old daughter and even having my mind briefly pass over the thought of what it would be like to suddenly have her taken from us makes me feel like I can't breathe. Which brings me back to them & the overwhelming grief they must be going through. I have no doubt that God is ministering to them now, quietly in their spirits, in their prayer time, through the people around them & through the prayers of people like us, but still the days ahead of them will be so hard. Walking into her bedroom, picking up one of her favorite toys, going through the wash & finding her clothes, looking at pictures & videos, helping their children as they struggle to understand why this has happened... I pray for them, that in those little every day moments God will walk beside them & hold their hand, give them the words to comfort their children while their own hearts are hurting.

Thanks for listening... D.