This past summer I went on a family vacation to Puerto Rico. Together with my family and husband we explored old castles, went zip-lining, traveled to different beaches, and enjoyed meals and games together.
However, one of the most memorable times of the trip was taking a catamaran to an island off the coast about 45 minutes. 45 minutes of (what we did not know would be) a super bumpy ride, crashing into wave after wave, jerking around those on the boat.
Multiple times each person in my family thought they were going to lose it. How much longer? How much more could we take before we all ended up like the kid in the front of the boat throwing up?
In an effort to get through the “storm”, my brother and I started singing songs that had the words “wave” or “ocean” in them, which I originally thought was fun distraction. We kept singing the song I posted below, over and over. I let my mind picture the water from the crashing ocean slowly washing over me, like the way God lavishes his Love on us in the midst of the waves of life.
I tried to let it all sink in.
It is in the deep, when we are being tossed about, that we often realize we need Him MOST.
And in life, just like on that catamaran, sometimes we are holding steady. The road is bumpy, but maybe we’re distracted or focused on not getting totally rocked. But then other times, we are so down and desperate, we feel like getting sick because we’re so tired of the “waves”. But then someone comes into our waves and goes through it with us until we find peace again, just like my brother and I did singing for each other.
We finally arrived to a glowing white sandy beach with clear waters and clear skies, completely isolated. It was breathtaking. It was paradise! Looking back on the boat ride, I couldn’t see the clouds of fear, I saw the sunshine. I remembered how difficult it was, but I also remembered how we got through it–WITH each other, focusing on God’s strength and the words of the song to keep us focused.
The destination was worth it all.
_____________
This year my husband and I faced a storm no one ever wants to go through. We lost our first child to miscarriage. I ache just typing that.
I don’t share this because I want to, I share it to perhaps offer a small glimmer of hope or comfort for someone out there who may have gone through something similar.
This song that we sang on the boat captures a piece of the journey I’ve been on this past summer, and calls to mind all the ways that He makes me brave.
Brave to get up each day and face the world with that tiny void and pain in my heart that was our baby.
Brave to trust that He is my sole comforter and His providence reigns.
Brave to trust that He is faithful when I don’t understand why, and to put my hope in the Lord’s promises.
Brave to know when my eyes well up in complete overwhelming sorrow, I still carry our child in my heart and in my prayers.
Brave to allow myself time to grieve.
Brave to minister to those who are going through something similar.
Brave to forgive others when they don’t seem to understand.
Brave to allow His grace to hold me when I can’t stand.
Brave to know the pain I feel is a reflection of how deeply we loved.
He makes me brave to recognize that I am not responsible for the life we lost.
He makes me brave to look to Him as the example of suffering in love and drawing near to Him in my own suffering. He knows our pain.
He makes me brave to think about what Mary must have felt losing her only son Jesus; What Sarah and Hannah must have felt like in their years of infertility.
And I pray He makes me brave to look back on this trying time and remember the joy we felt when God decided to entrust us with a child.
With all the topics out there being discussed, society is relatively silent about miscarriage. Miscarriage is common, affecting at least 1/5 of pregnancies, and yet there are still many misconceptions or misunderstandings.
There are plenty of women out there who suffer through it alone. It can be very hard to talk about and hard to share. When it happens so frequently but isn’t acknowledged, it can cause the woman to feel shame, as if it was her fault. In this secret loss, she may feel implicit pressure to “move on” without actually processing and properly dealing with the hurt in order to heal.
A miscarried child is not a “piece of tissue”, but a wanted and loved child of God knit together for a purpose. It’s hard to convey to others just how special and important that family member is when he or she seems to dart so quickly in and out of your life; but nonetheless, it is the loss of a family member, just like any other.
We should celebrate the lives of those in the womb, not pretend they were never there. We should celebrate the gift of participating with God in His creative nature and offer ourselves to nurture and cherish a vulnerable soul, even if God calls our child home. And, we should still celebrate mothers who birthed their children into heaven, instead of on earth.
This was not my plan, but God uses what can tear us apart inside to ultimately work for our good. I can have hope that God’s timing is perfect. His knowledge is more perfect than mine. His will is more pure than mine.
If you’ve experienced a similar type loss, please know there are people who want to support you. Even if others don’t understand what you’re going through, don’t know what to say, or can’t grasp the gravity of your pain, there is first and foremost a God who wants to walk with you through that. I hope this song reminds you that the Lord is FOR you and not against you.
And secondly, there are other women who can identify with you and grasp the myriad of emotions, as they’ve been through it too. They are living testaments that somehow, someway, there is a bigger plan. Their guidance and understanding was pivotal in my experience. Feel free to message me if you’d like to connect with a group like this. This book might be a good place to start as well.
I miss our baby every day. And I strive to live out that call to motherhood by taking care of those around me. Although I am not in control of my future, I do know we will be reunited with our precious little one at the Heavenly banquet one day. We have been through the storm and know God’s blessings can come through the waves and the rain. I look forward to one day being united fully with my entire family in the true paradise.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2
MEET ROSEMARY~
Rosemary Ferrera lives in Northern Virginia where she works for a pro-life non profit and is a wife to her college sweetheart. She is passionate about helping women learn to tie together faith and fitness to be free to become all that God created them to be. Rosemary promotes this mission on her blog SoulStrongFitness.com and also works part-time as an online health coach. Rosemary is a former Miss Virginia, is active in her church as a youth leader, and is mother to one in heaven.
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He does help us weather the storms. But man, we still have to live them. I’ve done a ton of reading/learning lately about how to walk beside those who are going through great hurt, tragedies, illness. I hope God is teaching our generation to be better at being there for one another. It helps. Rosemary, I’m sorry for your loss!
Living them is oh so difficult. Thanks for visiting Traci! What books have you been reading on the subject?
I am so sorry for your loss, Rosemary. I love what you said . . . “We have been through the storm and know God’s blessings can come through the waves and the rain.” Amen, sister. Some of my deepest and most tender moments with Jesus were in the days after of my son’s death. So very hard and yet, so very rich. Thank you for sharing your story!
God is greater than anything we could be going through – and He is always with us
Absolutely, Andrea!
Yes, life on this side of Heaven requires courage. It takes bravery to look up and have hope even when we’re grieving, even when we don’t have the guarantee that everything will be ok. God bless you! Thank you for being brave enough to share your testimony.
I am so sorry for your loss. We experienced a miscarriage earlier last year. It was our fourth baby, but it still hurt. Thank you for sharing and encouraging others!
I’m so sorry for your loss, Tara. It hurts us every time a baby is born into heaven. Much love to you.