Isaiah's Story


This is our Christmas card that we sent out in December of 2011. 


Dear Friends and Family,


            We have fallen out of the habit of sending a yearly Christmas card.  With everything else going on, we just did not take the time.  However, this year is different.  This year there is a story to tell.  It is a story that might otherwise be forgotten or go un-noticed.  It is the story of our son, Isaiah James.

            We found out in May that we were expecting our fifth child.  Thrilled, we told the kids shortly after.  Evan wanted to know why Mommy’s stomach wasn’t big yet.  We told him that the baby was very small at that point.  On a pregnancy website we discovered that, at this particular point of development, the baby was about the size of a blueberry.  When we told the kids, “Blueberry” quickly became the baby’s nickname!  Everyone was very excited to welcome a new blessing into our home the next January.

            This summer we vacationed in Lake City, Colorado.  We talked often of Blueberry and how he would be about six months old on our next vacation.  Being able to vacation this year with our family intact has become a treasured memory.

            Life forever changed at a routine prenatal exam on August 2nd.  After more than half an hour of searching, our doctor was unable to find the baby’s heartbeat.  Our fears were confirmed the next morning at a sonogram—for reasons unknown to all but God, our baby had died.

            That weekend we traveled to Hays Hospital to induce labor.  Early in the morning on August 6th, we were able to hold the tiny body of our little boy.  At only fifteen weeks of development, there was no denying God’s creation.  He was small enough to fit in the palm of our hands, yet we could see the details of his face and his tiny hands and feet.  By God’s grace, we were able to sing “Blessed Be Your Name” to Isaiah.  As we sang the following stanza, it began to take on a new meaning for us:



                        “You give and take away, You give and take away,

                        My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your Name!”



            Over the last few months, we have made many choices.  We have chosen to keep our hope in Christ.  We have chosen to be thankful for the time we did have with Isaiah instead of angry for the time we did not.  However, we would be lying if we said any of this has been easy.  God has been with us during this time of grief, and we have been surrounded with the love of friends, family, and a wonderful family in Christ.  Your prayers and support have meant so much!

Praise God, for Isaiah’s story does not end here!  You see, we know that when Isaiah’s life ended on earth, his life in heaven began.  He is safe in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Sometimes this knowledge has been the only thing that has enabled us to get through the day.  One glorious day, we will meet Jesus face to face, and we will also be reunited with Isaiah. 

            Isaiah’s name means “God is salvation.”  The path to heaven is not paved by good deeds that hopefully out-weigh our bad.   It is lined with the blood of Christ.  None of us is worthy, as all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  We can do nothing to earn redemption, for salvation is God’s gift to us (Ephesians 2:8-9).  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).  God loves us so very much He provided a single path to be reunited with Him—His Son. 

It is our deepest prayer to be able to share our hope with others who do not have hope.  The hope that, though we are all unworthy, eternal life does not rest on our shoulders.  Friends and family, there is nothing that is beyond what Christ can overcome.  If you are without hope this Christmas season, please know that Hope is out there.  His name is Jesus Christ, and to realize that hope you must simply repent from your sins, believe in your heart that He is Lord, and confess with your mouth that God raised Him from the dead.  Upon this decision your sins are forgiven and you, too, will be saved (Romans 10:9)! 

            Thank you for taking the time to read Isaiah’s story and to remember him.  That remembrance is a gift that you have given our family.  We hope that you feel Jesus’ presence in your lives this Christmas season and in the upcoming year.  May you be very blessed!



Love,



Matthew, Megan, Madeline, Evan, Annabelle, Lyla and Isaiah





“In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome

the world.”—(John 16:33)

Comments

  1. You wrote that really beautifully Megan, thanks for sharing.
    That same song helped me through the loss of our first baby, we heard it the day after finding out and it always reminds me of it. It more importantly reminds me about the Lord though, and how "my heart will (always) choose to say, Lord blessed be your name!"
    Praying God continues to be your comfort on the hard days

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  2. Hi Megan, my name is Shari. I love your writing of Isaiah’s story. We lost our baby at just 8 weeks pregnant, however, my son, husband and I had the incredible blessing of seeing ‘her’ in an ultrasound and hearing her heartbeat together before we lost her. So many dismiss this loss because she was so tiny and is considered by most, not as our baby, but as just a miscarriage. Thank you for writing about Isaiah and for sharing his story. I felt a bit isolated in the fact that we consider our little girl (although only God knows truely if she was a boy or girl) as a real part of our family. I’m glad to know I’m not alone. Thank you! I have a 2nd reason for writing to you and it has to do with Isaiah’s flannel rag quilt. You combined the flannel with the June Tailor colorfast sew-in inkjet fabric sheets. Can you tell me how you did the initial washing? My rag quilt kit says NOT to wash the flannel first. I’ve already made one and it shrunk considerably. Do the colorfast sheets shrink as well? Or would you recommend that I wash the flannel 1st in this case, then do the cutting and sewing of the blocks, incorporating the colorfast sheets? Please let me know what you think. My email address is: sharimarshall1@hotmail.com
    Thank you!

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