the BLESSING of a photo

About two weeks ago, somehow I found my way to the website stillbirthday. As a believer, I know it was not by coincidence, but the very hand of God that led me there. I clicked on the link that shows photos of the different gestational ages of babies who were miscarried or stillborn. They are listed so parents can know what to expect if they know beforehand they will be experiencing a pregnancy loss. Or, if they already had a pregnancy loss and never saw the baby, they can see about what size the baby would have been.

I scrolled down the page and saw a photo of a 6-week gestational age baby that was miscarried. My breath caught in my throat as my mind wonders back to February 2009, to thoughts of my own 6-week gestational age child. I clicked on the photo and it led me to Bethany's blog. The photo is of her precious child, who she has named Blessing, that she miscarried.

Although it is a photo of Blessing, it feels as if I am seeing my Luke Shiloh. God wanted me to see it because it has brought me to a whole new place in my grief journey over the loss of my little precious child. I am so thankful Bethany shared it. I have only ever seen textbook images of babies this gestation and now, because of her sharing this photo, the Lord has brought greater healing and closure. My heart was very heavy when I saw the photo, yet I felt a deeper connection to this baby in Heaven and like my mind now understands in a deeper way that this was a real person.

"A person's a person, no matter how small." -Dr. Seuss

Seeing the arms, fingers, head, body...it is so powerful, beautiful and amazing. I pray that whoever sees this photo, whether you are Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, that your eyes and heart would be opened like never before. This is not tissue or a blob of cells, this is not a choice. This is a precious, valuable, sacred LIFE. An unmistakably human life. Look how our God forms a baby in a matter of just 6 weeks in the quiet, secret place of his mother's womb. It is such an incredible miracle to behold.

Blessing's life was not in vain and neither is my Luke Shiloh's life. The Lord is speaking volumes through each of their lives, telling the world how precious each unborn baby is to him. Blessing and Luke Shiloh are together, dancing eternally with the Savior, on streets of gold.

If you've had an early miscarriage, I pray this photo brings you healing. If you've had an abortion early in your pregnancy, I pray this photo will bring closure and that you will look to Christ to bring you the healing only He can give.

One single picture speaks what a thousand words cannot.

"I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well." ~Psalm 139:14


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