A year ago, this little book on pregnancy loss was released.
It’s a book that I poured everything into. A book that I have wept over and prayed on. Edited and loved and gently nudged out into the world. This messy collection of broken stories and longing hearts, peels back the layers of grief to reveal something raw and tender. Hope.
Because hope after a pregnancy loss isn’t a myth.
And yet, we know that the road isn’t an easy one. The pain of losing a child is sharp and messy; a fire hotter than anything we’ve had to endure before. Standing in the furnace, the flames press in around us — blistering and suffocating. Blindly, we call out to be rescued. For God to remove this pain. It’s too much too handle.
But He draws us closer still.
And over the roar of the inferno, we hear the still small voice. The voice of a shepherd, steady and true. The voice of One calling us to press in and dig deep. To lift these hands seared by fire lifted high in surrender.
Not to run. But to embrace.
To embrace our grief as a means of drawing closer to the God who stands with us through the fire. To find freedom knowing that we don’t have to be afraid of what we might uncover. That Christ meets us there, on our darkest most devastating of days, and every day after.
To embrace the God who fully understands the depth of our sorrow. A God who has felt the weight of separation. A God who has conquered and defeated death on a cross through the work of His Son.
To embrace the story we’ve been given. Beautiful, heartbreaking, messy and marred. Wounded and scarred. This is a glorious testament.
As we explore our grief, we learn what it means to walk as Christians through the everyday pain. That in our sorrow, we are not “less” or “weak” — but rather, given a precious opportunity to hold fast to the Father. To glimpse His heart. His love. His comfort. His peace.
So thank you for joining me on this journey. Thank you for diving deep into grief, as we learn to mourn in a way that often defies logic.
To grieve with joy.
To grieve with arms wide and hands cupped.
To grieve with eyes pinned to Jesus,
To grieve authentically.
To grieve without fear.
To cling. To embrace.
To grieve with hope.
GIVEAWAY
This month, to celebrate Embrace’s one year anniversary, and to help support grieving families who are looking to better understand their grief, I’ll be giving away several copies of Embrace.
Maybe you’ve lost a baby yourself.
Maybe you want to learn more about how to support grieving loved ones.
Maybe you want to give this copy to a friend.
If so, this giveaway is for you. This book is for you.
To enter, click the link below.
The giveaway will close on Wednesday, October 14 at midnight PST, and ONE winner will be drawn the following day — on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. (Open to those with a Canadian or US mailing address.)
(Want to grab another copy of Embrace for a friend?
You can do so, here.)