Many know in the early Spring of this year, my wife and I lost a baby. At 17 weeks of pregnancy, nurses listened for a heartbeat and found none. It’s possible our baby passed as early as the 15th week, but our loss was discovered at the 17th week because of a scheduled appointment and check-up.
Two days after the miscarriage, we clasped hands and walked somberly into labor and delivery knowing this baby already rested in the arms of Jesus. The hospital staff administered the kindest care and packaged a small take-home box, a memorial tribute to our little one. Nurses tucked a copy of baby’s footprints into a tiny cap. Barely the size of a nickel, these feet now run and skip in the Heavenly city.
Several of our teens recently viewed “October Baby.” Afterward, one of the girls posed the following question,
“Why do some people say abortion’s fine, because “it’s” not really a baby and others say their having a baby and are excited?”
A great question and observation.
I explained that organizations promoting abortion soften the controversial procedure by dubbing the growth a “clump of cells” or by using the impersonal term, “fetus.” However, God’s Word contradicts our culture’s ideology. Psalm 139:13-14 says,
“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;”
After swallowing a gathering lump in my throat, I promised the teens I’d share a picture of our little one’s feet and toes. These prints herald the truth,
“I am a human being, created in the image of God!”
And though I seldom reference Dr. Seuss books for theology, I can’t help but quote from Horton Hears a Who
“A person’s a person, no matter how small”
On that statement, God and Dr. Seuss agree.
I often think of that Seuss line when I think about abortion. Working on a school-assigned blog post on this very topic as we speak. Difficult to tackle in a maximum of 250 words. If I send you a couple drafts, could you offer some suggestions?
Bryan,
This is absolutely beautiful Would you give me permission to re post this? My readers would love it.
God bless you, Bryan, what a testimony about pro-life and your Godly, loving response.
You are awesome. And so is the God we serve. Thank you.
I lost my daughter at 21 weeks. Now we might testify to the fact that a person’s a person, no matter how small. Who better to testify than us. We can now take this message to the world that our children are children and not tissue. My condolences on the loss of your little one. Oh, My daughter’s name was/is Hanna. I have her tiny footy prints in her keepsake box. I’ll cherish them always as I’m sure you will cherish your child’s footy prints.
It is hard to understand how someone can say that a miscarriage is a baby, but an abortion is not.
We grieve with you. We lost a child at 32 weeks. Even though he never took a breath on this earth, he impacted our whole family’s lives. We have lots to look forward to when we get to Heaven.