Ahhh Sweet Misery

Tonight I went to our Church's Women's meeting. We are having it quarterly instead of monthly now. If you want to look at it as saving up for the best....I would say that that was definitely accomplished! God was such a part of this program tonight. If a person was there and did not feel it....they were tuned in to the wrong channel!
A young woman named Jessica spoke tonight about her son Zach. One year ago, Zach passed at the age of 5 months. He was born severely premature. As all babies fight when being premature, Zach fought and won the battle for 5 whole months. When he passed, he was a smidge over 10 pounds. That was 10 pounds of fight! Ultimately, after having been diagnosed with pneumonia and having been on the respirator, his parents made the ultimate sacrifice and let Jesus take him home. What a huge unselfish act to allow a child, a person the opportunity to have peace and to feel their love for a moment without having life forced upon him.
Zach, being a miracle just being himself, taught Jessica and her family so much more about God's love for all of us. God did not choose to heal Zach in the sense that he is still here today. Instead, God, allowed Zach's little light to shine all over this state, the United States and around the world. Jessica said that people from literally all of the world sent them emails on their Care Page (on the Internet). Zach touched many lives. Many, many people prayed for Zach. His mom Jessica said that some people even came to be saved after having heard about Zach and his story.
Jessica and her husband's story of faith was definitely inspiring. Would they much rather have their little boy with them then to have a beautiful story of inspiration to tell? I would be willing to bet a million dollars on that. But because they chose to allow God to have control, they were blessed with a beautiful, "perfect" little boy, the opportunity to love him and get to see first hand, God's perfect love.
The point was made that through all of this that at times, Jessica and her husband did question God and God's plan. Who wouldn't?! But the beautiful thing about this is that God does not condemn us for questioning. God expresses his love for us and continues to wrap his arms around us in our weakest of moments. That's what makes trusting in God so amazing...the harder it gets, the harder he holds on to us. The more we look to HIM, the more he allows us to see HIM and to feel HIM.
I told Jessica, that I thought it was so great to finally get to meet Zach's MOM in person. I had been hearing her name (her whole family's names) for a long time. I knew Zach's name. Jessica's friend Sadie, is in my Sunday school class and she ever diligently kept Zach on the prayer list. We all prayed for little Zach! But the thought hit me as I was thinking about her and her testimony....You know how when you meet someone, you hear,"Oh this is Zach's mom?" Or HI LILA's MOM!! they don't have a clue what my name really is but Im identified as being my daughter's parent....How beautiful and special that I could say tonight "OH THAT'S ZACH'S MOM!! So though he may not be here on this Earth 20 years from now, Jessica will always be "ZACH'S MOM!"
What courage it took for Jessica to stand before a room of almost all strangers and tell her story. God had told her that she needed to tell others her story to help her heal. I bet that through her telling of the story tonight, that others in that room were able to heal a little too. Many women there tonight probably had miscarriages. Some may have lost children of their own. Some women were battling fertility issues. Whatever the battle, the reminder that God truly is there and never leaves our side is such a huge source of peace even for me. I don't struggle with any of those issues that I suggested. But I struggle with my own issues. Thank you God for being there with me and for me. Thank you for sending those ladies to speak up about you and let us know how you have changed their lives.
I pray that Jessica does receive a peace in her life that allows her to smile about her dear Zach and not ache so much. I pray that she and her husband will be able to have more children. More children that she can tell about Zach and share photos of him with them. Share that Zach's 5 month long life, changed many people's lives forever...and changed them over to trust in Jesus. What more of a miracle could have come from such a perfect little life?