Held

I work as a Medical Social Worker for Driscoll Children’s Hospital in the Neonate Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Like all jobs, mine involves tasks that are extremely challenging. One of the most challenging tasks is that I have to be present and assist with all infant deaths that occur in the NICU. This task has become increasingly more challenging since I became pregnant six months ago.

There are no magic words that I can say to stop the parents’ pain and suffering. As I sit with them, I question why God would bless a family with a baby only to take him away three weeks later. It seems cruel. I have witnessed many infant deaths and have never been given the answer to this question. The one truth I hold to is that children are a blessing from God but they are also His children.

God simply gives us the honor and privilege of loving and caring for His children during the time that He allows. God may bless us with a child that we take care of for 18 years only to release him into the world after high school. God may bless us with a special needs child that we have the honor of taking care of for his entire life. God may also bless us with a child that we are allowed to care for and hold for only three weeks.

We have no control over God’s timing; all we can do is decide what we will do with that precious time. So now when I sit with a family as they experience the loss of a child, I pray God gives them strength. I pray God gives them strength to accept His timing and to love that baby as much as possible until God takes him and holds him in His own arms.

Memory Verse:
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
– Matthew 5:4 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Dear Lord, I know that I can not always understand Your timing and Your will. Help me to trust Your decisions and faithfully walk through the tragedies life throws at me. Please comfort me during this time of…”

Contributing Writer:
Christina L. Ketchum
Christina L Ketchum
Life Branch, Inc.