For James and Kate

This post is for James and Kate. James and Kate, twins, were born yesterday morning. They left this world soon after. They were born after their mother went into premature labor at 22-weeks. Eagerly expected, after a struggle to conceive, James and Kate's parents had only recently found out they were going to have a boy and a girl and began selecting names for their children. And now, their parents are devastated. We, their friends, mourn with them and pray for them.

I ask that you pray as well.

This is not the first bad news we have received this week. In fact, we had learned and been praying for two others, friends of friends, whose babies had died shortly after birth in the last week. For Mrs. E, and I'm sure for Kat as well, this is not the kind of news that sits well as their due dates approach. Why do we have healthy children, when our friends have lost theirs? We do not know, but we are thankful. What security do we really have that our hopes and dreams for the babies we expect will not end in sorrow, as with James and Kate? We have naught but a hope and trust in God - not that He will give us everything we ask for, but the He will always hold and care for us and our children, no matter the life He gives us to live.

I read Shaun Groves' lament from yesterday, and I find that I am tired of seeing this. Too much loss, too much pain, too much grief from this and from the all the previous tragedies and losses that we have seen and shared. I only know to pray for comfort and peace - understanding, I think, will not really help - and rest in His hand.

Tags: Prayer, Faith, Loss, Death of a child, Pregnancy, Children