Story of a Real Life Hero

Some stories just need to be written down, shared, and remembered for all time.  I don’t know why God has seen fit to place so many of these stories in my life recently that have placed my already fragile emotions on a crazy rollercoaster ride.  I know there is a very good reason though and maybe it is so that I will share them and remember them.  This particular story has been weighing secretly on my heart for the last several months.  My friend and fellow law student has been battling one of the toughest struggles life can ever hand a person.  Our story began over 3 years ago in the summer of 2009 when we met at a social event for incoming law students.  She and I clicked instantly because we were both older, non-traditional students with families.  At the time, she and her husband had one lovely daughter, and we had one son.  She had decided to quit her full-time employment to pursue law school full time which would place a tremendous financial burden on her family.  She trusted God to take care of their needs at all times.  It would have been even more difficult for her to try to work and go to school because she would be traveling a greater distance to school since she lived in South Carolina on the horse farm that her and her husband operated.  Just before beginning her first year of school, she also found out she was pregnant with their second child (truly a surprise but not at all unwelcomed).  She worked vigorously in law school while still being a wonderful mother to her little girl.  She was rewarded with being at the top of her law school class, being admitted to our academic honor society, and serving on the law review.  There was never a doubt in my mind she would be successful.  As an evening student, I didn’t get to see her very much, but we were lucky to take one class together in the evening.  She welcomed the addition of her second daughter at the end of her first year (the hardest year of law school).  

She began and ended law school in a similar fashion – expecting a little miracle.  She graduated in May of this year and immediately began the grueling process of bar preparation.  In July, she and her husband received some devastating news.  She chose to only share this news with a few of us who she knew would be her prayer warriors and would lovingly understand the choice she made.  At an ultrasound appointment, her little one was found to suffer from some very serious complications.  Her physicians gave them the news no parents want to hear.  Their baby had little to no chance of surviving outside the womb.  She made the bravest of decisions to allow God’s will to be done and continued to carry and nurture the life inside of her.  Shortly after receiving this news, she took the South Carolina bar exam.  After months of waiting, she received the joyous news in October that she passed!  Was there ever a doubt?  As her baby grew, she continued to cherish every kick, nudge, and flip that would occasionally keep her awake at night.  She was blessed with a wonderful job opportunity for a local firm close to her home in South Carolina.  She carried her living baby inside of her for over 40 weeks never losing faith that God’s ultimate will would be done.  Yesterday, she went in to be induced.  Unfortunately for her and her family, God’s will was for her sweet little angel, a third daughter appropriately named Esther Grace, to immediately be in heaven with Him.  She will not get to hold her living child on this side of heaven, but she holds on to her faith and belief that she will see her littlest angel again.  Please remember this wonderful woman and her family in your prayers.  I believe that her story and her daughter’s life will serve God’s ultimate purpose, and I am so glad she possessed the tremendous strength to choose life at whatever cost! 

On another note that has continued to leave my emotions in a turmoil, please continue to pray for little Henry.  His mother posted an update today about him.  They have enjoyed the last few weeks making some wonderful memories with him and had enjoyed seeing his health peak after recovering from his initial surgery that reduced the size of his frontal lobe brain tumor.  His mother has noticed that the tumor appears to be having an increasing effect on his emotional and mental faculties.  She says they are able to keep his pain to a minimum though so for that we are thankful.  I know that God will heal Henry in this life or in heaven, but my human heart cannot help but want his healing now.