Joy…Hope…Faith & Grace…
March 12, 2010I hope you don’t mind, but today my post is very personal. One thing that I love about this blog is that it gives me a vehicle to share. Share my photography with you, but also my life.
Today is a day that is forever imprinted on my heart, on the heart of my whole family, especially my oldest brother and his wife. You see, today is one year that they delivered their little girl who’s life had already been taken up to heaven. My heart grieved a loss that was only partially mine, my niece. Sometimes God just doesn’t make sense, but without God where would we ever find hope? Are there questions…yes, many. Here is what I know to be true, God is always good. He never changes. He is always faithful. There is no gray here…you either believe those things or you don’t. Yet, if God is good, how could He allow the pain of such a tragic loss…well, I don’t think I know the answer, but I only have one puzzle piece and God has all of them. We live in a fallen world and it is full of sadness and pain, of anger and hate…but through Jesus we have joy…we have hope…we have faith… and we have His undeserving grace…
So, today this is a story of my older brother, Jason and his wife, Melinda’s children…a story of joy, hope, faith & grace. God does restore hope and brings back joy…through our faith in Him and His beautiful grace…
Meet Ava Joy…she is my oldest niece (actually her Mommy & Daddy have produced all my beautiful nieces). Her middle name fits her perfectly…she is full of joy and full of life. She has a smile that lights up a room and the bluest of eyes that dance when she is excited. She is a wonderful mix of both of her parents in personality and in her looks. She is a joy…
For those of you that walked with Jason and Melinda, really our entire family, through the devastating news about their unborn child last year, you never got to meet her. As a family we were all their to see her, to hold her, to sway her back and forth…to say “we love you”…to know this little baby was already in the presence of Jesus. With permission, I would like you to meet her as well…Sweet Mya Hope…quite fitting a name because she does give us hope for what it to come…we will one day see her again.
We never know God’s plan for our lives. Neither did they…God allowed a very real, tragic loss in my brother and sister-in-law’s lives. One that shook them to their core and allowed them to question things they never questioned before…for one their future…What would God have for them, for their family? Could they ever endure to “try” to have another child? Actually, they weren’t really in a place to even ask that question, when God answered it before it was spoken. He said…no you won’t “try” to have another child. I have a plan for your family. So, He made the decision for them and despite the shock of His plan initially, it was even more evident that it was His plan. And wouldn’t you know that God blessed them beyond they could ever imagine…TWINS. I still remember Melinda telling us, “they saw TWO” after her first appointment and she was still shaking after the 30 minute car ride…so many emotions. Yet, God is good…He is faithful. Exactly 11 months after they delivered Mya Hope, they were given two amazing gifts…not to put Mya in the shadows she will always be a part of their family and all our lives, but to only more clearly give us a glimpse of what hope is…
So, here are the two newest members of their family…Christa Faith and Jada Grace…
This is Christa Faith…
This is Jada Grace…
So, today is a day that has some sadness, but mostly hope…a renewed hope of God’s plan and His gift of joy. We don’t know His plan, but He does.
Thank you for letting me share from the heart today.
Blessings,
Janelle
Jason: Thank you sis. Love you!
Gina Weeks: Janelle - I am speechless. . . and so very blessed to be able to read this post about your nieces and this special tribute to Mya and her footprints that have left their imprint on our lives. . . . I never had the chance to meet her, but in loving your family I also love her and remember her today. Praising God anew that He has made everything beautiful in his time. It is no accident that the twins were born exactly one month ago - May HE be praised for his precious gifts. They are the result of so many prayers of so many people. Precious Ava - I also thank God for your sweet spirit and lovely personality! Celebrating the love of God today with your family. Blessings upon you today - and always.
Sandy Struss: Thanks for sharing the journey of your family. Thanks for including us in the journey. Love you all!!
Erin McFarland: So I cried. This is really beautiful. J&M... I think Janelle said it perfectly... we've seen God's joy, hope, grace and faith through your children! Love all you guys! E xoxo
Laura Wright: Just beautiful...I am speechless.
Laura: Janelle, you said it perfectly - we only have one piece of the puzzle. We can't begin to understand the complete workings of the Lord. Trusting in His plan isn't always easy... but knowing He is in control and has such great plans for each of us gives me hope. Thank you for sharing these touching pictures and J&M's story.
Genea: Amazing and heartfelt! You have said it- God is faithful and is very good. Thank you for sharing such a personal family experience with us. Love all of you. G
Marcia Caswell: Thank you for allowing us to share in your joy, hope, grace and faith. Words cannot express how thankful I am that God has allowed me to know you and your precious family. Much love to all of you.
Jacque Mosher: What a beautiful message Janelle and what beautiful nieces!
Jacque Mosher: What a beautiful message Janelle and such beautiful nieces!
Kevin Stull: Janelle ... thanks for sharing .. this is a lovely tribute (to Mya and the goodness of God). Jason and Melinda .. thanks for your steadfast witness ... though you were hard pressed on every side, you were not crushed. Though perplexed you did not dispair for you have placed your hope in the rock of Jesus and His love never fails. Blessings upon you all.
Paula & Gary: Janelle, what a lovely tribute. Thank you for sharing such personal, sad, and precious family memories. We love the entire Lehman family. Paula and Gary
Doni: Today I was sitting with Daniel at Chic Fil A and I asked about Jason and he told me today was Mya's birthday. Never forgotten...
becca: Thanks for allowing us to share in these heartfelt celebrations. We will never know why things happens this side of Heaven, but your family has persevered through it with His strength. It's a blessing to call M&J friends!
Al Kurz: Thank you Janelle for sharing the beautiful story of a beautiful young family. May the Lord richly bless these special girls,
Wanda Wentz: What a beautiful way to tell this story. The whole blog, text and pictures, needs to be published in a memory book for the girls to read when they get older so they can see the depth and scope of their parents' loss, hope, joy, grace and faith, and to see and understand their own stories. I know Melinda,Jason and Ava through my son and his wife, and have marveled at the grace with which they handled Mya's loss - it was the grace of God. Love to all of you.
Sveta & John Fox: Thank you Janelle for sharing this very personal story in a very beautiful way. I cried too. May Lord bless this family. Love to all of you.
Rich Maris (Melinda's cousin): Matthew 10:27 - "What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight...." God surely spoke in the darkness of sweet Mya's death so that Jason and Melinda could proclaim their Faith and God's Grace. Oswald Chambers wrote, "If our hopes are being disappointed just now, it means that they are being purified. There is nothing noble the human mind has ever hoped for or dreamed of that will not be fulfilled." I can't imagine a more vibrant picture to illustrate this statement than what is expressed in the beautiful story and lives of this dear family.
Amanda: I've been waiting for your post on the twins. I knew you would do a great job on capturing them in your images. What I wasn't prepared for was the touching story that was to come with this post. God really spoke to many of us through your words. I know I cried and I can only imagine that many more did too. This story could not have been written any better. Thank you for reminding us that God is good, He's in control, He always has a plan and that He loves us. Jason, Melinda and Ava congratulations on the beautiful additions to your family and thank you for allowing Janelle to share your story with all of us.