“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Even So, Joy

I first met my friend online. We were part of a group of people that were working together to accomplish a goal. We met online to learn together and hold each other accountable to our individual goals. She lived on the other side of the country but I soon learned that she was from the town where I work. Since then I have been able to meet up with her several times when she comes to visit family. The first day we met in person she shared with me that she was pregnant with their first baby. I was thrilled to be a part of her secret because she hadn’t told her family yet. When the baby was born my friend posted pictures of her daughter every day in our online group. My friend is a photographer and took the cutest photos of this little black haired, big-eyed girl. I felt like I knew this little one and couldn’t wait to meet her in person some day.

When the baby was five months old, my friend began to share that her previously happy, content baby was not the same. She had stopped smiling and was very fussy. She seemed to be in pain but they couldn’t find anything wrong. After weeks of doctor appointments and questions they received devastating news. Their baby had a rare genetic disorder. She was unable to smile and would never smile again. She was losing the ability to swallow. As doctors delivered blow after blow of bad news they learned that it was likely that their beautiful girl would not live past the age of two.

This baby’s parents were devastated, but at the same time they had faith that God was sovereign and that he had a plan. They prayed and sought the Lord daily and lived with hope that their daughter would be healed. But they also believed that God could still redeem their situation even if He called their baby home to heaven. They grieved all along the way, but they were also on the lookout for how God was moving throughout the whole process.

They learned to be thankful for every small thing. The mom, Lesa Brackbill, wrote a book about their experience—“Even So, Joy: Our Journey Through Heartbreak, Hope, and Triumph.” In the chapter about their baby’s death at 20 months of age, they listed a page full of things they were thankful for about the very day of her passing. This family is a beautiful example of how to live with joy, even in the midst of grief.

As she says at the end of her book, “Joy isn’t always obvious; sometimes you have to fight for it, sometimes you have to search for it, but the journey toward a joy-filled life—especially when it seems impossible—is always worth it.”

“Thank You, Father that we can trust that You are God and You work all things out for our good and for Your glory. Be our comfort and our strength when we suffer and grieve. Give us Your peace and teach us to rejoice in all things. Amen.”