New International Version (NIV)
Israel the Chosen
44 “But now listen, Jacob, my servant,
Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 This is what the Lord says—
he who made you, who formed you in the womb,
and who will help you:
Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant,
Jeshurun,[a] whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants.
4 They will spring up like grass in a meadow,
like poplar trees by flowing streams.
5 Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’;
others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
and will take the name Israel.
So, we will not be afraid. We trust our God, and we know our lives are in His hands. We will be still and know that He is God.
Here is our story in a nutshell.
In September of 2012, we were joyously surprised to find out we were expecting even though we had not been trying. On December 14, 2012, Dr. Gorman from Parkhilll called us in to his office due to some abnormal test results. After an ultrasound, it was revealed that we were having a girl, Brynlee, and that she had a cystic hygroma on her neck. We did not want to have an amniocentesis done due to the risk of miscarriage, so we were blessed to find out there was a new genetic test that could be done using a blood sample to test her for Turner Syndrome or Down Syndrome, which is what they thought she might have. We were blessed with a huge miracle on Christmas Eve when we got a phone call from our genetic counselor telling us her X chromosomes and chromosomes 12, 18, and 21 were all perfect. At that point, we were told that either she had a significant heart condition or that she had another type of genetic condition. We were told we needed to watch and wait to see if the hygroma continues to grow. On December 27, 2012, we went in for another ultrasound that revealed the cystic hygroma had grown. It has been our prayer since that day that the cystic hygroma would either go away or start going down, which leads us to today.
We claimed today Miracle Monday because we were having an intense Level II ultrasound done today, and we wanted to see that the fluid had gone down.
This morning I posted a scripture from Jeremiah that says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11
That scripture means the same thing to us tonight as it did this morning even though we did not get the news we expected.
We found out the cystic hygroma has grown, and it surrounds her abdomen, lungs, neck, and skull. Also, we have to go to UAMS in Little Rock on Thursday at 1:30 to have another doctor explain to us in more depth what these results mean. Right now, we are still being told that her chances of being born alive are very slim.
We don't know God's plans for the future, but we do know he loves us. He is the same God yesterday, today, and tomorrow! We are still proclaiming it Miracle Monday because Brynlee is still with us at 20 weeks.
We 100% know that Brynlee's life has a purpose and testimony. We pray we will be able to mold her into a Godly woman that can share her miracle to the masses, but until that day comes, we will rejoice in the Lord for all He has given us, and we will make sure His GLORY is forever on display.
I love you, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your prayers and support.
God is Faithful All the Time,
Kim
FYI: I have not told my students I am pregnant yet, but I'm not going to deny it anymore either. I feel it is best to acknowledge Brynlee's beautiful life, but I'm not going to tell them the details. They are too little, and I want to protect them.
I want to say a special thank you to Renae Burt Photography for blessing me with beautiful maternity pictures and for making this time in our lives very special.
I love you, Kim and your precious miracle Brynlee! Praying constantly!
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