The Unimaginable

No one should have to experience the loss of a child. The pain is equal to stopping the world from revolving—humanly impossible as heartbreak turns your world upside down and inside out. Ask any parent, of any aged child, and they will say two things, “This doesn’t make sense” and “I was supposed to go first”. It’s a very bitter unimaginable pill a parent must swallow.

However, on the other side of this devastation is another unimaginable…the great outpouring of love.

Months following the discovery of Kellie’s condition messages from a web site called Caring Bridge touched our hearts like nothing we had experienced before. Prayers, encouragement, jokes, and terms of endearment always seemed to come across the airwaves at just the right time. We never walked the journey alone.

And, this care did not stop at the edge of the bridge when the Lord came to get Kellie, it continued as their love carried us through the surreal time. When we moved in slow motion to make necessary arrangements—our friends stayed at the house like guardian angels. They worked hard to keep as much normalcy in our home as possible. Food arrived by many, flowers and plants began to fill our home, phone calls came in to encourage us, paper goods to handle out of town company was dropped off, and an endless supply of warm hugs, gentle smiles, and much, much more.

“Nothing in black, okay?” I said to a good friend who came to the house to help me pick out what clothes to wear. “I want something with color to represent how my butterfly is now a Bride of Christ. Help me enter the church as if I’m the proud Mother of the Bride. This is not to be a funeral…it’s a celebration!”

God provided love instead of despair. He gave us the gift of those who hugged us, cried with us, made us laugh and soon…unexplainable peace and joy filled our hearts once again.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn.” Romans 12:15

“A friend loves at all times.” Proverbs 17:17a

Do you want to be that kind of family member or friend? I do…especially since I now know how good it feels to be loved. Decide to allow God to use you too.