Here is an email my wife, Angela, received from her sister concerning an unborn little girl named Abigail:
Dear friends,
This week has been filled with joy and sorrow. After a summer in Missouri serving students at our regions summer training program we returned to Denton. Our homecoming brought with it the excitement of a sonogram and finally being able to begin thinking of names for our child. Dr. Cummings who we love and appreciate quickly noticed that something was wrong with our little one.
He informed us that our child had a development disability, anencephalic. Anencephalic babies do not form a brain. They live and grow from their brain stem and spinal chord, as well as the support of their mother. These precious children do not survive once born, the life expectancy estimates vary but it seems that half make it to a live birth. The information available is overwhelming but one note I have found is that 95% of these children are aborted. Please look at the website www.asfhelp.com Please, please, please read the stories of these precious women and their beloved children.
A little bit about our precious daughter Abigail. Her name means "father's joy". We consider her a joy, but not only ours, she is the joy of her heavenly Father. Her name is found in 1 Samuel 25... Several things stand ut to me about Abigail. A few are her humility, her reputation as a person o go to in crisis, her wisdom and tact, she was a foot washer, she was a ood judge of character, she believed in -- recognized -- called on the overeinty of God. But there are two things that mean the most to me. irst, it says that Abigail was "an inteligent & beautiful woman" -- this eans so much to us as our little sweetheart's condition not only leaves her ith out a brain but also the condition prevents the skull from forming ully, leaving her with a disformity. It is so comforting to know that God onsiders our little Abigail as inteligent & beautiful. Second is that it says "Abigail waisted no time" -- again the meaning is so deep to us in that there will be no waisted time in our Abigail's life, she will be a blessing to our family and friends her whole life. She will leave a legacy that will grow. She will quickly go from birth to her heavenly Father's arms, waisting no time...
The name Abigail has been in our minds since before we were married, what a treasure that God has revealed to us it's deep meaning in our little sweetheart. We, like Abigail, trust in/recognize/call on the sovereignty of God our Father. Please keep us in your prayers. These days will be filled with joy and sorrow, probably fluctuating moment by moment.
For all of our dear friends who have ever lost a precious child we are so so sorry...
Some thoughts and Scripture that God had prepared us with this summer are Psalm 18:30-36 in Kara's quiet time, Hebrews 11:6 in my prayers for our campus, "Jesus always stepped into the pain" from the times of training with the students this summer, and 2 Timothy 1:12 which says, "He is able to guard what we have entrusted to Him for that day." He is able!
Lord we entrust our little sweetheart to you until the day you make all things new!!! Now I know what it is to long for His appearing, no longer is it an abstract thought... Please pray for
1. Comfort & Peace in mourning
2. Wisdom in the decisions that lay ahead
3. That these few days we have with Abigail would be so so sweet!!!!
thanks for your love, prayers & support of our family,
steve shank
From Paul- check out the comments for a few thoughts
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Not even 30 minutes ago I was able to hold my 3 month old Abigail, kiss her soft cheeks, smile at her, and see her smile back. Angela and I have talked about and prayed that our Abigail would not sneak in and replace Christ as our first love and everlasting joy. I held her especially tight.
Hearing these experiences and seeing the faith of others amazes me. Reading the email through the tears is still like drinking from a deep cold fountain. I got up from my computer rejoicing with sorrow. I got up refreshed by faith.
I also got up wondering why we get so worked up about stupid things that don't matter. I can get so frustrated over the location of the toothpaste at night. Our churches get worked up over carpet, lights, and parking lots. Yet we seem to never be moved by souls. May this Abigail born without a brain and the faith of that father kick us out of the mud.
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