On May 14, 1996, after thirty hours of labor and an emergency C-section, Alexis Grace was born and immediately stole our hearts. She was beautiful, with Jessica’s curly hair and brilliant blue eyes. We never imagined how instantly parental love could flood our hearts. Nor did we imagine how quickly our world would change.
From the moment she entered this world, Alexis faced extraordinary challenges. Brain damage, a seizure disorder, and multiple medical complications filled her short life with doctor appointments, surgeries, medications, and around-the-clock care. She spent her first seven weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit, underwent a tracheotomy, battled pneumonia repeatedly, and endured seven surgeries before her third birthday. In just three short years, she experienced more suffering than many people face in a lifetime.
Amid it all, she was an angel who touched the lives of everyone who knew her. Hundreds of people attended her funeral, including eight nurses, our family physician, and two of the Pacific Northwest’s leading pediatric specialists—a quiet testimony to the remarkable impact of her brief life.
When Alexis died, our hearts shattered, and there were days we wondered whether we would ever recover. We have known deep grief, profound sorrow, and seasons when life itself felt almost impossible to embrace again.
Years ago, while reading through the book of Genesis, I noticed a small phrase tucked away in the genealogy sections that captured my attention. After the fall of humanity, after the loss of Eden, after sin and death entered the world, the Scriptures say of Adam, “…Adam lived.”
The Hebrew word can carry the beautiful idea of living again.
Adam lived.
Adam died.
Then Adam began to live again.
That has been true for Jessica and me as well. We feel like we have lived, died, and, finally, have begun to live again. And that is our prayer for you in your painful situation, that God would take what feels hopeless and slowly redeem it in ways you never imagined. He certainly did that through our life with Alexis Grace, and despite the grief of your personal heartaches and losses, He can do it for you as well!
If you’d like to hear more of Alexis’ story and our journey with her, I invite you to read Praying Through Sorrows. Complimentary copies are also available at Hope City Church.