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Flower Among Thorns



About six or seven years ago, my wife was around three months pregnant as we eagerly anticipated the birth of another child. One night, as I lay sleeping, I had a dream that our baby was born. It was a beautiful little girl with thin, wispy hair and large, bright eyes punctuating her beautiful face. I held her proudly in my arms and stared down at this precious little creation. I carefully handed her off to her older brother, who was just a toddler himself, as he sat on the coach, arms outstretched, anxiously awaiting the chance to hold his baby sister. I helped him prop up a pillow underneath his little arms to help support my daughter and then stepped back to take in the amazing sight as he gazed down at her with both pride and amazement in his eyes.

As I stood there watching them, the dream quickly faded. When I woke up, my eyes met the tearful glance of my wife. “I’m bleeding,” she said as she fought back the emotions, “I think I am miscarrying.” Those words sunk deeply into my soul as I embraced her and sought to comfort my bride. As the days went by, her fears we confirmed, the dream slipping through my fingers, we had lost our baby that night.

This may be too esoteric for some, and I hope you know I am not a mystical or fanciful person, but you will never convince me God didn’t allow me to hold my little girl that night before He took her home.  I can’t explain it nor can I fully describe it, but that dream was as real as anything I have ever experienced. Even in the midst of tragedy and heart break, God had provided me a miracle, the chance to embrace my unborn little princess. Just like the breadcrumbs in Hansel and Gretel, I believe God gives miracles so we don’t lose our way. They may be small and quiet, but like the beacon of lighthouse, they cut through the darkness and give us hope. But we have to be looking for them or they will be missed. Even during life’s most difficult moments, we must still be seeking the flowers hidden among the thorns.

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 18, 2018 at 2:27 PM

    Thank you so much for sharing this, Chad! Such a comforting reminder that God is still there amidst the sorrow and pain of this life. He still provides that "cloud by day and fire by night" if only we open our eyes to see.

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