Faithful Friday: Holding onto Heaven

I'll love you for forever, I'll like you for always,

as long as I'm living my baby you'll be.

Before Austin was even born, I whispered this to him.

Sitting in his nursery to be, hands on my belly, I gently rocked back and forth.

Months later I would repeat this same story, only now looking down on the tiny face

of the beautiful gift God had blessed us with.

Fourteen years later, gently stroking his jet black hair, I whispered those words,

but to only the shell of his broken body. 

My baby was gone.

How does a mother go from the joy of having a child
to the pain of losing one and survive?

Much less, to find joy again?

My joy comes from God.  In knowing Him.

My joy comes from believing my forever exists...someday. 

My joy comes from knowing one day I'll hold my son again
and can sing those words to him. 

Forever.

This knowledge has me holding onto Heaven.  It is how I live each day.  Not for this world, but for Heaven.  And, it is how I survive.

I'm comforted in knowing the mother we remember this season
endured the same joy and pain. 

But that because of her son, we who know and love Him, will all enjoy forever...

Then Mary said,

“I praise the Lord with all my heart.

I am very happy because God is my Savior.

I am not important,

but he has shown his care for me, his lowly servant.

From now until the end of time,

people will remember how much God blessed me.

Luke 1:46-48

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.

She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger...

Luke 2:6-7

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother...

John 19:25

Jesus told her,

"I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.

John 11:25

For those families in Connecticut, I pray...

for strength...

for peace...

but mostly,

for salvation.

So they may know forever too.