Heavenly Father,

I am so grateful that You spoke and the universe came into being.
I am so grateful that You love us so deeply.
Reminded of Your power and Your love, I quietly come in praise and adoration for all that You are and ask Your divine touch on Isabella and Ellie.
Thank you for gracing us with daughters.
I know You are able. I pray with all my heart that it is Your plan that they be with us for a long time.
This is so hard.
I know you are teaching me to see with my eternal eyes. Something I thought I was pretty good at until now.
"Keep your eyes on the things above and not on the things of this earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with God in Christ Jesus."
Thank you so much for the reduction of fluid in Ellie yesterday. My heart needed that. I needed to know Your heart. I needed a hint that she could survive. Thank you so much. I am pleading.
Love,
Cheryl

“But the eyes of the LORD are…on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.” ~ Psalm 33:18

“I have hope… Because of the LORD’s great love…his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness…The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him…” ~ Lamentations 3: 21-25


“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” – Hebrews 11:1

“…And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” – Romans 5:1-5

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39: 7

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

1 Peter 4:10

Isaiah 40:28-31

God gives. God takes. God’s name ever be blessed. ~Job 1:21

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy... ~Psalm 30:11

Do not mourn like those that have no hope. ~1 Thes. 4:13

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~Matthew 6:34

Cast all your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you. ~Psalms 55:22

Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you. ~1 Peter 5:7

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ~Matthew 11:28

…though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith…may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. ~1 Peter 1: 6-9

Be still and know that am I God. ~Psalm 46:10

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. ~Proverbs 3:5,6

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. ~Joshua 1:9

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” ~2 Cor. 12:9

Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ~Ephesians 3:20

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ~1 Cor. 1:27

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” ~Philippians 4:11-13

Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:

The faithful love of the Lord never ends
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”

The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.
And it is good for people to submit at an early age
to the yoke of his discipline:

Let them sit alone in silence
beneath the Lord’s demands.
Let them lie face down in the dust,
for there may be hope at last.
Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them
and accept the insults of their enemies.

For no one is abandoned
by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
For he does not enjoy hurting people
or causing them sorrow.

~Lamentations 3:21-33

Isabella,

Sweet baby, I lay on the couch for an hour this morning. I lay there with you and savored every kick and squirm. You are so cooperative!
Big kicks, little kicks, squirms....at a steady pace... I delight in every little move you make.
If this is the only time we get, I want to savor it. I want to remember it. I want to treasure it so completely that I don't feel like I never really got to be with you, baby.
I love you so much.
Thank you for being your sweet precious little self.
My friend, Katie had a girls day the other day. She has inspired and helped me to enjoy you.
I never enjoyed being pregnant with a baby more. Isn't it special?
You are so special to me. My heart is full to overflowing with the joy of being your mother. I love it. I feel so blessed.
And I am grateful to God for the privelege. I am grateful once again that He has brought me to a place where I can...
Praise Him for you no matter how much time we get together.

It's good I feel this way today.

Thursday, we may get bad news and we may not. I know if I do, I will be overwhelmed with it. Remind me of today then.

I love you so much.

Mamma

My sweet newlyweds are home safely! They had a great time!
I am grateful to family and friends that provided for a great honeymoon! I am grateful to God for keeping them safe and providing the lovely time they had!

I am grateful that for the past couple of days, Isabella has been lively and kept me smiling with kicks and squirms. These are so precious to me. I love you Isabella Grace!

Habakkuk 3:19: The Lord is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.

"Be still and know that I am God" (Ps 46:10)

"In Him, and through Him, I live, and breath, and have my being and only in Him do I find my rest"

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

1 Chronicles 16:34: "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; His love endures forever."

Psalm 47:6 "Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises."
Acts 17:28 "... in Him we live and move and have our being."

Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Psalm 139 v 13-16: "For you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

''Behind my life the Weaver stands and works His wondrous will - I leave it in His all wise hands and trust His perfect skill.''

Isaiah 41:10: ''Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.'' -

Psalm 103:1. “Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name.” Psalm 103:1-2

Psalm 6:9: "The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer"

"Be still and know that I am God..." (Ps 46:10) Ps 43:4 "I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise Him, my Saviour and my God." We give thanks to God for He is good; His mercy endures forever!"

I have been a little lost the past few days. Full of grief and lost my focus.
God is always so good to help me find it again. I love Him.

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done (1 Chronicles 16:8).
Let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found (Psalm 32:6).
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near (Isaiah 55:6).
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened (Matt. 7:7-8).
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12).
Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18).
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful (Colossians 4:2).
Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone (1 Timothy 2:1).
I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing (1 Tim. 2:8).
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray (James 5:13).
Build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20).


It is clear that our Father wants his children to pray to him, a commitment which his Son modeled throughout his life and ministry: "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" (Mark 1:35). Before choosing his 12 apostles, "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God" (Luke 6:12). Another time, "Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him" (Lk. 9:18).



After feeding the 5,000, Jesus "went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone" (Matthew 14:23). Later "he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray" (Lk. 9:28). The night of his arrest, " Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray'" (Matt. 26:36).



Luke tells us that "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Lk. 5:16). The writer of Hebrews adds that "during the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission" (Hebrews 5:7). Now Jesus "is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them" (Heb. 7:25).