Baby loss/ "Held"

I have never lost a baby that I have known of, but I have a few friends and family that have miscarried, or had infants die when born too early. But last year, about this time, a friend of mine from MOPS had her baby, a sweet little guy, who was born with heart and brain problems. He lived only two short days. It just plain broke my mother's heart. My kids were sad for my friend too. We had all prayed for them, and then we mourned with and for them. As I thought about my friend in the months that followed, I kept hearing a song that seemed like it applied to her situation, so I told her about it.

The song I "gave" her was one that she had not heard before, and she later told me that it really spoke to her heart. I've given lots of tangible items to friends that have lost babies, such as a big box of kleenex, a baby blanket, a bag of forget-me-not seeds, a journal and pretty pen, bubble bath, and more, all in a basket. Several moms told me that they really appreciated that gift. But this is a song I could put in the basket too...

This song is by Natalie Grant, one of my favorite Christian artists. Here are the lyrics to the song, Held:

Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence
Would take a child from his mother
While she prays, is appalling
Who told us we'd be rescued
What has changed and
Why should we be saved from nightmares
We're asking why this happens to us
Who have died to live, it's unfair
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held
This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it and
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly
To lilies of the valley and tomorrow
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held
If hope if born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait, for one hour
Watching for our Savior
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held
[Repeat Chorus]

You can watch the video and hear the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOufqWodFNo

I'm so thankful that God holds us when we need it most. So today, hold and hug your kids a little longer, while they are here. In honor of my friend and her little guy that she had to let go. 

(Sorry if I made you cry, it gets me every time too!)