Summary: Listen in as I spend some time with Brooke Stone whose son Sawyer, was diagnosed with Trisomy 13. Brooke shares helpful and practical thoughts about Trisomy 13 and her experience of carrying a baby to term that had a life-limiting diagnosis. She shares invaluable wisdom about the decisions that need to be made, how to ensure the best possible medical care, what she did to prepare for her son’s birth, what she packed in her hospital bag and even the sweet and memorable ways she celebrated him after he was born. We talk about hard and valuable things like the value of communicating expectations to those who are walking along side you and listen to the end to hear her priceless and incredibly helpful advice for marriage in the midst of loss and grief. Brooke is tender and kind and communicates seemingly impossible hope in our time together; to hear a mom who has walked through such loss say “God showed me His goodness and His mercy through my son’s life. I was able to enjoy things I never thought I would be able to enjoy.” is just a massive grace to those of us listening and I am so grateful. No matter what brought you here today, I pray that you hear the hope and the grace in Brooke’s story. That you are reminded that even amidst brokenness there is joy to be had. > FREE DEVOTIONAL If you are in a place where hope feels impossible and joy feels unthinkable, if you are full of uncertainty and doubt and confusion about who God is in the face of your loss, my biggest piece of advice would be to spend time in God’s Word. It doesn’t have to complicated or overly spiritual, just getting to know the God of the Bible who can bring about true healing to a broken heart. I know how difficult opening the Bible can be amidst grief so I created a simple resource for you -- a free 7 day devotional called Hope for the Hurting. I wrote this mini devotional specifically for women who have experienced the loss of a baby, 7 days of bible passages with a short devotion and prayer -- to download that free resource, simply head over to themorning.com/devotional. And if you aren’t quite sure what to think about this christian faith, if reading the Bible isn’t something you have ever done before, or if opening the Bible just feels impossible right now, maybe give this a try. It’s super simple way to be introduced or re-introduced to this faith and God we talk about so much here. Either way, I pray that resource blesses you. Again, you can find that free 7 day devotional at themorning.com/devotional And one final reminder before we get started, all the resources Brooke mentions in today’s episode will be listed in the show notes, to find those simply head to: themorning.com/episode050. -- EPISODE 050 SHOW NOTES: www.themorning.com/episode050 THE JOYFUL MOURNING COMMUNITY: www.thejoyfulmourningcommunity.com GIFT SHOP FOR GRIEVING MOTHERS: www.themorning.com/giftshop THE JOYFUL MORNING INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/thejoyfulmorning
