"Father Rejoices"

I remember one of my friends planning a tea party for her daughter. At the time, I only had Jacob and I thought it was fascinating to watch the "mother/daughter" interaction. The "girly" talk was fun and everything I imagined every mother would experience with her daughter. Later, I spoke to my friend and said "You are going to have such fun at the tea party!" She looked at me and said, "Lisa, the problem with having girls and planning these events is this....you don't get to actually attend the party!"

Three years later, I found out I was pregnant and expecting a girl. When I heard the news I had very mixed emotions. I wanted to plan those frilly parties but part of me screamed "I have a boy! I know how to raise a boy! What do I do with a girl?"

There was a point where having a healthy baby became my only prayer.

I went to a typical ultra sound appointment, not a care in the world. The doctor doing the examination was in Okinawa as a visiting physician, but in a military hospital at that time, having different doctor's was normal. I watched the monitor and began seeing things that I didn't comprehend. Then I noticed the doctor taking pictures of the same places over and over again.

Without much preparation, the doctor pointed out a cyst that encompassed half of the baby's brain. Then he moved to the heart. We watched the blood pump through normally, then without warning, blood would squirt from the side of the heart. I was told, to see a cyst on the brain was normal and to see a hole in the heart was normal. The concern came when both were present. These two issues together usually meant Down Syndrome or a heart condition.

I was sent to the radiology department for another ultrasound. In the elevator, I prayed that this was "just a bad dream". I prayed for instant healing for my baby but on the screen the cyst was still there and the blood kept spitting out in the wrong place.

The doctor asked me if I would be able to go to Tripler Hospital the next day.

Now, I was new on the island of Okinawa and for some reason thought Tripler was there in Japan. My heart began to race when I found out the hospital was in Hawaii. I felt a weight of seriousness fall on my heart and I started to cry.

After the flight to Hawaii, I had a strange peace come over me. If God knew us before He made us, if he formed us in our mother's wombs....then He wasn't finished with my baby! I continued to pray and just decided to fall backwards into the arms of God, trusting He would catch me.

I arrived for my appointment and was told the doctor I was scheduled to see was on vacation. He would not be back for two weeks. AND to make matters worse, there was NO appointment even scheduled for me. No one else could see me. I stood before the nurse and just calmly asked what could be done. She rattled off a list of people who would need to be notified before I could be scheduled for an appointment. Again, a calm just washed over me and I just looked at the nurse and said, "I'll just wait over there." I went to the waiting area, sat and just stared at the television.

Then I overheard a doctor speaking at the counter. The next thing I knew, the nurse walked over to me and said this doctor overheard my predicament and wasn't busy at the moment. I was amazed....and then again....not.

As the doctor began the ultra sound, he did not allow me to view the monitor. He asked me what the previous doctor saw. He asked me if I considered having an abortion, even though in his opinion it would be almost immoral at this point in the pregnancy. I remember saying I wanted my baby no matter what was in the future.

Then the doctor became very quiet.

He studied the screen, took pictures.....studied the screen again.

After a long pause, the doctor sat up straight on his stool, pushed himself away from the monitor and looked at me.

I still remember his words...."Nothing is there. There is no cyst. There is no hole in the heart. Your baby is just fine. By the way, did you want to know what you were having?" I asked if it was a girl. He said yes.

As I look at my precious baby girl on her birthday, ten years later, I stand in amazement of my God. I saw the cyst. I saw the hole in the heart. Then I saw my Jehovah Rapha, my God Who Heals speak life and health into my daughter.

Abigail, your name means "father rejoices" and you are a special work from God. You are a miracle and you are just the way God wants you to be. Your earthly father so wanted a baby girl and he rejoiced when you were born, right before Father's Day. You were the perfect gift. Your Heavenly Father also rejoices over you each and every day. You are such a blessing and a walking testament to the glory and wisdom of God.

Abby, thank you for being my daughter. You are all I have ever dreamed of having in a daughter. You are so sweet (well not to your brother...hahaha) and retain such wonderful, Godly stances. You will bloom into a strong Christian woman. I will rejoice and thank God for you.