[Testimony] Sitting Behind Emily

Shine 2008 was so incredible! Thank you so much for the many hours upon hours of prayer, hard work and love that went into it.

I had a true God experience at Shine this year.

The first night of Shine my friends and I sat behind a girl, who in conversation, we found out was pregnant with twins (as is one of my friends I was sitting with).

I talked with Emily for a while discovering we had many similarities. We both have three young boys all very close in age to each other. We also live fairly close to each other, something that isn’t always common when you meet someone at Celebration Church. I also mentioned how I had a son before my oldest who passed away while I was pregnant with him (this is something I normally don’t mention to ladies who are pregnant but it was appropriate with our conversation).

Emily said she was going the following morning to have an ultrasound that should tell her the gender of her twins.

At the end of the evening, we exchanged phone numbers.

The next morning I kept my eye out for Emily as she planned on coming to Shine after her doctors appointment. I didn’t see her but thought I had just missed her.

Later that afternoon, Emily called me and I excitedly asked her how the appointment went. She said not well and through tears, she said she had lost both babies at 17 weeks which was only two days before.

Completely unprepared for this news, I was shocked and so heavy hearted at the same time.

Emily had called to ask me what it was like to lose a baby and what she was going to go through. She had never met anyone else who had gone through this. I was able to share with her what I went through, what helped me and what I wished I had done…things no mother should ever have to think about. I was able to tell her things I wished someone had told me six years ago when my world was rocked and my precious baby boy, Wesley, was stillborn.

Through this devastating situation, I am amazed and in awe of God’s hand in all of it.

First the fact that I was at Shine and that I was sitting right behind Emily. Then that we engaged in a conversation of more than, “Hi, my name is Robyn…” I told Emily about my stillbirth even though I almost never mention it to a woman who is pregnant. We exchanged phone numbers and she had mine plugged into her cell phone. The day after us meeting for the first time, Emily called ME for advice and information for what she was going through! Wow, God had us both in the palm of His hands the whole time.

Six years ago, I was the one experiencing the raw emotions of carrying a baby in my womb that the doctors told me had passed away. I felt the agony of thinking my body had somehow let me down and I would never hear my firstborn’s cry. I was the one who went through a 24 hour labor only to deliver a perfect baby boy who never had a need to cry…a baby I only got to hold for five precious minutes on Earth.

Now, three beautiful boys later, I am a mom so full of love and in awe of God’s creation. I have grown so much as a person and in my relationship with God and I can see how good has come out of a heart wrenching situation. I can see how God wanted to take me beyond my pain to a point where I can reach out to others who receive the unexpected news. I can see how God planted me at Shine right behind Emily…Emily who was about to have her world rocked the very next morning.

Thank you so much to Pastor Katie who has reached out to me and Emily through prayer and support. I know having a spiritual leader will help Emily to transition through these next few months.

Pastor Katie prayed such an amazing prayer for Emily in the prayer room at Shine…I wish I could have recorded it so Emily could hear it over and over again and know she is loved and protected by our most high God.

Thank you Kerri for being obedient to God in orchestrating Shine and allowing God moments to happen. Thank you for teaching us and being our spiritual mother.

Posted on: May 12th, 2008