Finding Joy in the Midst of Sorrow: Brighton’s Story

                                                                                            Baby Brighton by NILMDTS Affiliated Photographer Stacey Fishel

On the morning of November 3, 2021, I was praying very specifically for a friend who was in labor with her daughter, who had been given a life-limiting diagnosis. I could not fully understand the depth of her pain, but I admired her courage. She had carried her daughter to term and made the most of every moment of her short life.

Just a few hours later, I found myself at my own 12-week ultrasound appointment for our second baby. Our first pregnancy had been smooth, and I expected this one to be the same. When I left the ultrasound room, my nurse shared devastating news. Our baby had received the same life-limiting diagnosis as my friend’s daughter and would not survive outside the womb.

The timing felt impossible to comprehend. On the very day my friend was delivering her baby, we were receiving the same heartbreaking diagnosis. Yet even in that moment, I felt God’s presence. I knew we would not walk through this season alone. My husband and I made the decision without hesitation. We would choose life …