When music turns to talk on the radio, I hit the next preset button. But today, while listening to K-Love on my ride to work, I stayed tuned to the conversation between Lisa and Matt Hammitt of Sanctus Real. Not sure why I didn’t change the station. I’m sure it was a God thing.
Matt’s wife, Sarah, is expecting. Their unborn baby boy will be their third child. But before he’s even entered the world, the family is robbed of the new baby experience that we often take for granted. Matt and Sarah will not be able to hold their baby boy much at all in his first weeks — he has hypoplastic left heart syndrome (meaning that the left side of his heart is under-developed and he’ll have to endure a number of operations early in his life).
Matt spoke of God holding his baby’s heart. He spoke of the outpouring of fans offering support and sympathy. And he spoke of others who share the same malady. At some point during this discussion, Lisa said something that really resonated with me.
She said, “Ain’t it great to go through life together?”
Powerful words. Here, this man is speaking of what may well be the most difficult experience of his life, and she chooses sunshine as her response? It might seem out of context to some, even off-putting. But to me, I felt no other words would be more fitting. See, God put us here. He made us each, unique with good qualities and not so good; physical strength and ailments alike; our purpose (as ambiguous as it may seem to us), determined before we were conceived. We are here. This is life. Ain’t it great to go through it together?
Our problems, our heartache, our pain are all a part of the only experience we will have here on Earth. They are a part of who we are and who we will become. Not only should we learn from them, but we should embrace them. I’m not suggesting that we should jump for joy over our sick children or the tragic loss of a loved one (or any other painful experience, at that). I only mean to communicate that life is now. Life is beautiful. Through good and bad, life is better when shared with others.
Ain’t it great to go through life together?
You can read about the Hammitts and unborn baby, Bowen, here. This beautiful family is in my prayers.
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Wow. Ain’t it though?
My little one was born with a hole in her lung and I thought I was going to DIE to come home without her. Thank God for the wonderful NICU nurses… She is healthy today!
Great post Lauren.
.-= T´s last blog ..The rest of the way =-.
What a great reminder.
Thanks!
Hi, Heather! It’s my pleasure!
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