October 4, 2003: A Day I'll Never Forget

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It's hard to believe that it was nine years ago today I was taken by air-ambulance from the hospital in Williston to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. Faith was very unexpectedly trying to make her way into the world 14 weeks early. 

The doctors and staff in Williston knew they did not have the expertise in dealing with a mom with a complex heart condition having a baby born so prematurely. I had been planning on having Faith in Rochester but not this soon! After all, my due date wasn't until January 6th.

After getting to Rochester, I was in the hospital for five days hooked up to a baby monitor. Faith seemed to be doing well and I was no longer going into preterm labor. Although I wanted to just go back home, the doctors thought it would be wise for me to stick around Rochester, just in case. The Travel Lodge became my temporary home.
 
Faith in the NICU in Rochester, Minnesota where she was born

Rob had been going back and forth between Rochester and Watford City. And when we found out I was going to be staying in Rochester possibly until Faith was born, he brought me lots of books, movies, the VCR and even my desk top computer. Unfortunately, he couldn't stay there with me because he was trying to keep our business afloat back home.

While in Rochester during that time, I mostly remember asking God why all of this was happening. I tried hard to focus on the scripture, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). But I still had so many questions. Should I have even gotten pregnant in the first place considering the high risk? Why would God allow me to get pregnant if it meant going through all of this?

There is another scripture that says, "the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy" (John 10:10). Now more than ever I believe that is exactly what the enemy was trying to do - to steal Faith from me, to kill her and to destroy mine and Rob's lives.

There are a lot of people who question why bad things happen to good people. They oftentimes forget we live in a fallen world where both good and evil exists and that "our enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).
 
Thankfully, Faith stayed in my womb for another three weeks. And although she was born early with some damage to her brain, I praise God for the victory that she survived and that now nine years later she lives a blessed and abundant life - which is the second part of John 10:10 - "But I (Jesus) am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

And because of my daughter Faith, who tried to come so early nine years ago, my faith has been strengthened and I believe more than ever in God's amazing grace, His love for us, His faithfulness and His healing. Because we have experienced troubles and hardship, the joy is that much greater.

I have also come to understand that the words of James cannot be truer, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4).

Faith at about four years old - full of joy and love!

Soon our giggly girl will be celebrating nine years of life!

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