Two days ago, I published “The Impact of Tenderness and other stories our scars are telling.” And now I’d love to hear from you—What is a story one of your scars is telling?
Be it serious, touching, funny, or sad; our scars tell a lot about us and they also have a lot to say to us personally. As always, be kind, and if you share a story, I’d love for you to leave a kind comment on someone else’s story as well.
One scar no one could see (except me and Jesus) was - that despite 4 months of trying, using every means we had available at the time, I was unable to nurse my youngest child, Joshua. He had a traumatic birth, had a severe brain injury as a result of lack of oxygen and he could not coordinate his suck to nurse at my breast. I pumped my breast milk for him, until I lost my milk, which caused another deep wound. Since I was pumping, I could see just how much fat was in my breast milk - at the top of every bottle. Eating from a bottle takes less effrot and coordination, he was able to do that, althogh not that well, and it took him an hour to get the amount needed for him to thrive. I knew my breast milk was the best thing for him, he gained a pound a month each month he was getting my breast milk. It broke my heart to not be able to nurse him, and then again when I could no longer even pump my breast milk for him.
But - God redeemed this in two ways. First - 3 ladies from my church graciously donated breast milk to Joshua for his first 6 months. Then, when they could no longer give me their extra milk, another friend had a baby in December, and she was able to supply me with her extra milk for the next 6 months. Joshua DID get breastmilk for the first year of his life, because of the incredible blessing these ladies were to me and to him. I still tear up thinkg about their precious gift! Second - I have had the incredible blessing of watching & helping my own daughter breast feed her own firstborn in the past 5 1/2 weeks. It is such a joy to see the pleasure both mom and baby derive from this simple, but profound act of mom nourishing newborn at the breast. Thank you Lord for your blessings and for healing me of my wounds!
Grace, this is a beautiful story. Yes, sometimes our scars are all on the inside, but they ache just the same. I'm so grateful to hear how God has been redeeming such a sorrowful time in your life, and for the wonderful ways that he provided for you and your son through your community. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
One scar no one could see (except me and Jesus) was - that despite 4 months of trying, using every means we had available at the time, I was unable to nurse my youngest child, Joshua. He had a traumatic birth, had a severe brain injury as a result of lack of oxygen and he could not coordinate his suck to nurse at my breast. I pumped my breast milk for him, until I lost my milk, which caused another deep wound. Since I was pumping, I could see just how much fat was in my breast milk - at the top of every bottle. Eating from a bottle takes less effrot and coordination, he was able to do that, althogh not that well, and it took him an hour to get the amount needed for him to thrive. I knew my breast milk was the best thing for him, he gained a pound a month each month he was getting my breast milk. It broke my heart to not be able to nurse him, and then again when I could no longer even pump my breast milk for him.
But - God redeemed this in two ways. First - 3 ladies from my church graciously donated breast milk to Joshua for his first 6 months. Then, when they could no longer give me their extra milk, another friend had a baby in December, and she was able to supply me with her extra milk for the next 6 months. Joshua DID get breastmilk for the first year of his life, because of the incredible blessing these ladies were to me and to him. I still tear up thinkg about their precious gift! Second - I have had the incredible blessing of watching & helping my own daughter breast feed her own firstborn in the past 5 1/2 weeks. It is such a joy to see the pleasure both mom and baby derive from this simple, but profound act of mom nourishing newborn at the breast. Thank you Lord for your blessings and for healing me of my wounds!
Grace, this is a beautiful story. Yes, sometimes our scars are all on the inside, but they ache just the same. I'm so grateful to hear how God has been redeeming such a sorrowful time in your life, and for the wonderful ways that he provided for you and your son through your community. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
you are welcome!