Our New Baby

In May of this year,
we were surprised
by God's Grace.

We were all so excited about this pregnancy,

and were filled with hope over this new life and soul being knit together for God's glory.

 We had no idea that this was going to be

the beginning of a trial for our family.

Two months into the pregnancy, I began hemorrhaging heavily, and found myself in the emergency room. 

And despite everything that happened with Baby Joshua's pregnancy, I was certain that we had lost this baby. 

This time...


I was the one

who was wrong.

I was diagnosed with another subchorionic hematoma, and given a 50/50 chance of carrying the baby to term. 

The clot was as big as the baby, and I found that when I stood up or walked around for any length of time,

I began to bleed heavily - so I stayed down. 

Any of you who have experienced this condition know that the amount of blood loss that comes with it simply makes it hard to believe that a baby would be capable of surviving it.  

During this time, our Bible reading group happened to be focused on Luke 8. I took so much comfort in reading the account of the hemorrhaging woman who was healed in an instant.  

 I was spending so much time laying down, unable to get up and mother my children in the way I am used to, and I just kept closing my eyes and reaching for the hem of His garment.

As sick as I was those first few months,

I was strengthened in knowing that Jesus not only saw but ORDAINED my affliction, and that the outcome was in His hands.

After 27 weeks of waiting,

we saw our collective prayers answered.

The clot had entirely dissapeared.  

The baby has continued to grow,
and by God's grace...  

we are now 34 weeks pregnant!

We have no idea what the gender is, either!

We are overjoyed - but in retrospect - this has been the hardest season of our lives as a family.

And yet everything we have experienced this year has been a reminder that we live in a fallen world, broken by sin and suffering, and that all of creation is groaning for our Savior's return. (Romans 8:22)

Each and every one of us has broken God's Law, given in the Ten Commandments, and by God's standards we will fall short.

The entire creation is fallen, and we need a Savior - because the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

And so He came, wrapped Himself in flesh, lived a sinless life, and willingly died the death we deserved (John 1:14), bearing our sins upon Himself. 

He rose again, defeating death, so that He can offer us the greatest gift that has ever been given... 

...a full pardon from all of our sins, given freely
when we call upon the name of the Lord in repentance, trusting Him alone for salvation.
  (Mark 1:15)

Friends, the baby who was born in that stable
is not a baby anymore.

He is the Risen King, ruling at the right hand of God in Heaven, and He is coming back to judge us by our own righteousness (and the Bible says we all fall short) or by His own perfectly imparted righteousness.

We need to take cover in the Cross.
(1 Corinthians 15)

In this crumbling world where babies die, children are abandoned by their parents, and everything spins out of our control - God has given us a refuge in the Gospel...

and a promise to make all things new.

A star pierces the darkness, 
lighting the way to the Savior.

The weary world rejoices...

Our family wishes each of you
a Merry Christmas.

If we can pray for you, let us know: MRoepnack@gmail.com. 

Local friends - all the pretty pictures were taken by our dear friend at Alyssa Fenty Photography:
alyssafentyphotography@gmail.com

Check out this short video from Living Waters about the true meaning of Christmas:

Related posts: 

Baby Joshua

Christmas Nativity 2014

- Missy