That the World May Know...

Way down under, in a land far, far away... on a white sandy beach surrounded by the bluest ocean water my eyes have never seen, the sun sets. And on that beach, their names are written. The names that the world never knew...or only knew for a short time. The names that mothers' hearts long to hear spoken; names that are forgotten by some...never known by many. Long after the rest of the world moves on and the wounds heal and only the scars remain, the mother's heart still remembers...still longs to hear the names. For the moments when life moves forward and time seems to have forgotten, and even the mother longs for evidence, wondering: Was it all a dream? Were they were really here? Even a whisper of remembrance...even the smallest acknowledgment that they were here, that they mattered would comfort her aching heart.

She writes the names on the sandy white beach, thousands of names, because she knows that it matters to every mother's longing heart and every father, too. She knows that every life matters. And, even if it has been twelve years since the mother saw the face that belongs with the name, she writes in the sand, knowing that it will still touch the mother's heart that someone knows her baby was here. Her baby had a name. Her baby lived on this Earth. Her baby lives...in Heaven's glory.

There was a time, for many years, when I barely heard the names of my Faith, Grace, and Thomas. It was different twelve years ago...ten years ago when we lost our babies. There was no Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Organization. No perinatal hospice. No blogging. I didn't know about a birth plan. It was different, and yet...much of it is the same. Same great sorrow, same stormy sea of grief, same sufficient grace, same Jesus to carry us as He carried our babies Home, same aching empty arms, same brokenness...driving us deeper into the Savior's arms, same longing to hear the names of our babies spoken.

Just say their names. Please. Say their names. Faith Elizabeth Gerken, Grace Katherine Gerken, Thomas Patrick Gerken. They were here. You may have not known them, but I knew them. I knew that Faith was quiet and gentle and strong. She took the brunt of her syndrome and the brunt of her sister's wild kicks! I knew that Grace was fiesty. She never stopped moving. She kicked and flipped and flailed around. She was our firecracker. And, I knew that Thomas seemed to have a knowing about him...a quiet wisdom. He didn't kick, because there wasn't room for him to move, but his eyes always seemed to look right into mine during every ultrasound, and I knew him because he was my son. Through his life I learned about sufficient grace and about believing without seeing. And, when I met him...I learned that my Jesus would never leave me alone in the fiery furnace...that He would never leave us, nor forsake us. I learned that in the darkest moment, He will come. And, when I beheld the beauty of my son's face, it was like nothing I have ever seen.

Her name is Carly and she writes the names. Because every life matters, she writes the names. That the world may know, she writes the names...





To view their page on Carly's beautiful memorial site, click here.


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On a completely unrelated subject, I would like to just take a minute to acknowledge a couple of awards our blog was blessed with recently.

Thank you to Jennileigh for this sweet Butterfly Award.



And, from my dear bloggy-friend, Stacy D , this Sisterhood award. I cannot say enough about the faith of this beautiful "sister", and the blessing it has been to know her, and to walk with her as she is carried, through the great sorrow of losing her son Isaac, in the arms of our loving Savior with the most beautiful, amazing grace. Thank you Stacy.



I pass the honors on to:
Carly...because she writes the names and prays for every broken heart.

Megan at The Greatest Blessing because her courage as she clings to her Savior is inspiring. Her gift to make something beautiful out of something ordinary is being used to comfort grieving hearts. Because she is proof that He makes beauty from ashes.

Dee-Dee because she started our Tuesdays Together in the Word. And I so appreciate the blessing of every Tuesday together as we share what God is speaking to our hearts through His word. She is a woman of faith, and she has a beautiful mother's heart.

Susie at Be Strong and Courageous because her journey is amazing. Her Joshua has blessed my heart along with millions who prayed for him, who loved him, who said good-bye to him, and who remember him, right along with her. She is precious and witty, loves Jesus, and has an amazing mother's heart. I thoroughly enjoy visiting her blog.

Tricia at It's All About Him for joining with us to walk through His word on our Tuesdays Together. I'm so blessed to have met her and encouraged as we share what we are learning together each week.

Of course, I love the wit and humor of the Mamas - BooMama and BigMama, and of course MckMama for making me laugh daily and blessing my heart always. And who doesn't love Angie Smith and Lynette Kraft...and there are so many others.

I'm so grateful for this new sisterhood in blogworld! I have grown to love so many people that I have never even met. What a surprising gift. Thank you for your part in it.