Chosen

By Bethany Conkel

He came to her in the quiet of the night for He saw her broken heart.

“Lord,” she cried, “I don’t understand. My baby is precious to me and I love him so. Why does it have to be like this?”

“My child,” He said with a low tender voice, “I have created this baby with a special purpose, one too great to understand on this earth.”

“But Lord, why me? My heart is broken.”

“Because, I have chosen you. I've chosen you to love and care for this special child when others may not. I know you will nurture and protect him for his short time on this earth. You will keep his memory alive long after he has returned to me. I have chosen you to foster this little one on my behalf. Will you accept this sacred task?”

Her heart was heavy and the pain throbbed deep but, with great love and resolve, she choked back tears and whispered, “Yes.”

So, she carried the little one inside her. She nurtured him, protected him, and told him all about the world. She made sweet memories and loved him as her own, all the time knowing one day soon she would return him to the Lord.

The day finally arrived when she would meet this precious one face-to-face. The day when she would say hello and goodbye to this child she was chosen to care for ever so briefly. Her heart swelled with pride and she beamed with joy as she held him close. She kissed his sweet cheeks and held his tiny hand. He was perfect! She nurtured him, protected him, and told him about the world. She made sweet memories and loved him as her own with every ounce of her being.

Then, in a fleeting moment, she knew it was time. Time for him to return to the Lord. Hot tears ran down her face. She held him tight and watched him go.

Her heart was heavy, the pain throbbed deep, and the Lord came to her once again for He saw her broken heart.

“Thank you, my child, you have mothered him well. His time, though it was brief, has had an impact as deep as the throb in your heart. Now it is My turn to nurture and protect him, and tell him about the world.”

She sat silent, tears flooding the floor.

He held her close and whispered in her ear, “Keep his sweet memory alive and tell all you know about this child you fostered and the sacred task I chose you for.”

With an even greater love and endless resolve, she answered, “Yes, for all of my days until I return to you, and get to hold him again.”

So she nurtured and protected the sweet memories she had of him. For the rest of her days she told the world about her boy, the one she fostered for the Lord and loved as her own.

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Bethany Conkel lives in Ohio and is married to her wonderful husband, Eric. She is the mommy to two amazing children – one who is in heaven, the other here on earth. Bethanycarried her precious son, Amalya Nathaniel (meaning: “work of the Lord”, “given by God”) to term after receiving the diagnosis of anencephaly when she was 11 weeks pregnant. Amalya lived for 1 hour and 20 minutes before taking hold of the Lord’s hand. After he passed, his liver, pancreas, and whole body were donated to scientific research.Bethany has since created a website about neonatal organ, tissue, and whole body donation called Purposeful Gift to help other families explore the option of donation. She is also a certified Birth and Bereavement Doula through Stillbirthday.com and serves withSufficient Grace Ministries