I had recently heard several incredibly powerful testimonies of people who had been working their way through the healing process and acknowledgment of their loss of a child; one from still birth, one from infant illness, and one from the personal choice of abortion. I was so moved by their stories as I had grown up seeing my own mother suffer the loss of countless children to miscarriage. One of my dearest friends had just lost a child a few months before, and I had almost lost our own child during a recent pregnancy. I sensed a strong urging from the Lord to write a song to assist in the dedication of our new local Garden of Hope (a beautiful place for parents to memorialize their precious children and to acknowledge their loss). I was so excited for this garden that I had verbally committed to write this song for it.

Almost 6 months had passed as I wrestled with the Lord over the commitment I had made and my feelings of fear and inadequacy in relation to this topic. I knew that the pain associated with the loss of a child by accidental or early death was something I had never truly experienced. There is a world of difference between almost losing a child and actually losing one. I knew that to write about something so deep and so sensitive to people was a risk I now did not want to take. I cried out to the Lord so many times pleading with Him to let me out of this commitment I had made, because I knew that I could not write this song out of my own power of imagination. Fortunately, the Lord would not let me out of the deal. I finally felt His overwhelming peace assuring me that if I would be obedient to pick up my pen, He would pour over my paper what people needed to hear to find healing. The Lord woke me up in the middle of the night two weeks before the dedication ceremony and began to fill my mind with the words from Heaven's perspective. By morning, I pulled out the notepad from between my mattress and tried to read to Ken the overlayed scratches of lyrics that were penned in the dark during my groggy state of mind. As the melody was formed around the words and the song began to take on a genuine sensitivity and power I could never have generated on my own, I became humbled by the awesome goodness of God.

The song was completed within two days of the dedication of the garden and was shared there for the first time in the rawest form. I watched from the platform as tear after tear fell from the hearing of the song. I knew at that point, God had incredible plans for this song. What if I had not been willing to write it? I had an overwhelming sense of conviction as it became clear that God wanted to use me to reach thousands with the healing power of Jesus' love for children and the power of His love for the broken-hearted. He wants to love us through whatever circumstances life brings, and He offers us healing and restoration when we are willing to crawl into His arms.

The studio recording came out far more incredible that we ever expected. Ken and I know the Lord had his hand on every part of the process. Since the dedication of the garden, we have seen the blessing of obedience through the lives and testimonies of men and women who have shared their stories with us and how much the song has ministered to their lives in ways we will never know. We praise the Lord daily for the strength and willingness to hear His voice and for giving us the opportunity to bring this offering to Him.

Thank you Jesus for caring for these men and women so much and for holding their children for them until they can be reunited together in Heaven.
May this song, that almost wasn't written, bring healing to the hearts of all who hear it, and may those who do not know of the healing power through Your blood, find their salvation and rest in the hope of You. (John 3:16)