Hannah To Hannah
October 2002 All rights reserved. Copyright © 2002. Issue #33
Providing "Christian
Support for Fertility Challenges"
including infertility or the loss of a
child at any time from conception through early infancy.
A monthly publication of Hannah's Prayer Ministries.
This month's topics:
Pregnancy Loss Month, Thanksgiving
The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving Hannah's Prayer Founder, Jennifer Saake
Rebecca Stillbirth Poem
A Diary of Loss Excerpts from Stepping Heavenward
Pregnancy And Infant Loss Remembrance Day
Feedback on the Hannah’s Prayer Medical Hall of Fame
Newsletter Submission & Reprint Information
The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving
Copyright © 1997. Jennifer Saake, Founder of Hannah’s Prayer
"We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord.
And we offer up to You the sacrifices of thanksgiving…"
How often do we take the time to truly think about the words we sing in church each Sunday? What are sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise? "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" (Hebrews 13:15-16).
We see "sacrifice" used throughout the Old Testament. God said that without the shedding of blood there could be no removal of sin, so animal sacrifice was ordained from the day sin entered the world through Adam, and was to continue until the day that God the Father experienced the grief of watching His own Son Jesus, the "Second Adam," die in our places to clean our guilt and make a way for us to be adopted into His Heavenly family.
"I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs" (Ps 69:30-31). Webster's dictionary includes several definitions of "sacrifice," many along the lines of bloodshed on an altar, but here are some alternate definitions that I think are more applicable to the idea of offering sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. "An act of offering to a deity something precious" or the "surrender of something for the sake of something else."
We are introduced to Hannah in the context of her family's journey to the temple to offer a yearly sacrifice (1 Samuel 1:3). Hannah was abiding by the law of the land in making the blood sacrifice demanded of her, but her heart was willing to sacrifice more. "In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. And she made a vow saying, 'O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life…'"(1 Sam. 1:10-11).
That was some sacrifice! No, Hannah didn't offer false thanksgiving by denying her pain or trying to pretend to God that everything was fine, but in the same breath that she asked Him to grant her heart's desire, she turned around and promised that the child would belong to God for his entire life. What an act of reverence for the God who created her and held the power to breathe life into her empty womb! We see that from this point on, even before God allowed her to conceive, Hannah worshipped the Lord (1 Sam. 1:19). The change from a bitter soul to an attitude of praise was the willingness to sacrifice her will to God’s. The words of Jonah reflect what Hannah probably felt, "But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD" (Jonah 2: 9).
Let's take a look at another family in the Bible - the first family that ever existed. Adam and Eve's first two sons were named Cain and Abel. Because sin had already entered the world before these sons were born, they grew up under the sacrificial system and worshipped the Lord from the time they were tiny. Cain and Abel both knew God's rules by heart. God was worthy of their obedience, respect, and honor, if for no other reason that simply because He is God! "For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods" (1 Chronicles 16:25).
The problem came as they grew up and started their own careers. Abel raised sheep while Cain pursued farming - both professions were honorable. These men knew that God required a blood atonement in repentance for sin. While Abel could readily offer the sacrifices God required by giving from his own flock, Cain had to exchange his produce to buy lambs for each sacrifice. (Kind of gives new meaning to the figure of speech, "You can't squeeze blood out of a turnip!")
At some point Cain tired of the system God set up. I don't know if he just didn't like the hassle of selling crops and buying sheep each day, or if his pride got in the way and he decided that since Abel could offer the product he produced in shepherding, that he should be able to offer the work of his own hands as well. Whatever the reason, Cain decided to bring a sacrifice of his produce rather than offer a blood sacrifice to the Lord (Genesis 4:1-5). When his offering displeased the Lord, Cain pouted. God gave him a second chance to make his attitude and actions right, saying, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it" (Gen. 4:6-7).
Unlike Hannah's story of obedience and willingness to sacrificially offer her one true desire to the Lord, Cain's story took a tragic turn when he hardened his heart in rebellion. In the end, Cain murdered Abel out of jealousy, and Eve, the world's first mother, lost two sons in one day - one to death, and one to banishment by the Lord. God's displeasure with Cain had nothing to do with a preference of meat over fruit. It had everything to do with Cain's heart attitude and unwillingness to submit to God's perfect plan. When Hannah did have a son, Samuel put it well: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams" (1 Sam 15:22).
I'm afraid I often tend to be much more like Cain than Hannah. I don't like to bend when God calls me to something outside my comfort zone. While we live in an age of grace and are no longer bound by the Old Testament code of blood sacrifice, God still desires my heart to be soft to him and offer praise and thanksgiving even when it hurts - no, especially when it hurts - for this is where the sacrifice begins! "O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Ps 51:15-17).
We are instructed, in view of God's mercy, to offer our "bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" and this is seen as an act of worship. How can we do this? "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:1-2). Even when we allow God to renew us, at times it is still hard to understand his perfect will for us in light of fertility challenges. "To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice" (Proverb 21:3). God also told Cain that he must "Do what is right," but how can I know what is right for me in infertility or in Noel's death?
I have often felt, especially in the earlier days of our struggle, that the withholding of children was a sign that, like Cain, God was not looking on us with favor. I have struggled with anger towards God, and my face has definitely been downcast! I cannot go exchange my fruit for flock to make an acceptable burnt offering, so what can I do? I have finally realized that doing what is right in infertility is simply allowing God to make the rules! He is asking me to make a change in the sacrifice I am willing to bring, and it is up to me if I will trade my bitterness for praise as Hannah did, or if I will use my pain to feed a jealous rage like Cain.
I want to offer myself to God as a great parent, to raise the children He gives us, and train them to follow after Him. My desire is a good one. There is nothing wrong with this desire, just as there was nothing wrong with Cain choosing to farm the land. In fact, my desire is God-given! But perhaps one thing I have in common with Cain is pride. After all, God had apparently always showered Cain with blessings in the past, as He has me, so it is easy to expect Him to continue His blessings on my terms, without waiting to see what His will or His master plan will be. "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river…” (Isaiah 48:17b-18a).
For Cain it would have been as simple as letting go of his pride and continuing to buy his sheep from his brother, as an act of obedience to God. For me it is letting God teach me to surrender my plans to His will. He knows that I still desire to raise a family, and I fully believe that some day, somehow, He will give me my heart's desire. But I am learning to exchange the sacrifice I want to give for the one He asks me to offer, in obedience to His perfect will for my life.
He does not want just my parenting skills, but He wants all of me! "To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and
sacrifices" (Mark 12:33). I am learning, slowly, but learning none the less, that to give my whole self - body, mind, heart, spirit, soul, wants, dreams, desires, goals - over to Him, is the only acceptable sacrifice in His sight. "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6).
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil 4:6-7). When we pray in an attitude of true thanksgiving, being honest with God about our pain, yet making the effort to sacrifice our attitudes to Him, we are rewarded with a peace that defies earthly reason. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim 2:1-4).
"Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed." (Ps 103:2-6)
Reasons for Thanksgiving:
God responds to our pain - "For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help" (Psalm 22: 24).
He puts an end to our pain - "Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning" (Ps 30:4-5).
He helps us - "Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” (Ps 28:6-7)
He carries the load - "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens" (Ps 68:19).
He is our comforter - "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
He is faithful - "Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations" (Ps 100:3-5).
It is within His character to bless those without hope - "He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD" (Psalm 113:9).
Rebecca
By Norma Rhiley, grandmother of Hannah to Hannah editor, Jill
Amack
Until I knew her name, Rebecca,
I could not share the anguish
Of the parents that birthed
The baby that never gasped or cried out
Wretched twisted cord of life
Curled unsuspected in the womb
Tensed in the amniotic fluid
They comforted Sandy
Through the long ordeal
As they awaited her husband, Jon,
Flying home from a business trip—
A test of faith
Seven months perfection
Arms and legs, fingers and toes
Black hair atop tiny round head
The nurse laid her in Sandy’s arms
The infant who needs no nourishment
The Church—the community
Held their family in
An overflow of Love
And their four sons
Watched in awe
As the numbed parents
Dressed Rebecca in a white dress
Was it on a hazy morning, such as this,
With mist rising from the earth
That you said good-bye to Rebecca?
Small presence
Clinging tenderly about your heart
As time heals
The silent scream will diminish
To a sweet whisper
Rebecca sings and dances with angels
And plays in the mud
Helping Pop* in his heavenly garden
* Norma’s father, Rebecca’s great-grandfather
Norma Rhiley is the grandmother of H2H editor, Jill Amack. After her 60th birthday, she began a writing career that has spanned twenty years. Whether in prose or poetry, she captures the significant moments of life with perception and grace.
A Diary of Loss:
Excerpts from Stepping Heavenward
By Elizabeth Prentiss,
Copyright © 1995 Calvary Press. Reprinted with permission.
August - We have come into the country with what God has left us, our two youngest children. Yes, I have tasted the bitter cup of bereavement, and drunk it down to the dregs. I gave my darling to God, I gave him, I gave him! But, oh, with what anguish I saw those round, dimpled limbs wither and waste away, the glad smile fade forever from that beautiful face! What a fearful thing it is to be a mother! But I have given my child to God. I would not recall him if I could. I am thankful He has counted me worthy to present Him so costly a gift.
I cannot shed a tear, and I must find relief in writing, or I shall lose my senses. My noble, beautiful boy! My first-born son! And to think that my delicate little Una still lives, and that death has claimed that bright, glad creature who was the sunshine of our home!
But let me not forget my mercies. Let me not forget that I have a precious husband and two darling children, and my kind, sympathetic mother still left to me. Let me not forget how many kind friends gathered about us in our sorrow. Above all let me remember God’s lovingkindness and tender mercy. He has not left us to the bitterness of a grief that refuses and spurns to be comforted. We believe in Him, we love Him, we worship Him as we never did before.
My dear Ernest has felt this sorrow to his heart’s core. But he has not for one moment questioned the goodness or the love of our Father in thus taking from us the child who promised to be our greatest earthly joy. Our consent to God’s will has drawn us together very closely; together we bear the yoke in our youth, together we pray and sing praises in the very midst of our tears. “I was mute, I did not open my mouth, because it was You who did it” (Psalm 39:9).
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
August 4 – How full are David’s Psalms of the cry of the sufferer! He must have experienced every kind of bodily and mental torture. He gives most vivid illustrations of the wasting, wearing process of disease…And then what wails of anguish are these!
“I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and You have afflicted me with all Your waves. All Your waves and Your billows have gone over me. Loved one and friend You have put far from me, and my acquaintances into darkness” (Psalm 88: 15, 7; 42:7; 88:18).
Yet through it all what grateful joy in God, what expressions of living faith and devotion! During my long illness and confinement to my room, the Bible has been almost a new book to me, and I see that God has always dealt with His children as He deals with them now, and that no new thing has befallen me. All these weary days so full of feebleness, these nights so full of unrest, have had their appointed mission to my soul.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
September - …Consenting to suffer does not annul the suffering. Such a child could not go hence without rending and tearing its way out of the heart that loved it. This world is wholly changed to me and I walk in it like one in a dream. And dear Ernest is changed, too. He says little, and is all kindness and goodness to me, but I can see that here is a wound that will never be healed.
I am confined to my room now with nothing to do but to think, think, think. I do not believe that God has taken our child in mere displeasure, but I cannot but feel that this affliction might not have been necessary if I had not so chafed and writhed, and secretly murmured at the way in which my home was invaded, and at our galling poverty. God has exchanged the one discipline for the other; and oh, how far more bitter is this cup!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
October 4 – My darling boy would have been six years old today…People say strange things in the way of consolation. I begin to think that a tender clasp of the hand is about all one can give to the afflicted. One says I must not grieve, because my child is better off in heaven. Yes, he is better off; I know it, I feel it; but I miss him nonetheless. Others say he might have grown up to be a bad man and broken my heart. Perhaps he might have, but I cannot make myself believe that likely. One lady asked me if this affliction was not a rebuke of my idolatry of my darling; and another, if I had not been in a cold, worldly condition, needing this severe blow on that account.
But I find no consolation or support in these remarks. My comfort is in my perfect confidence in the goodness and love of my Father, my certainty that He had a reason in thus afflicting me that I would admire and adore if I knew what it was. And in the midst of my sorrow I have had and do have a delight in Him before unknown, so that sometimes this room in which I am a prisoner seems like the very gate of heaven.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
July 12 – It is a year ago this day that the brightest sunshine faded out of our lives, and our beautiful boy was taken from us. I have been tempted to spend this anniversary in bitter tears and lamentations. For oh, this sorrow is not healed by time! I feel it more and more. But I begged God when I first awoke this morning not to let me so dishonor and grieve Him. I may suffer, I must suffer, He means it, He wills it; but let it be without murmuring, without gloomy despondency. The world is full of sorrow; it is not I alone who taste its bitter draughts, nor have I the only right to a sad countenance. Oh, for patience to bear on, cost what it may!
“Cheerfully and gratefully I lay myself and all I am or own at the feet of Him who redeemed me with His precious blood, determining to follow Him, bearing the cross He lays upon me.” This is the least I can do, and I do it while my heart still lies broken and bleeding at His feet…
It seems now that I have a child in heaven, and am bound to the invisible world by such a tie that I can never again be entirely absorbed by this one.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The new publisher of Stepping Heavenward, Solid Ground Books, is willing to offer this book to subscribers of
Hannah to Hannah for $10.00 and free shipping (the list price is $10.95 plus shipping). In addition, if you make it known that you are ordering from this offer, Hannah’s Prayer will receive $1.00 for each copy ordered. Call them toll free at 1-877-666-9469 or visit them on the Web at
http://solid-ground-books.com.
Pregnancy & Infant
Loss Remembrance Day
Support, Education and Awareness
By Lisa Brown
In October 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. "When a child loses his parent, they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a widow or widower. When parents lose their child, there isn't a word to describe them. This month recognizes the loss so many parents experience across the United States and around the world. It is also meant to inform and provide resources for parents who have lost children due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, stillbirths, birth defects, SIDS, and other causes."
Robyn Bear, founder of Pain,
Heartache, and Hope envisioned a day when all grieving parents could come together and be surrounded by love and support from their friends and families, a day when the community could better understand their pain and learn how to reach out to those who are grieving. This would be a day to reflect on the loss, yet embrace the love. While our babies’ lives were so brief, they were also very meaningful. Yet there was not a time to talk about them. Our society seemed to forget, or perhaps simply didn't know how to reach out. Since October had been proclaimed Awareness Month, she chose a day in the middle of the month to become "Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.” It was a bold step that Robyn took and I will forever be grateful that she shared her idea with me.
Although I had no idea how to start, I was ready to help in any way possible. By October 15, 2000, seven states had proclamations from their governors for "Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.” We asked everyone to light a candle at 7 p.m. in their time zone, having a special time and ceremony to remember.
Our movement really grew when Tammy Novak, founder of Angel Babies Forever
Loved, Inc. joined our effort. The three of us realized we could achieve so much more if we pooled our resources. We wrote to friends, support groups, and others, looking for a resident from each state that was interested in helping us. "Support, education, and awareness for parents grieving due to the loss of a baby, at any age”—that was our starting point. We soon developed our mission statement and goals.
Last year, 48 state governors recognized October 15th as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day by proclamation. The United States House of Representatives passed H. Res. 254, supporting the goals of this day. This year, 25 states have signed proclamations, and I am currently in contact with U.S. Congressman Dave Weldon's office in an effort to have this nationally recognized.
Robyn Bear was contacted by the Assistant Attorney General for President Bush, Viet D. Dinh in August of 2001. She was commended on behalf of the President for the time and energy she has given "on behalf of families across the nation who have had to endure the grief of losing an infant.” In his letter he promised that, "This administration is committed to examining ways to assist families that have suffered such a loss. Further, this administration is dedicated to improving science and technology to help decrease the rate of miscarriages and infant mortality in this country.” He also wanted to assure her that her "suggestion for a National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day will be given due consideration."
In order to make this a national day of remembrance, Remembering Our Babies is looking for support, in the form of a letter, to present to Congress showing them how as a bereavement community we are all working together to help grieving families. Having letters from established support organizations will help give more consideration for our request for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Though Robyn Bear, Tammy Novak, and I founded this day, it is a day for everyone. We want to network, directing parents to where they can find the right support for their needs. By showing Congress all of the organizations that are dedicated to this cause, the fact that we are all working together and that we can all benefit from this awareness, we should have a strong case for why this day of remembrance is so vital.
To quote Richard Olsen of the National Stillbirth Society, "National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is an idea whose time has come. As a nation we stand transfixed like deer in the headlights as the news media report on the deadly toll from the latest grizzly crash, shooting, explosion, or other calamity de jure. What they don't tell us—perhaps because it is no longer news but should be—is that every year over 26,000 babies past 20 weeks gestation are stillborn. Add to this number a like number of infant deaths, and factor in the staggering number of pregnancy losses due to miscarriage and one begins to grasp the enormity of the suffering endured by America's mothers in silence and relative obscurity."
On behalf of my colleagues, our many assistants and families not just nationwide—but worldwide—I hope you will take the opportunity to visit "Remembering Our Babies," at
http://www.pregnancyandinfantloss.com/. Please help us help each other in having this day recognized by all.
Lisa W. Brown
Mommy to Taylor on earth
Mommy to Little One and Jackson in heaven
Encouraging Words
Reprinted from
My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers
Copyright © 1935, Dodd, Mead & Company,
Inc.
The expression of Christian character is not good doing, but God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit Divine characteristics in your life, not good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian is that the supernatural is made natural in him by the grace of God, and the experience of this works out in the practical details of life, not in times of communication with God. When we come in contact with things that create a buzz, we find to our amazement that we have power to keep wonderfully poised in the center of it all.
If you have an encouraging quote that has especially challenged you, please e-mail Jill at newsletter@hannah.org so that we may consider it for an upcoming issue of Hannah to Hannah.
Feedback on the Hannah’s Prayer Medical Hall of Fame
In our August issue, we featured the new Hannah’s Prayer Medical Hall of
Fame. Marybeth and Craig Hay of Whitinsville, MA, nominated their doctor, Paul A. Carpentier, CNFPMC. We were so pleased to receive a letter from Dr. Carpentier about his nomination, and we’d like to share it with
you:
Thank you for your efforts and service to couples suffering from infertility and the loss of babies. I also wish to thank you for enrolling my work in the "Medical Hall of Fame." I very firmly believe the Christian teaching of all life is a gift and likewise needs to be cherished and respected.
Unfortunately, traditional OB/GYN's have drifted from this respect and appreciation to a more utilitarian view of fertility. Thus, when patients meet a physician such as myself, who honors their fertility and their new lives within, the patients feel so relieved, comforted, respected, and uplifted. It is a true joy to participate in their lives in this way.
Doctors trained as I am via the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction in Omaha, Nebraska, try to use the best that OB/GYN science has to offer in a way that diagnoses, remedies, and cooperates with their fertility issues and supports the subsequent pregnancy. This is very successful. I have recently reviewed my data of the last 12 years and though the number of patients is small, the patients that complete the process have a 76% (unpublished) for primary infertility and 64% for secondary infertility without one occurrence of multiple pregnancy.
Similarly, I love to support the pregnancies of women who have had previous miscarriages or have signs of luteal insufficiency, which may increase their chance for miscarriage—we can identify and treat this even before they become pregnant.
I would like to recommend to you two other Web sites to add to your resource list:
— One More Soul in Dayton, Ohio, which maintains a list of doctors trained as I
am
— The Pope Paul VI Institute Web
Another support group is the American Academy of Fertility Care Professionals based in St. Louis, Missouri. This is a national certifying and educating body to support a group of doctors and natural family teachers dispersed across our country, Europe, South America, and elsewhere. Their Web site is
www.aanfp.org.
Thank you again for this honor and all you do for these couples and the values you represent.
Sincerely,
Paul A. Carpentier, CNFPMC
250 Green Street
Suite 200
Gardner MA 01440
(978) 632-6444
Upcoming Events
Is your organization sponsoring an infertility, adoption, or infant loss
seminar?
If so, please e-mail Jill at newsletter@hannah.org
so that we may consider
your announcement for an upcoming issue of "Hannah to Hannah."
Hannah's Prayer is not directly related to, nor has any
financial interest in, these organizations.
We prayerfully list them to help you find other resources that may be of
blessing or encouragement to you.
"Walk to Remember”
Saturday, October 12, 2002 at 2 p.m.
First Baptist Church
South off FM 2813, past Cumberland Rd, off Broadway
Tyler, Texas
Glory Babies and Compassionate Friends invite you to join us for Walk to Remember on Saturday, October 12 at 2:00 p.m. in Tyler, Texas. It is a time for families and friends to gather together, remember, and celebrate the lives of the children they have lost through death at any age (pregnancy through adulthood). For further information contact Jennifer at (903) 939-1548 or
glorybabies@dctexas.net
Adoption Academy Offers Classes
Columbus Children's Hospital
700 Children's Dr.
Columbus, Ohio
(614) 722-4949 Children's Hospital Education Department
Here is the fall schedule for the upcoming educational classes:
CORE track (3 weeks)
September 24 Introduction of the Academy and Overview of Adoption
October 1 The Nuts and Bolts of Home Study
October 8 Emotional and Social Implications of Adoption and Parent Panel
DOMESTIC TRACK (4 weeks)
October 15 The Step-by-Step Process of Adoption and Find the Adoptive Child
October 22 The Spectrum of Openness in Adoption and Cultural Considerations
October 29 Preparing for the Child's Arrival: Medical and Behavioral Aspects of
Adoption
November 5 Affording Your Adoption and Parent and Adoptee Panel
INTERNATIONAL TRACK (4 weeks)
November 12 Step-by-Step Process of International Adoption
November 19 Dealing with Governments - Ours and Others
December 3 Medical and Health Care Needs of the Child
December 10 Transcultural Adoption Considerations
CORE: $15 first person, $10 each additional
Domestic and International Fees are $20 for first person, $15 for each additional
All classes are at Columbus Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Dr. Columbus, Ohio.
Call Children's Hospital Education Dept. at (614) 722-4949 for a registration brochure or if you have additional questions. Brochures are also available online at the RESOLVE of Ohio web site,
www.resolveofohio.org or
www.childrenscolumbus.com or
www.law.capital.edu/adoption.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Parent Support Group in Glendale, California
Fourth Thursday of every month
7:30pm – 9:30 pm at Verdugo Hills Hospital
Main Entrance, 4th Floor, Council Rooms
1812 Verdugo Blvd., Glendale, California
The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Group of Verdugo Hills Chapter of The Compassionate Friends, is for parents who are grieving the loss of a baby through ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, newborn or early infant death. Mothers and fathers are invited to attend alone or with their partner. We will meet on the same dates and times as the general Compassionate Friend meetings, but in an adjacent room. For more information please call (818) 957-0254 or contact Susan tcfsgh@pacbell.net.
Infertility & Adoption Group
Fourth Thursday of every month
7:00-9:00 pm at Evangelical Free Church of Fresno
3438 E. Ashlan Avenue
Fresno, California 93726-3597
For more information, please contact Pete and Linda Weller at 226-4100.
Infertility Support Group
Last Friday of every month
7:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church
72 Lake Morton Drive
Lakeland, Florida 33801
Phone contact: First UMC Counseling Office (863) 644-8241
Please call to confirm time and location. Should you require further information or confirmation, please contact Laurie Busey at
greggbuseyz@yahoo.com or phone (863) 644-1507.
Infertility Support Group
Meeting times: to be determined
Sheffield Family Life Center Church
5700 Winner Road
Kansas City, Missouri
Contact: Terri Bennett
(816) 220-9823
nealandterri@yahoo.com
The Sheffield Family Life Center Church has built a new building and expanded its programs to include a new ministry called, "The Refuge.” They are starting a Christian support group for those experiencing infertility, unwanted childlessness, and other related issues. The name of the support group is, "Light On The Path.” The groups will meet monthly for support and there will also be special events (adoption panels, etc.). There are brochures available if you would like to have a copy e-mailed or mailed to you. The group may meet at the church or in Terri’s home. Please contact Terri if you are interested in attending.
Glory Babies
Every third Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
Grace’s Women’s Center
235 S. Broadway
Tyler, Texas
Glory Babies, a Christ-centered care group for men and women who are grieving the loss of a child during pregnancy or infancy. We meet every 3rd Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Grace’s Women’s Center downtown on Broadway. It is located at 235 S. Broadway just north of Front Street (next to the Expert Tire) and it has green awnings over the windows. For further information contact Jennifer at (903) 939-1548 or
glorybabies@dctexas.net.
Upcoming Hannah to Hannah Topic & Submission Deadlines
December 2002 – Christmas and Holiday Coping – submissions by November 15, 2002
January 2003 - New Year's Update - submissions by Dec. 15., 2002
February 2003 - Marriage Builders - submissions by January 15, 2003
March 2003 - Secondary Infertility, Step-parenting - submissions by February 15, 2003
April 2003 - Church, Family, and Friends - submissions by March 15, 2003
May 2003 - Mother's Day and Female Issues - submissions by April 15, 2003
June 2003 - Father's Day and Male Issues - submissions by May 15, 2003
July 2003 - Infertility within the Military Family - submissions by June 15, 2003
August 2003 - Diagnosis and Treatment - submissions by July 15, 2003
September 2003 - Infertility Awareness Month - submissions by August 15, 2003
October 2003 - Pregnancy Loss Month, Thanksgiving - submissions by September 15, 2003
November 2003 - Adoption Awareness Month - submissions by October 15, 2003
December 2003 - Christmas and Holiday Coping - submissions by November 15, 2003
All submissions to the newsletter (whether by snail mail or
e-mail) must include the following information:
- Full name
- Address
- City, State Zip
- Phone number
- E-mail address
- Has this work been published
previously? Yes No
- (If yes, please provide publisher's
name and address)
- Does H2H have your permission to use
this work in the newsletter? Yes No
- OPTIONAL short biography about your
infertility journey
If you have several submissions (example: sending one e-mail with several poems
attached or mailing several poems in one envelope) each individual
submission must include this information. Submissions not including this
information will not be used in H2H. Thank you for your assistance with
this policy!
Newsletter Submission and Reprint Information
Hannah's Prayer is a California based, non-profit 501(c)(3)
organization, established Jan 1, 1995. All staff members are unpaid volunteers who are proclaiming
Christians (from a range of denominational backgrounds) and have personal
experience with the heartache of fertility challenges. 
was
designed exclusively for Hannah's Prayer by