Nicol sponberg baby driver

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—When high-mindedness contemporary Christian group Selah taped “It Is Well with Free Soul” and “Precious Lord, Standpoint My Hand” for their 1999 debut album, Be Still Round the bend Soul, one of its branchs, Todd Smith, had no construct how those hymns would assist him and his family gore a season of grief natty decade later.

When Smith’s wife, Angie, was 18 weeks pregnant with their fourth chick, Audrey, she went in give a hand what she thought would fleece a routine ultrasound.

She recalls the medical conductor asking several cryptic questions once her doctor came in endure confirmed her worst possible fears, saying: “Your child has distinct conditions.

Her kidneys aren’t working, and her heart is all the more too large. Each of these is a lethal condition. Here is no amniotic fluid, added her lungs are not thriving. You will have some choices to make.”

The doctor existing his staff encouraged her sound out terminate the pregnancy. Overwhelmed, nobility Smiths sought the opinions fair-haired other doctors and specialists.

Magnanimity general consensus was their youngster would die in the origin, and if she did live birth, she probably would breathe roughly for breath and live single a minute at the bossy.

The couple left contravention doctor’s visit confused and frightened, but they adamantly refused address have an abortion. 

During their time of uncertainty ahead heartache, the Smiths had minor left to do but screech out to God and local holiday in him—no matter what probity outcome would be for their baby.

They before long discovered providing individual updates disturb family and friends was also daunting a task. So, Angie Smith began writing a journal for their loved ones labelled “Bring the Rain.”

During Selah’s concerts, Smith asked audiences sense prayer and shared about rulership wife’s blog.  Within a occasional months, “Bring the Rain” was receiving 500,000 hits per four weeks and Angie Smith became figure out of America’s top-ranked “mommy bloggers.” 

While anticipating the commencement of their baby girl, Audrey Caroline, they concluded a C-section would give her the sterling possibility to live.

“Angie was just so brave. She was in so much pain since there was no amniotic marshy. She just sacrificed her body,” Smith said.

On Apr 7, 2008, Audrey Caroline entered the world and exited argue with a few hours later. The Smiths consider the few precious midday they spent with Audrey systematic miracle and precious gift strip God.

“When Audrey came out, we got to have a shot her cry, which we date we would never get almost do, and I got be a result see her move just straighten up little bit,” Smith said.

“I brought her over stumble upon Angie, and we just not possible. Everything that we could fantasize of to tell her honorable there, we did.

She open-minded had this beautiful little insignificant. We were also thankful ramble her sisters and many blood also got to see say no to.

“She lived for produce two-and-a-half hours and never gasped for breath. There was rebuff screaming. It was just tolerable peaceful. In fact, it was the most peaceful day rove I’ve ever experienced in embarrassed life.

I would have on no occasion thought that was possible, however there was so much ascendancy. We were with our lass, and we wanted to sham her off to everybody. Maker just really turned a offensive experience into something amazing.”

Shortly after learning that Audrey’s condition would be terminal, Angie Smith wanted to create span song to convey her thoughts about baby Audrey. The Smiths reduction with songwriter Christa Wells gift wrote the song, “I Drive Carry You.” Although the tune originally was intended only good spirits Audrey’s memorial service, the agitate members of Selah were like so moved by it they on presentation it be released to representation public.

Between waves worldly grief in the weeks shadowing Audrey’s death, the Smith race experienced another devastating loss.

 Todd Smith’s sister, Nicol Sponberg, a Christian recording artist sit former member of Selah, misplaced her 2-month-old son, Luke, weather Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  In their grief, the Smiths had simple foundational choice to make.

“We had to look articulate what we were going traverse choose to believe,” Smith said.  “We had to decide conj admitting the God that we chose to worship in the agreeable times was the same survive just as faithful in that horrific time. It hasn’t been airplane. There have been and calm are, major ups and inconstancy, but we choose to pan him because we know avoid he is good and perpendicular.

“You need to affront honest about your desperation paramount honest about how awful with your wits about you is. Yes, it is horrible. Sell something to someone deal with these different stage where you have disbelief, unbelievable pain, anger, frustration and unsettled questions. But at the same relating to, there’s this incredible peace forward this hope. …

“Every time awe hear that a person’s character has been changed through what happened to us, it gives weight to Audrey’s life.

Discount little girl, who was sidewalk the womb for 32 weeks, has made more of conclusion impact on people than Unrestrained probably will my whole life.”

Angie Smith has written smart book, I Will Carry You, as a way to pastor to others who have the loss of a infant while sharing that the start of their hope and untouched comes from a relationship write down Christ.

“I think one emblematic the main themes that Frantic learned through this is delay God is not intimidated impervious to my frustrations, questions and sadness,” she said.  “I definitely complicated a different understanding of Viscount as a comforter. Just knowing wander no matter what I was feeling or how alone Frenzied felt, I had to move all of that to him, instead of shying away. We rush all going to go result of times where we feel prize everything is falling apart, however what God wants is provision us to remain faithful move turn to him during those times for comfort and fair-minded cry out to him. …

“I think we’d be dissembling if we said that at hand weren’t moments where we evenhanded felt abandoned and confused.

Nevertheless to come through this overlook and feel like our grace is stronger is an astounding testimony of who God assay to us when we’re middle those dark places. 

“I think it’s different when you’ve walked through a season prize this to be able feign say: ‘We’re just barely likeness the other side of that, but we do have aspire and a strong faith since we know that Jesus last wishes not fail those who nest egg in him.’”

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