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Julie’s eyes were filled with tears as she dreaded telling Mark what the doctor had said. She patted her growing belly and the joy she had felt a few months earlier was replaced by fear. She thought about how hard it had been to get pregnant, let alone carry a baby to term. She picked up the phone to call Mark.
“Hi honey, how was your appointment?” Mark asked.
“The doctor did an emergency ultrasound because the baby’s heartbeat was faint. The baby isn’t as big as it should be and it looks like there may be something wrong with him. He’s ordered some tests for tomorrow to see if there is a problem,” Julie said as she burst into tears.
The next morning the doctor told them the grim news.
“It looks like your baby may have some problems. It may be serious, or it may only be minor. I think it may be Downs Syndrome, but we can’t be sure until the baby is born. If it is Downs Syndrome your baby won’t develop at the normal rate,” the doctor said.
Mark took Julie into his arms and held her while she cried. The doctor left the room to let them be alone.
“Julie, if he is born with some problems we can handle it with God’s help. We’ll read up on it and find out all we can about the disease. Maybe there is something we can do to make it easier for him,” Mark said.
Julie looked into his eyes and saw a calm peace that she wished she could have. Over the next few weeks Julie’s fears grew worse. How could she take care of a baby who had a disease? Why would God let this happen to her? She had prayed for this baby and now she wasn’t so sure that God was in control.
Late one night, Julie couldn’t sleep. She was worried about the baby. She looked over at Mark, sleeping peacefully beside her.
How can he be so peaceful about this?” she thought to herself.
She went out to the kitchen and got a glass of water. She sat down on the couch and picked up the TV remote. Mark’s Bible was sitting on the coffee table. She picked it up and started to read the passage it was turned to. A verse jumped out at her as she read.
“Psalm 29:11- The LORD will give strength unto His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace,” it said.(KJV)
She got up and went into the nursery. She looked at the empty crib and picked up the baby quilt she had made. She sat down in the rocking chair and buried her face in the soft fabric. She cried as she thought of her baby’s possible disease. She didn’t know how she could handle it. She smiled when she saw the picture of the ultrasound on the dresser beside the changing table. Mark had insisted they put it in a frame and was so proud to show it off. Next to the picture was a leaflet about raising a Downs Syndrome child. She picked up the picture and kneeled down beside the crib.
“Dear God, I can’t do this. Only you can help me raise a child with Downs Syndrome. I want the peace that Mark has. Please give me peace as I carry him to term,” she prayed.
All of a sudden she felt as if God wrapped His arms around her. For the first time in months she felt that peace that had been promised to her in Psalm 29:11. She felt confident that God would give her the strength and personal peace she needed.
The day finally came when Julie got to hold her baby boy. He had the disease, but she knew that with God’s help, she could handle it.
“Let’s call him Jeffrey. It means God’s Peace,” Mark said as he took her hand in his.
Mark kissed her and took his son into his arms. He sat down in the rocker next to the bed and sang a quiet lullabye.
As Julie drifted off to sleep she felt a real peace inside her that told her that everything would be okay.
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