Lights of Hope

This afternoon I had the privilege to sing at the Service of Love & Remembrance at Baptist Hospital. Every year their Obstetrics department provides this memorial service for families who have experienced the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or the death of a baby at Baptist. It is always a time to reflect and meditate as prayers, scripture reading, poems, and music are shared. The speaker was a parent that has experienced the same type of loss, and was a source of encouragement and sympathy to those in attendance. The parents are invited to light a special candle and speak the name of their baby, and plant a bulb in the Serenity Garden in their baby's name.

I sang a song by Michael W. Smith called "Hello Goodbye". He wrote it for some close friends of his who lost their baby. While I sang, the names of all of the babies lost this year were shown on a screen. It was extremely moving, and was a time for many tears to be shed. The service was closed with the song, "Blue Skies" (Point of Grace), to end the moment with the hope that we have in Christ even when everything feels like there is no way to go on.

Baptist Hospital is known as "Nashville's Baby Hospital" for the over 6,500 births they have each year. It is great that they also take the time to honor the parents who experienced a loss. I hope that those who attended today were able to mourn yet leave with a small glimer of hope as they journey through their grief.