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About Me

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Janine Claire Robinson
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Welcome to my little writing corner. I count my many blessings to be a cherished wife and an ever-learning-loving-growing mother to 3 amazing children this side of Heaven and a precious little boy in Heaven. Together as a family we pastor a precious church community called Redeeming Hope Church. I've had the privilege of loving and following Jesus Christ since my earliest memories as a child. No matter what I've gone through in life, He has always been so present. At heart, I'm an encourager ... so this is a place where I get to wear my heart on my sleeve and share my journey of learning to live a life of love in action.

A Little "6 week" Honesty

6 weeks and 3 days. It's funny how the days matter for some reason. I don't know why - they just do. A friend of mine told me yesterday that she had been told the 6th week is known to be a tough week in grieving for some reason. I have to agree. For me the permanence of life this side of Heaven without Zac has really hit home. The ache that it leaves in its wake has the tears easily flowing. 
I had plans to clean out the play room for the girls today, but after packing up the nursery and giving away bags of clothes and blankets that I had dreamed of seeing my sweet boy in, I just could not face it. Tears poured as I  had to come to a place of acceptance that I would never have photo's of Zac wrapped in some of the favorite outfits that had been so lovingly handpicked for him. The loss is profound.
Somehow, everything is a reminder of my loss right now. Going to my precious Leelee's school concert had me in tears knowing that I would never go to one of Zac's school concerts. After kissing the girls goodnight last night I heard them praying to Jesus - messages and kisses for Him to pass on to their baby brother. Oh my goodness, my mothers heart broke all over again, not only for the son I long to be raising, but for having to see and parent my girls through grieving the loss of the brother they prayed for so many years to have. What could ever prepare a mother to guide her remaining children through this?
I have decided to be really honest about my journey on my blog, because I believe that there are many people who may just bump into these posts, who like me are shocked and broken to find themselves walking down a similar path. God has graciously led me to a few blogs of precious daughters of the King who have also walked this road and it has helped me so much to find perspective in the pain. I want the Lord to use every bit of my life and my story, by being honest enough to share how He is meeting me even in the midst of the worst kind of pain I could fathom.
My hardest question right now is being asked "how are you?". Honestly ... I don't know how to reply. How much does the person really want to know? Do they really want to hear how hard it is, because the only honest answer comes with a whole lot of pain, and for me it's hard to have to rehash that pain over and over again. It's just a continual reminder of my new reality. 
With all this pouring through my mind I decided to go for a walk on the beach this morning to ponder and talk to the Lord about this unanticipated path that has become part of my story ... that of being a grieving mother. I have to say that I am still so shocked to find myself in this role. I never would have thought that this would be part of my story. The strangely comforting part is knowing that God knew and has sent Jesus to walk me through each day. As I walked and talked with Jesus on the beach I stumbled upon a heart shaped rock. I smiled, as just the week before I asked the Lord to help me spot a heart shaped stone to cheer my heart.
I carried it as I walked on, pondering how much more significant it would be to find a stone shaped in half of a heart. Not only did Zac have half a heart ... but since his 'graduation' I have to say that my heart feels just as broken. I shared my heart with Jesus, coming to a place of expressing my desire for Him to use Zac's story and create in us as his family, a testimony that will bring many broken hearted people to a place of heart healing in Him. Zac may have had half a heart, but his story is one of an Almighty God who brings wholeness to even the most broken of hearts. Just this morning my tears poured as I read a message from someone who had shared Zac's story while preaching to 6,000 people over seas. I wept with the privilege of realizing that Zac is still fulfilling his evangelical calling from Heaven every time his story is told. As I turned and walked back, the sunlight caught on a stone just washed in by the waves ... it was half a heart shaped stone! As I picked it up I saw the shape of a heart in the broken heart. I brought it home and painted it red.
As I held this stone in my hands, it was like holding the promise of God that even in the midst of my broken heart, He sees and knows and has poured out His love and His heart to make mine beat in the midst of pain even as He supernaturally kept Zac's heart beating through my pregnancy and for almost 22 hours on earth so that His Story could be told through Zac's story. God's love stands in the midst of my brokenness and brings peace and strength. 
I was asked on Saturday if I have healed. I looked at the person in absolute shock as my mind reeled - can you seriously ever completely heal from a broken heart from loosing one of your children this side of Heaven? While I cannot say that my heart is completely healed, I do know that Jesus has poured His love into my brokenness to sustain me. His love goes beyond understanding and somehow consoles what nothing else can. Somehow, His love is bigger than the fiercest agony of loss and yearning ... it supersedes the pain to allow me to know that I am not alone in this journey. He is walking it moment by moment with me and for that I am eternally thankful.
That dear friends is where I am at 6 weeks into this crazy journey through grief. It's a journey of choosing to lean into Him moment by moment. What I can say with certainty is that even when I cannot believe that it is humanly possible to live through this kind of pain ... HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT and His love carries me. 
All my love,
Janine

Comments

Dardi said…
Thank you for your honesty. I wish I had some words for taking the pain away, but that's not going to happen. I guess each of us should hope that we are loved so deeply while on this earth that someone grieves for us.
SamD said…
I wish I say more but the only thing that comes to me

*hug*
Anonymous said…
Let your 'house' stand on the rock of hope - Jesus Christ and even in this time of sadness and grieving, Jesus reminds you of his steadfast love - and uses a rock... to talk to you :)
Unknown said…
Thank you Jesus, that you were broken for us, so that in our brokenness we could find You!
Unknown said…
Thank you Jesus, that you were broken for us and that in our brokenness we can find You!
Cynthia said…
A mere two weeks after our daughter passed away, I was told by a medical professional that it was selfish to be still sad/grieving....and that it said so in the bible. I struggled with this comment a lot because I didn't want to be selfish but I sincerely could not keep the tears from flowing and my arms and my heart ached to hold and kiss my baby. I found much peace in the scripture that plainly states, "Jesus wept". I truly believe that having true and pure love is what we all seek and what our Heavenly Father wants us to learn to do. And, one of the ways that we show this is by feeling profound sadness in being away from those we love. I found great solace in knowing that not only was it okay to be sad and that I was still following Jesus' example...but that it also meant that I had a pure love for our daughter and was a good mom to her since she had such a short time here to receive that love. I am thankful for your honesty too, just as others have commented. I am right there with you, that I never saw myself being in this life situation either but here we are.... and what a great way to help others to know it is okay to grieve and yet trust God fully and completely at the same time. Sending all my love and prayers,
Cynthia
http://www.adreamadoption.blogspot.com
Char said…
Thank you for being so honest and transparent. Through your pain, you are an incredible blessing to others. It is such an incredibly hard journey, and your willingness to share can only reach many many people this side of heaven. Amazing that God cares sooooo much that He placed not only one but TWO perfectly shaped, moulded, worn heart rocks into the exact place where you would be walking to find. He is giving Zach so many cuddles and hugs! And He will keep giving you and the family those cuddles and hugs too.
ALso, what an incredible faith journey those two wonderful little girls are walking with you. THey will be warrior princesses for God one day, and will achieve amazing things for Him because they can be moulded and formed in an incredible way through this time.
I look forward to that time in the future to see the outcome of THIS time in their lives.
Alet Kapp said…
So amazing how God just lead us and guide us and restore our soul daily! Always so encouraging to read your walk through your trial and how real you are and transparent! You are a wonderful lady, and will keep you in my prayers as we will share your incredible journey with others in need! Lots of love and hugs xxx
LaurenJo said…
Many hugs to you today. I think of you often, and of your beautiful little boy. We won't ever forget him. God bless you and your wonderful spirit.
Zeeuwse Mama said…
Dear Janine,

you're still often in my thoughts... I think it is so good that you wrote here about your feelings of your loss.
Again I'll share a song with you, the song is called 'Joshua', of their lost son. The song tells Joshua's story, but also ours, of Jonathan*, and yours, of Zac*.
http://youtu.be/goUNbqBusT8

I'll pray that God will keep you close with His heart.

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