Skip to main content

About Me

My photo
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.

Today was a hard day

Today was a hard day for me. We drove back to Cape Town. The last time we made this beautiful drive I was pregnant and full of hope for a miracle. The closer we got here today, the more painful my heart began to feel. So many memories. Precious memories of so much love, but also memories that bare the scars of my deepest pain. This is the place where I last got to hold my son. It is also the place where we scattered his ashes. For me, although we are in a totally different area of Cape Town and for a different reason, wherever I look I am reminded of my joy and pain. Today I ache so deeply and grieve such a deep loss. Wherever I look there are precious babies. Their cries pierce such a tender place of longing in my heart for a certain little boy that i got the priviledge to birth. I miss my son and wrestle the hurt of dissapointment! It has been a while since the pain has been as intense as it is today, but i remind myself to be honest and take my pain, hurt and dissapointment to the One who bore my griefs and burdens on the cross. He is the One who continues to reach nail scarred hands of grace out to me and reminds me that He understands and is willing to carry this cross for me. He allows me to be honest with just how hard this journey can be and He soothes my heart with assurance of His unfailing love. He reminds me that it is ok to cry hard sometimes. He listens when I ask "why" and pour out the disappointment of a broken mothers heart. And then He sends arms to hold me when I cry. He whispers my name into people's hearts and they write to tell me that they have been praying for me and then I know. I know that tomorrow is going to be a better day and that somehow, joy will come in the morning. In fact, joy will come even in the mourning. I know that His grace will once again sustain me and draw me closer still to my precious Saviour. This trip is significant for me. We will be here until Sunday. Interestingly enough, this Sunday marks the 7th month of Zac's birth. There is purpose in these next 3 days here. For today though, I am going to close my eyes and rest in this beautiful Francshhoek bed & breakfast and allow my Jesus to restore my aching heart. Jesus, I look to You. Jannie xxx

Comments

Patti said…
Oh Janine, I am so so very sorry. I just had a miscarriage two nights ago after knowing our baby died 5 weeks ago. I'm drowning in self pity and trying to pull myself out of it. Your pain is so much worse- I'm sorry, dear sister, and I will be praying hard for you. Lots of hugs from Oregon to SA. oxoxoxox
beth bennett said…
My prayers go out to you. and I think you are amazing. Jesus is close to the broken-hearted so he is close to you.

beth
Firebound said…
Some days truly knock the wind out of you :( but joy comes in the morning. U are forever in my prayers ((hug))
Precious Patti, I am so heart sore to read of your loss. Please know that I am praying for your broken heart. I am praying that you will encounter Grace so tender and so very strong that only God can bring to carry you through this time of loss, pain and grief. You are so very close to my heart.
Thank you Beth for your precious words of encouragement that are a balm to my heart. I can truly say that these last 7 months have shown me that Jesus is indeed so close to me through the joys and the sadness. The verse you share has become a living reality. How faithful our Jesus truly is!
El - I know you know and I love you dearly even though we have never met. Our similar stories have brought us together. Love you and am praying for you too as you negotiate good and hard days too.
Annelie said…
Hi Janine
I just realise in what a "small" world we live. Friends of us in CT looked after the children in Franschoek that weekend. Dont know if you met them..precious couple with such an awesome testimonies. They've got 9 babies waiting for them in heaven. After adopting a son, were blessed with a fourth pregnancy and their son is almost a year now. So after so much pain blessed with 5 children. Merinda will always be such an awesome woman to me. When I saw you were in Franschoek on fb and really hoped you meet Merinda. Anyway my friend there's many days that I hold my Daniel and ache in my heart for you. Today was one of them!
Wow Annelie, I am amazed at what your friend has gone through. We never took our kids with us, so we never got the opportunity to meet your friend. I would loved to have met her. So precious to hear how God has walked through healing and restoration with them.

Popular posts from this blog

Reasons to Celebrate

I am quickly typing this in between trying to pack up for Cape, and while packing I am having this to celebrate :0) What to celebrate you may ask ... well you would be amazed at how many amazing blessings you will discover of how good God has been to you when you start looking back and remembering what He has walked you through. Today I am celebrating many wonderful things! I am celebrating how no matter how dark certain moments have appeared to be, His light has ALWAYS broken through!!! Hope & Love have ALWAYS overcome the deepest of fears.  I am celebrating the precious family He has surrounded Brett and I with and the amazing friends and loved ones who have cheered us on and been praying us through. I celebrate how He has cocooned both my daughters hearts with the same peace He has cocooned Brett and my heart with and sheltered our precious family in constant hope of abundant life! I celebrate that as an extended family He has faithfully taught us all how to walk in victory

We are Seeing the Miracles Unfold!

Precious friends and family ... we are starting to see the miracles unfold! We just KNOW that we are living in the miracle :0) Yesterday we had a scan with the specialist who discovered and diagnosed all of Zac's heart defects in August. It's been about 6 weeks since the day we heard the horrible news. As you may remember, the defects she discovered that day in "that" heart were so complex ... not only one defect, but multiple! There was the issue of only 1 chamber; only seeing one major valve from the heart to the lungs where there must be 2 and then the complication of not being able to clearly see the arch of the aorta. What she saw of it, as well as  several other specialists, it looked too narrow and underdeveloped from what we could understand. When we came back from that first scan and spoke with our friend and paediatrician ... this was one of his biggest concerns. The aortic arch is so important in the functioning of the heart!  So before we went for the

The Day of Promise has Arrived

Precious friends ... The big day has finally arrived! Come 4pm today we will be taken into theater to meet our precious miracle son! Our hearts are filled with the Promises of our Beloved Jesus. This post is our hearts response of praise and adoration to Him because He has faithfully carried us through each day with "heart peace", strength, hope, faith and incredible love. He has coached us in how to stand leaning into His Almighty power, wisdom and goodness and has taken all the fear out of this journey. Today our hearts are soooooo excited. It is the day of promise ... Zac's appointed day to shine forth His Glory. As a family we want to thank each and every person and family who has lavished their love, encouragement and prayers to stand with us in looking to Jesus, the Great Physician in knitting Zac's inward parts intricately and wholly in my womb. We will keep you posted as we rejoice in great expectation at witnessing God's amazing love in action! Our eyes