Intercessory Pleas for the Littlest of These

The room was darkened, sometimes the only light appearing to emanate from the many beeping, clicking machines that were monitoring, pumping, breathing, etc. for these littlest of ones.

In that place, where rest came only in stolen moments, it was easy to lose touch with what was happening outside of that room, to know not whether the sun shone or the rain fell, to forget that everyone else was moving, working, playing, sleeping, lounging, etc. while in there, time morphed into one big, long moment.

That place was the neonatal ICU at the hospital where the first three of our four children were born. The first child was everything we hoped for and we were blessed not to become acquainted with the NICU. The second? She was Heaven's newest member right from the moment of her birth. Given her frailties, had she survived, I'm certain we would have spent time in that place.

With our second son, born prematurely, we made our first acquaintance with the NICU. I'm grateful to say our experience, although rife with emotion and concern, was not unpleasant.

I wish I could say the same for all the parents and all the children.

With our fourth child, we again found ourselves in the NICU. This time, in another hospital, in a different state. But thankfully for a shorter stint despite it being a more serious condition, one that would require follow-up care for the years.

A colleague of mine is going through this experience now with one of his twin daughters. They too made their acquaintance, at her birth, with the area where the littlest ones--those most frail and most needy--get the specialized care they require.

It's easy not to think of the children and their parents who anguish through every second of every day in that place. We all wish to focus on the good, not the trying or difficult circumstances that always surround us, with or without our knowledge. That's understandable.

But today, please take a moment to pray for those tiny souls, for Olivia, and for all the other innocents who struggle and fight to hang on.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia