A Precious Daddy

There are words that you hear in life and you remember them for a few minutes, hours, days, maybe even weeks. Then there are words that will forever change you...you remember them a lifetime.

The day after Henley had passed we were on our way home from Montgomery and I was simply numb. Everything seemed a blur, surreal almost. Bryant and I were discussing her funeral arrangements  and he matter of fact said - I want to speak. It took me by surprise, looking back it shouldn't have, and I just said "Really?" His next words, along with the words he spoke that day, will be the words that I remember for a lifetime...

He told me it was duty as a father and a husband.  He knew he was accountable for our family and there were things he needed to say. It was his daughter's funeral and he wanted and needed to thank our Father for what He had given us. I just nodded. I knew it was in his heart and I knew he needed to do it.

For those things he said and for a million other reasons, I love this man. He desires to lead our family and God has graciously grown him to be a man who I would follow all the days of my life.
Honored is what I am...just to be HIS wife.

The precious words that came out of his mouth the day we buried our little girl, were words of praise spoken from a thankful heart.

I want to remember them. Forever.

Let those who have eyes to see…let them see,

Let those who have ears to hear…let them hear,

Let those who have hearts to understand…let them understand,

And Rejoice in our God with me!

Heavenly Father,

Blessed be your name! May our hearts be filled with your praises and may those praises overflow from our lips to you, Oh God our King! We will praise you, Oh God, for your faithfulness. We will sing praises to you, Oh Holy One of Israel. Our lips will shout for joy, when we sing praises to you; our soul also, which you have redeemed. Our tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long.

Father,

It was YOU who blessed us with a beautiful daughter in Henley Brooke.

It was YOU who revealed Henley’s condition to us. Through her condition you reminded us all of our own condition. We are helpless creatures and utterly dependent on you. You reminded us of the Garden and how Adam turned away from you and he turned to himself. Romans tells us, just as sin came into the world through one man (Adam) and death through sin, so death spread to all men because ALL sinned. Because we have turned away from you, Oh God, and we have turned to ourselves, a curse has been put on all creation; thus the reason for natural disasters, diseases, illness, suffering, and ultimately death. But Oh God! You being rich in mercy, have lavished your love on us, in that while we were still sinners you sent your son, Jesus Christ as a perfect sacrifice, for the sins of those who will repent and believe in Him. Oh God! You are good! You have provided the way out of the curse and it is through your resurrected Son, who said I am the way, the truth, and the life and no one can come to the Father except through me. The resurrected Christ, our King, now sits at your right hand and you have given him all authority in heaven, on earth and under the earth. You tell us that this is eternal life that we may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Father, you called Whitney and I to be Henley’s parents.

It was You who laid our path out for us. It was You who gave us the grace to walk it. You have sustained us and have guided us in the way of everlasting. You have not let our feet swerve to the right or to the left, but you have kept our eyes on Christ.

In your time, you answered our questions…

Where Henley would be born.

How Whitney would deliver her.

What type of care Henley would need.

You caused us to be patient and in your faithfulness you answered your children’s questions.

It was you Oh God, who was the light on the shoreline, guiding us in as the storm caused the waves to crash into my family’s ship. It was you Oh God, when the path was dark and we couldn’t see, it was your word that was a light unto our feet and a lamp unto our path.

You reminded us of what you told Joshua as he led the Israelites into the promise land. Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed for I have gone before you and I am with you.

It was you who reminded us in the Psalms that we are continually with you. You hold our right hand. You guided us with your counsel. Whom do we have in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that we desire besides you. Our flesh and our heart may fail, but you Oh God are the strength of our heart and our portion forever.

As for me and my family, it is good for us to be near you Oh God. We have made you our refuge and we will tell of all your works.

It was you Oh God who awakened my wife in the early morning of Henley’s birth. You brought her before your throne. You spoke to her through your word. You filled her with the power of your Holy Spirit. You calmed her and gave her peace, when we had no idea if Henley would take a breath or not.

That day, Henley’s birthday, it was you who breathed air into her nostrils and allowed us to hear her cry. It was you who allowed her heart to beat. You brought her to us.

That day we will never forget. You gave it to us and we celebrated the work you had done. Blessed be your name Oh God! Thank you for Henley’s Birthday.

In the days after her birth, it was you that allowed us to hold her hand, rub her cheeks, sing to her, pray with her, read to her and hold her.

It was you Oh God who guided the doctors and nurses with her care. They were your instruments and you played them well. Father, thank you for them.

It was you who numbered Henley’s days and it was you who gave us wisdom and discernment on when to say goodbye.

Father, you were there with us as we held our daughter and you took her to be with you. Oh to imagine what she saw as we whispered in her ear that she would see your glory and our King. For behold, Christ our King makes all things new.

Father, may we, who are left behind long for our eternal inheritance to come; but while we are here may we live as Christ, in complete submission to Him, knowing and being confident in this, that physical death is our gain and our new beginning with Christ our Lord, as we get to see his face, his glory and be with him for all eternity.

Father may we long for the return of Christ our King. As we look forward to what John saw and wrote in Revelations…Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who is seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

Oh Father, we long for that day. When sin and the curse will be no more, and all will be made right and we, your people, your children, will be with our God.

Father, it is your love

It is your peace

It is your comfort

It is your joy

It is faith and hope that you have given to us. You have opened our eyes that we may see. You have opened our ears that we may hear. You have opened our hearts and given us understanding through the grace of your Son.

So not to us Oh Lord, but to your name be the Glory!

Father! We come here today to worship you and offer our thanksgiving! Thank you for the fruit of the womb a reward! Thank you, Father, for my precious daughter, Henley Brooke Yarbrough, for through her you have pointed us to Christ.

In Jesus Name, Amen!

                                                                                                        

These two pictures are two of my most favorite pictures. It shows how deeply my sweet husband loves and how honored he is to be a daddy. 

He brought roses from our rose bush. He made sure there was one from us all. 

 I am blessed.