A Different Dream for My Child

What I would have given for a book like this nearly 13 years ago, when I was sitting in the NICU with a sick baby.

My heart was nearly paralyzed with fear for so many things. I was afraid that Sam might not live, I was afraid that he was suffering and I couldn't do anything to make it better, I was afraid of the endless number of needle sticks and invasive tests his tiny body was forced to endure. I was afraid of what was yet to come, but I didn't know how to process these fears and worries. I wanted to hand them over to God and trust Him with my baby's fragile condition but I didn't quite know how.

What I needed at that time was an experienced friend to come alongside me and gently offer to share her story with me. It would have been so helpful to hear about someone else's journey with a child who had a serious medical condition. I craved practical advice from someone who had been where I was and lived to tell about it. Praying for me and praying with me when I couldn't find the words, this friend could share insights from the bible in language I could understand. She could explain how God could help me find the strength to survive my baby's health crisis and be the parent I wanted to be. I also needed encouragement and advice on the minor logistical challenges I faced while caring for my child.

That support I wished for is now available in the form of an amazing little book of meditations called A Different Dream for My Child. You can preview the book here. Jolene Philo shares her own story as well as the stories of many other parents who have faced the scary reality of a seriously ill child. The medical situations are all so different, and yet the emotions each family faced were universal and startlingly similar to mine. It was so heartwarming to read these meditations and feel encouraged and supported.

In this book, my friend Jolene offers heartwarming encouragement on the major issues parents may face, but she also offers helpful advice on the little logistics many parents must deal with during a child's extended illness. Like all good friends do, she offers bits of well-timed humor from her own situation in order for us to see glimmers of hope in ours.

If you know someone who is going through a health crisis and wish there was something you could do to help or support the family, start by getting this book into their hands. For anyone who is drowning in the emotional challenges of parenting a child with a chronic illness, this book will feel like a lifeline.