A Letter to Pearl Brown: Child of Hope

Dearest Pearl,


My very best and favoritist birthday present present this year was to wake up and find out that I would forever share my (human) birthday with you. It is such a joy and an honor to share that with you! I had been praying for you as soon as I found out about you (especially knowing all the physical struggles that you were going to face). I cried a lot, but with a lot of hope, because I know what kind of Heavenly Father you have, and there is NOTHING that stops Him once He decides to do something fantastic. One thing He's told his kiddos that He LOVES to do is to use the weak things of this world to shame the wise. Now, don't want you to take any offense to this, but you & I are both pretty good examples of what this world would call "weak." It's actually kinda cool, cuz He uses our very weakness to bring all kinds of glory to Himself.

One way that He glorified Himself right off the bat was through your parents. Their hearts were breaking over the thought of losing you. Lots of people told them that they should just "let you go." But your Heavenly Father whispered courage into their hearts and gave them the strength to face a whole lot of unknowns, and to let themselves fall deeply in love with you. When they told us about you, we all fell in love with you, Pearl. People all over the world started to pray for, root for, and fall in love with the little girl who "wasn't supposed to make it." Every time we got an update from your mom or dad about you, I would tear up, and pray, and praise God for you. I don't know how your tiny little body can even hold all the love that has been poured into and over you. You are precious to me. To us. To your immediate family. To your family across the globe.

Now Pearl, I don't know exactly what it's been like for your mom and dad, but I do know what it's like to have a little unborn baby girl that the doctors tell you probably won't live long. My little girl-that-wasn't-supposed-to-live has a pretty name too. Hers is Ava Gray (that means "Living Grace"). Right now she's snoring in her special comfy bed right beside mine, and she looks beautiful. (Just like you!) She is 18 months old. I know that seems pretty old to you right now, but she had to take it like you do: one day at a time. I don't know how many days Ava Gray is going to be with us (I'm hoping lots and lots and lots!). We don't know how many days we are going to have with you either. (Actually, NONE of us really knows how many days we have here). I just know that every single day that we get to spend with you, and with Ava Gray, is a beautiful gift.

Okay, I know you (and your parents) might be getting tired, reading all this, so I'll just finish up with this one last thing. It's a verse from the bible with your name in it. Don't think that's a coincidence. : ) You may already know it, but I'll write it out anyway. (You can find this in Matthew, chapter 13, verses 45 and 46). Jesus is in the middle of explaining what the kingdom of God is like, and He tells this little story; 

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it." 

Now Pearl, I used to think that this story was telling me that I had to give absolutely everything up if I wanted to find the kingdom of God. (Which is true, but Jesus helps you to do that, cuz it's absolutely impossible without His help). What someone told me recently, though, is that this story is much more about what GOD has done for us, than what we could ever possibly do for Him.  Jesus is the one who gave away everything (even His life!) so that He could buy us back from death and forever keep us. He not only gave everything away, he also fought for us (like your parents are fighting for you) and He won! (He always wins and never loses: how amazing is that!). We are his pearl-of-great-price.... He loves for us to get glimpses of that through real life people and stories. Your life and your story are so powerful, Pearl. You may be weak, just like me, but when I see the power of God flowing through your life, I am stunned and in awe. You are indeed a beautiful and priceless pearl. I don't know if we'll get just loads of time to hang out together here on earth (though I'm praying we do!),  but I do know that you & I have eternity to sit down and catch up on the awesome and amazing things our loving Heavenly Father did with & through our lives while we were here.

I'm honored to have met you, Pearl,  and to have the chance to love you. I hear Jesus' love-song to me so much louder now that I know you. 

Can't wait to come visit again soon! Much, much love to you, your sister and brother, and your courageous mom and dad from all three of us Whitacre women!

-Julie