By I will post more thoughts later. Mercy Ann David was born on 1–23–15 at 3:23 pm. Her birth weight was #4 13 oz. She is 18–1/2" long. The delivery was physically the hardest pain Karie has ever had to endure. Mercy was born rump first. She was folded up until her feet popped out. After that followed the head. Karie was screaming out in agony because of the pain. Moments before the delivery, Mercy had been moving. On our side of the womb, she never drew a breath, nor had one second of a heartbeat.
The doctor and nurse had her quickly wrapped in a blanket and placed upon Karie’s chest. We unfolded the blanket part by part to see her beautiful body. She truly is created in the image of God! She is beautiful with all her extra toes and fingers.
I gave Mercy a bath and then my four other children and Karie’s mom came by. It was such a sweet time of bonding where each child had time to say hello, and then good-bye to their sister. Karie’s mom held Mercy and just wept. She had prayed that she would get to hold baby Mercy.
I can not describe the pain, crying, and groaning that took place while Mercy was upon her Mom’s chest. This has truly been the hardest thing we have ever faced. I know more pain will follow; but at least we can begin the process of grieving the loss of Mercy and not anticipating her death.
Thank you each so much for your support and prayers. I will have more reflections to follow. For the time being, Karie is just enjoying laying next to her sweet, sweet Mercy.
Leading Family Devotions 
Oh thank you for this glimpse. So sad that she is gone from you– all my love and prayers. Abigail
Thank you Abigail. We were cared for so well through your father. Thank you also for the email you sent to Karie. Your words about being free to be weak were so fitting and sweet.
Hi David Family – I met you all at Kost and saw Karie a couple of months ago at the Azure delivery. I’ve been praying for you all the past few months since I heard. Having had a stillborn daughter myself, I know the pain and grief you are feeling. I praise Him for your sweet Mercy! She has a purpose and while she rests in the arms of Christ, her purpose continues. On our daughter’s memorial program, we had this written, and I think it speaks the same for your sweet Mercy and I write in with her in mind: “Mercy was made not for this world alone, or even for this world mainly. She, like all people, was created in God’s image to glorify our Father in Heaven. She was conceived with an eternal destiny that God established from the foundation of the world. It doesn’t matter that her soul went to be with Jesus prior to her birth; her significance is not diminished. Mercy – who has been swallowed up by life – is fulfilling her eternal purpose in Heaven. She is all that God created her to be – perfect, complete, unique – glorifying God in a role only she can fill. What a joy it will be to meet (y)our glorified daughter in the presence of Jesus after we leave this earthly life” (based on the writing of Laura Johnson) May God give you peace and grant you His mercy as you walk this road of grief together as a couple and as a family. He is near to the brokenhearted and will bind up your wounds! These emotional wounds will weep for a long time, but the changes in your hearts because of your sweet Mercy, will draw you closer to Christ! Crying with you!
In Him,
Rachel Schwendinger
Thank you Rachel. Karie remembers you very well. Your words are so kind and fitting. Thank you for grieving with us as you most surely are taken back to your own loss. Blessings.
I am grieving and weeping with you. No words. Praying, crying, and praying some more.
Thank you friend. Your words are sweet and touching.
Prayers for you, Scott and Karie, and your beautiful family. We are so sorry for your loss and suffering. Prayers also for Mercy who isn’t with you but with her Father in heaven.
Thank you
So sorry to hear of your pain in the loss of your sweet Child. Prayers for your whole family. Love Barb Grotheim
Oh dear Karie and Scott and family, the angels are welcoming a beautiful little girl into the arms of our Lord with much song and praising! May you feel his presence and know she is safe and with our Savior. We grieve with you, we weep with you, and are so sorry. Our prayer is for you to know the Holy Spirit embraces you and is the great Comforter. Our love to you, Mary and Craig
Thank you
We are so very sorry. We are praying and weeping with you right now. Love, Matt and Michelle Taylor
Thank you Michelle
Dear Karie and David,
I’ve been praying for the comfort of the Lord to rest heavy on you like a quilt. We also have a son (Jackson) in heaven and rejoice with you that our children are with their perfect heavenly father. But, our hearts also are completely broken for you here left on earth.
Your blog is such a testimony of your faith. I pray that you continue to use the life of your sweet Mercy to honor and glorify God. Through your loss you are encouraging the faith of others, which is just what Christ teaches us. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
Praying sufficient grace for your entire family.
Oh thank you Berne. The passage you quoted blesses us deeply. We are sorry for the loss of Jackson. There is such hope in Jesus. Scott.
Dear Karie and David,
I had only just recently heard about what you and your family have been dealing with these past few months. It certainly has been a testimony of your relationship with Christ, and His compassion, comfort and love for you guys during this time of grieving and God’s grace. I have been praying for you with a unique knowledge and understanding of what you are going through. Your story, the way your family has so preciously walked through it and the way you have so humbly shared it with us, is in so many ways a reminder of God’s grace when we went through almost identical struggles, grief and dependence on God and his grace for strength to get through each day, and His love for when we are too weak to do it on our own. Our son, Christopher, has been with the Lord for almost 25 years now.
Watching and hearing about how your family has surrounded Mercy with such love, and so lovingly greeted her and tenderly said goodbye in that same moment, and the gentleness in which you treated her after she entered this world, is truly testament to your family’s godly character. But what makes the biggest impact on me is the worth you placed on her through this struggle. To show that there is no less value in Mercy than there is in any one of your other children, truly shows a loving and Christ-like heart. As much as God is carrying you through this, He is using you and your example to glorify Himself and drawing others to Him.
At times of such intense and deep grieving, I am praying that God shows you glimpses of His compassionate purpose, not only for your family, but in the lives of others around you, so that you can take comfort in His loving grace. I know your faith is already deeper and stronger, even though you may not see it now, and that it will be deeper still as God carries you and heals you in the next weeks, months and years. Your hearts will always be tender toward Mercy and God’s grace, even decades from now, for that is a gift from God.
Isaiah 55:6-13:
6 “Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near……
8 ……For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but sit shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
12 For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Please know that through your story, there are already seeds of faith growing in you and your family, and the lives of the people God has watching and praying for you guys. May the blessing of God’s grace be on you through this, now and in the years to come, until you see Jesus face to face.
Kent
Kent,
I can not seem to find the words to express my thanks to God for your words. He is beginning to answer our prayers as to how he might glorify himself through this trial. Thank you. I am sorry for the loss of Christopher. Your loss has enabled you to bring comfort to us. May we see one another some day in heaven.
Scott
Oh Scott and Karie, I am so sorry for your loss of Mercy. I cry and grieve with you. May you rest safely in the arms of your Savior as you remember that He is “near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psa 34:18). With Love, Gil (for the McConnells)
Oh thank you so much Gil. We are resting safely as is our dear Mercy.
Dear Brother and Sister,
GRBC prayed for you both morning and evening today. May God greatly comfort your hearts and guard your hearts and minds!
The Lord Reigns,
Pastor Sam
Thank you Pastor Sam. God has been greatly comforting our hearts and guarding our minds. Thank you so much for praying.