BALENTINE MEMOIRS

  I will be 39 weeks tomorrow with new baby and we couldn't be more thrilled to welcome this new life.  After having two 5 week miscarriages in 2020, we assumed the growth of our family was complete.  In 2021, we gave away most of our baby items.  The week of Thanksgiving 2021, I was putting away some dining chairs in the basement after a party and missed the last step of the stairs and fell, resulting in a broken foot that needed surgery.  It's funny how the Lord uses all for His good.  We've seen him do this time and time again in our lives and everyone else's too.  Without breaking my foot, I know baby would not be here.   God has a good sense of humor.  I checked into my foot surgery and told the surgeon I prefer going to hospitals and leaving with a baby so if he could help me out with that I would appreciate it.  The surgeon didn't think my joke was funny.  The surgery team had me take a pregnancy test before they operated and I told them it was pointless to t

The meaning and story behind our new family crest. Adam Boyd Balentine drew the family crest in early 2021.  Amy Lynn Balentine added the hydrangeas in the place of the laurel wreath as they are a meaningful and constant visual for the family. The Cross ·          A symbol of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the World, the only hope for humanity and in whom we entrust our whole lives S1 ·          “Serve First” is a phrase Adam created in organization leadership that been adopted broadly by many.   The Balentine Family believes in servant leadership and strives to follow the example of the ultimate model of Servant Leadership: Jesus Christ. ·          Other meaningful “S” words for our family: o    Simon o    Stewardship The Seven Dots ·          Seven has strong meaning in Christendom, including God’s model for work and rest in the beginning of the Creation story in Genesis.   It also has Biblical significance in sacred examples of forgiveness

  DONATE HERE Tonight we begin the eighth anniversary celebration of Simon’s life.  On May 14, 2014 at 9:55pm, we welcomed  Simon Adam Balentine into this world. Year after year, my mind travels effortlessly back to the moment Simon was born.  Simon had a diagnosis called Trisomy 13.  Because of his diagnosis, we weren’t sure if he would be alive at birth as we decided to forgo fetal  heart moni toring during labor.  We thought if he died before/during labor, it might be hard for me to continue to labor knowing his soul had been taken to heaven already.  He was alive at birth, eyes wide open, arms and legs squirming.   My OB placed Simon on my chest and all of the prayers from the previous five months had been graciously answered in that moment.  He breathed!  I shouted praises to God thanking Him for his mercy.  It wasn't long after his birth that we finally heard his voice once Adam held Simon for the first time.  It was heavenly (this  video  shares his sweet cries). Simon lived

 

  For the seventh year in a row, we are a celebrating God's goodness and favor through Simon's life and our lives.  If you happen to be in our area and Simon's life has impacted your life, please stop by our home.  Feel free to email or call Adam or me for our address.  Rain might cancel the event but we sure hope not! The verse that was on heart during Simon's pregnancy, life, after death and even now is Isaiah 55.  It reminded me my plans weren't my own, but God's.  That the Lord doesn't waste a thing and uses it all for His glory.  That our mourning will turn into joy if we allow God to shoulder the burden of our pain.  I'll share the passage below. Invitation to the Thirsty 55  “Come, all you who are thirsty,      come to the waters; and you who have no money,      come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk      without money and without cost. 2  Why spend money on what is not bread,      and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me,

  With grateful hearts, for a seventh year in a row, our donors have generously given to #simonsgiftoftime fully funding our needs for the You Made Me Mom support group raising well over our goal hitting $8,000! The $7,000 goal felt lofty and I was nervous we wouldn't hit it.  God always provides, always.   Your donations show such love and care for our family, Simon's memory and the You Made Me Mom ministry I lead.   Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 7:2: It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.  Sorrow is better than laughter for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.   I am a lover of a great party - wedding and event planning was my profession for a decade.  But what has truly taught me the beautiful and good parts of life is entering into a house of mourning (how backwards is this?!).  That's exactly what You Made Me Mom is.  Our leaders open our doors monthl