Had a great conversation with Clint Davis. I reached out to him about the possibility of him doing podcast about miscarriage, stillbirth and early infant child loss. Unfortunately, he and his family knew too well the grief such loss can cause. It was quite heartbreaking to hear his story but I'm glad he had the courage to share it. I want to encourage you to view or hear it.
Soon after my loss I went to see Leigh Peregoy. I was so traumatized by my loss that I needed to see someone. One thing she told me that I tell others is when you feel that grief come on to not ignore it but allow it to come. Then release it back out. Keep a journal too. When I got pregnant again I went back to her as I was terrified of losing Gabriella. So know its ok to go to counseling to find your way to navigate your grief. If you want to minster to someone who has had a loss and don't know how please email me or view our videos on how to be present. If you learn how to minister the right way you can become that safe space for your friend or loved one. If your reading this and have had a loss please reach out to us. You are not alone. I had a friend reach out to me letting me know about a loss she had many years ago. How she should be grateful for the children she should have, yet, listening to the podcast she was encouraged to know that her own grief was valid. Yes this is why I want to speak about such grief. No matter how many children you have here on earth if you have had a loss please give place to that grief. Lament before the Lord. He truly cares about all our pains and doesn't want us to ignore it. Then allow Him to show you how to comfort others. Please reach out to me if you have any questions.
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This post is long overdue…
. “For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces. For I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.” –Jeremiah 1:7-8 Saul's Light, Representative Stephanie Hilferty, District 94 and a few mothers like me worked hard to get this bill passed. Personally, I emailed and had a many phone conversations with representatives and senators telling my story on why HB 146 (now ACT 467), a one-time $2000.00 tax credit to help relieve unforeseen cost of having a stillbirth, had to pass. Many hearts were moved as now they had a picture and a person they could relate the bill to. I even got a call from Senator John Kennedy’s office. They would encourage legislators to vote yes on the bill. Pretty amazing stuff and still gives me goosebumps still. . Then it passed! I got to celebrate for the Lord keeps redeeming the time the locust have eaten up. I was happy and relieved but a unexpected surprise came in the mail. The sweet Kimberly Novad, founder of Saul’s Light, mailed me a signed copy of ACT 467 and this wonderful shirt. This right here was just the cherry on top. . Thank you for your prayers and love. My encouragement to you is never give up. If God calls you out, He will equip you. “Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit you way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:3-5 . Thank you Kimberly and Stephanie for your hard work and for the future Louisiana families who will benefit from ACT 467. Love Lisa Rowell Ministry for me has to be two things: being consistent and steadfast. It's really exciting to see what God does and how He answers prayers. But as ministry goes on its easy to get sidetracked. So I have to be careful and not get discouraged when things get quiet I have to be ears opened to things He wants to do with this ministry.
. I've only held one banquet but since then God really hasn't given me permission to do another just yet. This ministry may look very different from others and that's exactly how He wants it. For me He's wanted my eyes, focus, heart and mind totally to focus on Him. It was hard in the beginning as I didn't know how this ministry was going to be funded. Yet, every time as I walked in His light, He provided for every single basket. I've learned to go when He says go and Be Still when He says so. This ministry is quiet and I don't often hear from those who receive these baskets. But it's ok. I believe God Will will be done in their homes as they open up these baskets. When I do hear from the recipients its really exciting. I hear it over and over, "God didn't forget me." YES!!! Praise God. My heart always leaps with joy that I get to be part of that. Its still very surreal. . I'm privileged to be called into this ministry. My initial vision hasn't changed. I want those who grieve know that Jesus loves them, He knows how many tears they've cried and they are not forgotten. I pray everyone sees Him when they open each basket. That they draw closer to the Healer. . As I write this I am so encouraged. Going through loss there are some legal issues that need to be attended to. There have been some bills that I wanted to be heard and passed. Unfortunately, it's a LONG process for me. To spare you drama heartache and discouragement I finally got someone who heard me last year and was going to make it happen. But before this God had a much greater plan. He lined up people to hear my story the past few years. Word got out on what He was doing through me. ( I say that very humbling...i don't like taking credit for anything He does). I did a podcast, did some interviews, the First Lady of Louisiana Donna Edwards featured an article about me on her blog, I was invited to Governor Edwards Inauguration, we became a church ministry, my story was featured on the Calvary Chapel Magazine and I could go on. Just really cool stuff. . Maybe my story along with others would reach the heart of all those involved to make this legislation happen. Maybe people will look up my name or the ministries name and see all the goodness that God has done and understand why He laid these "bill" ideas on my heart. Every time I wanted to give up God didn't give me that opportunity. I didn't understand it years ago but I think I see it now. . So back to the bill. 2 actually, one being picked up by Representative Dodie Horton. (this one was supposed to be presented the day Louisiana got shut down because of Covid-19 last year). Feeling a little unsure and maybe discouraged I emailed Representative Hortons office to see if they were or have submitted the Missing Angel Certificate bill again. And they DID! I got an email this past week. Friends God has not forgotten. It will be presented during the 2021 Session after April 12, 2021. I will post that bill below for you to follow. This bill will require hospitals to provide the necessary paperwork to parents who have stillborn children. There's a big long sad story behind that. I may rewrite that one later. . On to the second bill is a tax credit bill. It is being picked up by Representative Stephanie Hilferty. She is down south in Baton Rouge. I will provide that information once it's submitted. It's encouraging that a local down in New Orleans may have also submitted the same request for the tax bill. I am waiting to hear from her and her organization. . To follow the Missing Angel Certificates click on this link: https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?i=239886&sbi=y . 1. Visit www.legis.la.gov. 2. On the right-hand side of the page, click "sign-up" to create an account. 3. Once you've created an account, click "My Legis". This is where you can add the bills you want to track and opt-in to receive email notifications about the status of these bills. . It's really neat to see what God is doing. Being steadfast and consistent in ministry and in life in general is what's needed. I pray people see Him in it. Our pastor gave some encouragement a few Sundays ago. One scripture he quoted cut me so deep. It's been almost 7 years since my sweet Juilanna Grace went to be with the Father. My heart still gets tender about her. It's been about 6 years since I began to walk in the light He shined for me to begin my ministry. I wish you knew how many times I was discouraged. But God friends. My pastor told us what 1 Corinthians 15:58 said, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." Read it again, again and again. Be steadfast, be immovable, always being about the Fathers business and know my friends my beloved brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ that our labor is Never in Vain. Now, lets pray these bills pass. . I pray this encourages you. God bless you and thank you for all that you do for this ministry...for giving, praying, telling others about us and your encouragement. . Under His Mercy, Lisa Rowell I have been praying for this for almost 4 years now. I feel like its been a battle trying to get someone to listen…
Imagine not being able to find a form online to receive a birth certificate for your baby. That’s the difficulty many of us who have stillborn children have had or are having. The certificate we receive isn’t a birth certificate, because our babies are born alive. Yet, we still can receive a Missing Angel Certificate, but it’s difficult to find. The Missing Angel Bill (HB 918) was passed in June of 2003. In 2013, when Julianna was born the hospital did not provide me the proper paper work to apply for this certificate. In June of 2017, I began to question why I didn’t have some kind of proof of life. I wanted something to give her dignity to show that she was here. I wanted something to grasp in my hands to prove she was alive once….that she mattered. I had a death certificate but no type of birth certificate. This was just proof of humiliation and shame I carried around. After, many phone calls, emails (I will video record these details at a later date…the pain in trying to explain why I had the right to a Missing Angel Certificate is another story in itself) I finally received her Missing Angel Certificate. It took me almost 6 months to look for answers on how to receive one. Why is it so hard? I took a poll in 2017 and found out that some people were paying obnoxious amounts of money to get a fake certificate. Some, it took months to get a certificate and some hospitals provided the application for a certificate. I wanted to help ease the process. Dealing with this type of loss is hard enough. I didn’t understand why it took so much trouble to receive this type of certificate. In 2017, I emailed a local politician who was unable to make my request happen. As the years passed I just prayed and prayed. God kept telling me to pursue these bills. God had a plan and His timing is not mine. Be still and wait. He has gone before me and prepared the path. Incline my ear to His words. Be still, be gentle, be an example of who Jesus was during this process. Stay the course. Don’t …..give…..up. I finally switched course and emailed Representative Dodie Horton in the summer of 2019. I told her some ideas I had for some possible bills that would make grieving parents life easier. She has been very attentive and proactive in listening to my thoughts and experience with issues I faced after having Julianna. Some of these bills would make so many of those who have stillborn babies a little less stressful. Representative Horton was all ears. Then she went to work. I received an email today that a revision of the current Missing Angel Bill was submitted. Tears of joy have filled my eyes. Only God! He had the right person to provide this revision. He is behind this. So I’m asking you to pray. To pray that hearts are soften that this revision will pass without protest. I don’t see why it wouldn’t but I’m not ignorant to the work of the enemy. I have been in this fight while the enemy throw up smoke screen after smoke screen working hard to distract, discourage, make me feel less than etc. during this process. BUT I see Jesus. He’s been on the other side…always. Always, gently reminding me who put me on this course. So I beg you! Please pray. Go to church and submit this prayer request. Let's all storm Heaven's Gate's. I’ll update you as soon as I’m able to. You can track HB 239 bills and receive email updates on it, as well as any others that you'd like to follow during the 2020 Regular Legislative Session through the Louisiana Legislature's website. Here is how you can track bills: 1. Visit www.legis.la.gov. 2. On the right-hand side of the page, click "sign-up" to create an account. 3. Once you've created an account, click "My Legis". This is where you can add the bills you want to track and opt-in to receive email notifications about the status of these bills. If you would have told me when at the beginning of this journey that the governors wife would post about the ministries than I probably would have laughed. Who am I? I'm a nobody. But yes....it happened. I was almost star struck after many emails with some connections in Baton Rouge I got the email. July the 5th of 2019, I received a request from our first lady of Louisiana, Mrs Donna Edwards. She wanted to feature my ministries on her blog, Louisiana's First Foundation, Ladies of Louisiana. Oh I also had a few days to submit it. So the race began as I wrote about the two ministries that God so dearly put on my heart. Had 2 friends proof read them too. This all began because I have been in communication with another wonderful woman who changed a law in Louisiana regarding stillborn babies. It was by the grace of God that we got connected. I emailed a person who changed a law over 10 years ago. She replied and long story short she connected got me connected with the governor himself. I am still working hard to get some ears to listen so these laws changed so I am being very vague. Once these bills pass then we can celebrate and talk about the people involved. But there's lots of work and prayers that needs to be done. So back to I'm a nobody. I have felt this way for such a long time regarding ministry. Thoughts like oh if I belonged to a larger church maybe things would move faster. Or maybe I should change how I dress, speak, become a nonprofit or maybe I should have graduated college maybe just maybe people would take me more seriously. I prayed about these things God has always told me to wait. But don't stop doing ministry. People needed to know God hasn't forgotten them and cares for their grieving hearts. I got many advice's and suggestions on how I should run the ministries but I knew I needed to wait on the Lord and not go ahead of Him. Yet, I often became weary or felt alone. I often double guess myself. Was I in His will? What difference am I really making? Who do you think you are Lisa? Don't get me wrong plenty of people encourage me. However, the voice of the enemy sometimes gets to you. BUT GOD! "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." -Isaiah 40:28-31 Sometimes I have to take a step back to see who I'm working for. God. The One who spoke this world into existence. The One who doesn't rest. The One who doesn't grow tired. His wisdom is beyond ours. He owes me nothing yet, He gives me power and increases my strength. He picks me up and caries me. I just need to wait on the Lord and He will do my bidding. He will open doors. He will lead me with the Holy Spirit. I continue to walk and run because of Him I don't grow wearing or faint. I thank God for the connections he led me to make. He's in this and I am confident that I and walking in His will. I feel it in my bones. As long as He leads me I will follow. I will not fear because my Lord God, my Abba, my Daddy holds my right hand and He helps me (Isaiah 41:13). So who am I? I'm the daughter of the Almighty King. Jesus paid a high price for me and with Him all things are possible. I'm grateful for the connection to our First Lady Donna Edwards. I love how God connected us and the word is spreading. God is so good. I'm encouraged and wonder who I'll meet next. His understanding is truly unsearchable. Please do me a favor and pray for this request.... I need help to change hospital policies and financial relief for families who experience a stillbirth. I would like to see a smoother process and less stress for future families. I don't want any more families to suffer more than they already are going to suffer. Let me tell you my "birth" certificate story with Julianna Grace. Soon after leaving the hospital in September of 2013, we received Julianna's ashes with a stapled copy of her death certificate to her bag. Well, she came in a box in a white gift bag. Yes, after months of pregnancy than delivery i had gift bag and a box to show for it. I know that sounds so morbid but that’s how that is. I've moved on from that sight. Fast forward a couple of years after i had Gabriella, in 2017 I realized after going to my safety deposit box that I didn't have Julianna's birth certificate. I thought well if I have a death certificate why don't I have a birth certificate. That doesn't make sense. Many memories came to me and I began to recollect the Fall of 2013. The ones that pop out the most are rolling out of the hospital without a baby while clinching onto a pink bear, going back to work to face my coworkers and customers, explaining to people why I wasn't pregnant anymore, getting on the phone to pay hospital bills then having to stop a congratulations because I didn't bring a baby home and that's why I'm asking for a discount off my hospital bill if I paid in cash, crying after every call, people asking me I was pregnant, people hiding from me because they were pregnant, people ignoring me or that fact that I carried a human for 5 months etc. Looking back all of it was painful. But where's her birth certificate? I couldn't remember getting one. In 2017, I decided that I needed her birth certificate. To spare you the anguish and long details I spent many months back and forth with the funeral home, the hospital, the Bossier Health Unit, the office of public health, and after many emails and phone calls later I finally got in contact with a wonderful woman who had a heart for families of stillborn babies. She knew what to do but still had a hard time getting my certificate. So, after many more months of waiting, emails, phone calls and praying, I finally relieved a missing Angel certificate. Because Julianna was stillborn I would receive a stillbirth certificate, a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth. Ahhh!!! If you’re reading this and have never experienced a stillbirth you might not understand the importance of a birth certificate. This means so much to a grieving mother. I bonded with Julianna the second I knew I was pregnant. My heart fell in love all over again. I was so happy. The love I have for her never goes away. She was there and then she was gone as if she never existed. Not having a birth certificate made me feel as if the world completely forgot about her. What did this do for me? Proof of life. Proof that I was pregnant for 23 weeks. Proof that I had labor pains. Proof for the blood, sweat and tears that was spilled on September 9, 2014. Proof that I gave birth and held an 11 1/2 inches long, 1 lb 5oz. brown hair baby girl perfect in every way. Proof that her life is recognized by the state of Louisiana. I had a baby and that piece of paper healed a piece of my grief and heart. It gave me relief that if no one ever talked about her or acted like she never existed i had proof that she was here on earth. This certificate helped me mentally heal. I could breath and her life mattered. So why am i writing this? Because I want you to join me in prayer for me to contact the right Louisiana Senator or Representative that will hear me out and not toss me aside anymore. Things need to change so families can heal and not struggle the way I did.
This information I have listed above isn’t new. There are states that have these procedures as law and different tax credit, tax exemptions enacted. I just need the right person willing to listen and create these request into bills. Thank you for your time friends.
I hope this makes sense. Please let me know if you have any questions. I know mothers day can be so hard for many of us.
I thought about this today as Gabriella and i are going to head out for a birthday party. These are the times i miss Julianna. I will never have the chance to take her to a party. But it is by the grace of God that we have this audio recording of her heartbeat. God knew i was going to need this. How gracious He is to me.
I had the great privilege of being on Billie Carroll's show. She overhead two friends talking about this ministry and the Lord led her to strike up a conversation. He had a divine appointment for us to meet. We hope that you enjoy and find some healing through this segment.
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Lisa RowellJulianna Grace Ministry was founded by Lisa, who lost her first born, Julianna Grace, a precious little girl that was born still. Join our Julianna Grace Ministry's Facebook group page -
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October 2021
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