Poppy Joy!

This year we celebrate the 9th birthday of our oldest daughter, Poppy Joy, our little miracle blessing, and testimony that God works all things for good and turns our sadness into joy!

The year before she was born, Simon and I were married, 15th August 1998, one of the best days of my life! Whilst we trusted in God's perfect timing, we were convinced from the outset that we wanted to start a family soon afterwards. Sure enough, before long we found out that we were expecting our first baby. We were delighted, and told everyone our great news! Things seemed to be going well, but then suddenly, when I was 11 weeks pregnant, we lost the baby! It was completely devastating for us both, like a bad dream. In my naiveity I had never heard of anyone having a miscarriage and I had never expected it would ever happen to me. Our church friends and family were very supportive and we hung on tightly to God to help us through the darkness, knowing that he was with us and continuing to have faith that he would turn our sorrow into joy and that, as the Psalm says, "his goodness and mercy will surely follow us all the days of our life!"

God is always true to his word! Amazingly, miraculously a year to the day after we lost our first child, Poppy Joy was born, on Poppy day 1999. Our beautiful, wonderful little baby girl! From this point on things would never be the same again! Sure enough, her name, Poppy Joy, was truly significant! God really had turned our sadness into joy and enabled us through her to remember his amazing love and provision for us!

Nine years on we remain thankful to God for Poppy, and pray that she will continue to grow into the woman God has created her to be, that people will always remember Jesus through their friendship with her and that she would bring God's joy into the lives of many many people. We are proud of the person she has become and look forward to the many adventures that lie ahead. we love you Poppy! x