Chantelle's Dedication - 12 June 2010

Hi everyone - this is my first official post of purpose! At the dedication Pastor Pablo asked us to write something about the before and after Chantelle was born, basically what she means to us I suppose, he only read out a snippet of what we wrote so I thought it would be perfect to share on this with you all.

"The Story of Marie-Chantelle Miracle McCrostie"

We were a happy couple before and we felt blessed, but something was missing. A child, that’s what was missing. We had faithfully decided to finish Andrew’s study before starting a family. God had blessed us in our faithfulness with friends, family support, money to pay for college, food on the table, what more could a couple need or want. The answer for us was simple, we wanted to have a child. With half a year left to go at college we made and intentional conscious effort to start a family.

Only to find out a year later that it was not likely that we would have children naturally, so we sort medical assistance through IVF. One of the doctors explained, after further research that Jossee’s tubes were blocked, and that the medical conclusion that IVF was indeed the only option for us to have children.

Having spent time doing IVF in Melbourne and then Brisbane, time had passed, in fact five years had passed and the likelihood of having children seemed very remote. A call to Canberra came to work with the young people of SNSW and the difficult and painful decision was made to postpone IVF until we had settled in Canberra. Questions were in our mind, “does God really want us to move now?” “How long will it take until we continue with IVF?”, “How long it would take to recover financially from the last IVF attempt?”.

Amidst all the change time seemed to be against us, finances seemed to be against us. There was some level of doubt that we would become parents. At this time, Jossee was given a moment of joy and encouragement, to be the first to hold her newborn nephew Olivier, but at the same time feeling that this may be the closest she would ever get to holding someone of her own bloodline.

After settling in Canberra , we felt it was time to start IVF again, on 10 November we met with a lovely IVF doctor who’s words to us before we walked out the door meant so much. Dr Armelin said “I want you to go home pretend your not on IVF, do your cycle, you never know your tubes might spasm and open at the right time and you might conceive naturally!”, we walked to our car feeling ironically a renewed sense of hope.

We say ironically, because on the 9^th of January 2009, just a few months later we were to find out that Jossee was 30 weeks pregnant. I remember receiving the phone call from Jossee, who had been told to get a blood test and then an ultra sound for a gallstone, that the blood test showed that she was pregnant and the next day we got an ultra sound that confirmed the great news! That day many prayers were answered, from friends and family around the world. God had heard our prayers and we can say confidentantly, as we recall the moments of despair, but also the demands of work, of moving and of life, that God’s will and timing is perfect!

Nine weeks later Marie-Chantelle Miracle McCrostie was born, joy was brought to our family and friends, grace was visible, our answer to many prayers was in our arms. Since that time to now we have seen God’s protection and care, more answers to prayer and much joy brought to our new little family as Chantelle has grown to be such an active, social, loving child. All we could ask of God, have answered our prayers powerfully and with much wisdom, is that she grow to be like Jesus. That we all would be graced with a miracle of discipling her to be all that she can be in Christ is our new prayer, it would seem consistent with the miracle blessing of her life, that she may grow to be a pure young lady, a voice for truth and mercy, a contributing member of her community and a person who brings God’s love into the world.

Thank you God for our child, she is yours, we will need your help more daily.

Love Andrew and Jossee