1Rachael Taylor

2 Brave Heart

3Rachael Taylor

BRAVE HEART

hopecityLIFESTORIES

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I know you’ve heard the storiesBut they all sound too good to be true

You’ve heard about a place called homeBut there doesn’t seem to be one for you

So one more night you cry yourself to sleepAnd drift off to a distant dream

Where love takes you in and everything changesA miracle starts with the beat of a heart

When love takes you home and says you belong hereThe loneliness ends and a new life begins

When love takes you in

And somewhere while you’re sleepingSomeone else is dreaming tooCounting down the days until

They hold you close and say I love youAnd like the rain that falls into the sea

In a moment what has been is lost in what will be

When love takes you in everything changes A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

And this love will never let you goThere is nothing that could everCause this love to lose its hold

When love takes you in and everything changesA miracle starts with the beat of a heart

When love takes you home and says you belong hereThe loneliness ends and a new life begins

When love takes you in for goodWhen love takes you in

Stephen Curtis Chapman

5Rachael Taylor

PREFACE

BIg mIRACLES ARE OFTEn A SERIES OF mInI mIRACLES BOund TOgETHER By THE SILvER CHORdS OF APPRECIATIOn FOR THE OnE FROm wHOm ALL BLESSIngS FLOw.

In her own words, Rachael Taylor takes us through the story of her daughter… from conception to discovering her heart had major complications, all the way through to the healthy girl she is today.

It’s the story of medical science and advancement mixed with heavenly assistance from above. It’s the emotional journey of a mother and a story of faith – faith in a God who promises to be faithful in every situation and at any moment.

Rachael and her husband Simon are the Congregation Pastors of the Newcastle Congregation of Hope City Church. She’s been through a lot. And her story is well worth the read.

dave gilpinSenior Pastor Hope City Church

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7Rachael Taylor

1. A dAy LIKE nO OTHER

It all began when I took a pregnancy test and found out it was positive (well to be honest I must have taken at least four just to be sure!) I remember the thoughts running through my head clearly even to this day: “How do I get this baby out now it’s in there?” You may laugh but that was one of my first thoughts followed quickly by joy. My husband Simon and I were so excited, although it took my husband a few more days to let the news sink in that we were actually expecting a baby.

The first scan was a truly amazing and unforgettable day. The baby was so small but at the same time it was a real person with arms and legs, a personality and destiny that God had planned before time began. I remember Simon’s reaction when he first saw the image. I think that day it really hit home that there was a living person inside of me. It truly was a life changing day. The second scan we had was nearly 10 weeks later. It too was a day not to forget, but for very different reasons.

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As soon as the alarm went off I sat up straight in bed with excitement bubbling up inside of me. I turned to Simon and said, “This is the day we find out the sex of our baby.” I could not imagine having to wait 40 weeks or so to find out the sex of your child. It would be torture and I couldn’t think of anything worse! I have never been the patient kind.

When we were dating, my husband once made me a gigantic advent calendar for Christmas. He had taken the time to make 25 separate compartments each with either a card that he had written on from the bottom of his heart or a present that he had carefully wrapped to show how much he loved me. When he gave it to me I took it home and put it in my bedroom.

All night I was fighting whether I should just open one of the days early - I mean it wouldn’t hurt right? I could not stop staring at the advent calendar sat there in the corner of my room. It felt like it was talking to me, saying ‘open me’. I am sorry to say, I gave in to temptation and I opened it. And not just one extra day but the whole 25 days! I learnt my lesson because I have not received anything like that ever since.

This was our first baby and we found every little thing exciting from buying nappies or a cot, to the most insignificant things. That morning was our 22 week scan to see if everything was where it should be with the baby. My husband and I turned up at the hospital and sat down waiting for our names to be called. Whenever I am in a waiting area, be it a dentist, doctors or airport lounge, a sudden rush of nervousness comes over me. There is something about waiting that freaks me out! Everybody seems to sit quietly like they are in a library and whisper when they talk. Just thinking about it now sends shivers down my spine.

On that day we didn’t have to wait too long before our name was

9Rachael Taylor

called. We were shown into a room and introductions were made. Finally I laid down while the sonographer started her work to find out whether the baby had got everything it needed. The whole time my mind was focused on one detail - I couldn’t wait to find out the sex of our baby.

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