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Our second child was called Zachary

My Bible: reasons to believe in the power of the Bible

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'Our second child was called Zachary. Everything seemed normal, but when we went for the 12-week scan we discovered that he had Edwards’ Syndrome.

There was 95 per cent chance that he wouldn’t survive the pregnancy. If he did, he’d only live for half an hour. We were offered a termination. We said “no” simply because of the Bible.

Psalm 139 was a tremendous help at this time. It says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made”.

It was incredibly traumatic. After the diagnosis we went home and didn’t sleep for the whole weekend. It was the hardest five weeks of my life. We cried ourselves to sleep every day.

We went back when he was 18 weeks’ gestation. His heart was gone. It wasn’t beating. In some senses it was like a relief. But then we had to deliver him.

What I took from Psalm 139 was that every day of Zachary’s life had been planned by God. That helped, because you know that, whatever the absolute pain of the moment, there is a bigger purpose.'

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