Happy New Year!

As I reflect back on 2010, I am in such awe of all the amazing stories I have heard and people I have met through our journey with Avery, and the beginning of the Cross Healed Hearts ministry. More and more, I see how God uses ordinary people to show his extraordinary glory. Some miraculously overcome the odds, surviving and thriving, as my Avery has, and others, well, they are even more incredible to me. The others I mention are those who have lost battles, yet they hold on to their faith, as God uses them to do amazing things while glorifying Him through their struggles. They allow God to heal their broken hearts, and fulfill His purpose in their lives. My prayer for this new year, is that you may do the same. Whether you are in the midst of the battle, or awaiting your next trial, I pray that you live out your purpose, and that you allow God to heal and lead you in ways that you never have before. I hope that many will continue to share their stories with us in 2011, in order to encourage and give hope to those in need. Share your faith and love with someone today. God bless, and Happy New Year to everyone!
In His Love,
Megan Bell

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

1 Peter 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Philippians 3:13-14
No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Lamentations 3:22-24
The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!"

Isaiah 40:31
Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

Riley, a Mother's Hero

Meet Miss Riley, a very special little girl, who is yet another example of God's extraordinary power and grace. Be sure to check out the Today Show clip of Riley and her family on the sidebar! A special thank you to Riley's mom, Angee, for not only sharing this journey, but for spreading awareness while loving and praying for others. God bless you guys! ♥

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10













Riley was born December 30, 2008, with Transposition of the Great Arteries and Aortic Stenosis. We were expecting a perfectly healthy child, but when she came into this world, she was blue and lifeless. They rushed her to NICU without me holding her or kissing her...they just walked by and said something is wrong, but we will be back. About an hour later, 3 doctors came in and said, "You have a very, very sick child. Children's Hospital is coming to get her. There is something wrong with her heart." As they told me, I was in shock. "Her heart?" "What?" "What did I do?" "Is she gonna die?" So many thoughts rushed through my mind, and when I saw her hooked to IV's and a ventilator, as she was so small and beautiful, I lost it. I wished I could have taken her place. I should be holding her and feeding her, not praying for her to survive the Open Heart Surgery that was coming in a few days. They arrived and took her to Batson Children's Hospital.
Riley's first procedure was a cath at 8 hours old to prolong her life, so we could fly to D.C. for Open Heart Surgery. We got to D.C., and her oxygen began to drop and her body began to shut down due to lack of oxygen. They did her surgery at 5 days old. She had the "switch" procedure to basically switch her two main arteries so the blood could flow properly. She struggled during her surgery arresting twice, but came through like a little trooper. We stayed in CICU for a week, and moved to heart and kidney for two weeks because the fluid around her heart wasn't decreasing. The saddest thing, was watching my newborn baby with all these wires, tubes, and blood coming in and out, and I couldn't even hold her. Heck, I had no place to even touch her. I just sat by her bed praying hard as I cried. I could feel that I had no choice but to pray, and pray like never before. My faith was tested. I walked around talking to God, noone else, just God. I wanted so desperately to say, "Let her be ok," but I would just pray, "You know what I want, but please do your will. Please heal my baby." After being in the hospital the first month and half of her life, we were able to come home!!!!
We came home, and she is truly the sunshine in my life. She is a ball of energy, and such a sweet, sweet baby!! We have recently been diagnosed with Aortic Stenosis and a leaky Aortic Valve, so we do have more Open Heart Surgery in the future. We take it day to day, and we go with the flow. Riley is my hero and God's angel on earth.
CHD has taught our family to love more, hug more, and fight against all odds. Nothing can touch the faith that I have in God today. Everytime I see her, I see a miracle.
We pray more and take nothing for granted. We are very grateful for what we have. I have met amazing families, children, and supporters in the CHD community. I have also cried for these families and the babies who've lost their fight. I will remain an educator, advocator, and supporter OF CHD until all steps are taken to help these families and precious babies. The strange thing is, I am a mother of 4, and I had never even heard of CHD until my last child was born with one.

I hope one day you all can meet MY hero, my daughter, Riley.
God Bless!

Angee Brock

Today, Dec. 30, is also Miss Riley's birthday!! Happy Birthday precious girl!!!




For more on Little Riley please visit:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=709102757

www.caringbridge.org/visit/rileynicolebrock

www.rileysmendedheart.blogspot.com

Angee and her family were on the Today Show, where an amazing song was sung in honor of their strength. It's so very neat! To see the clip, visit...

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29125921/ns/today-kathie_lee_and_hoda/

In Remembrance of Baby Leanna

Rest in peace Baby LeAnna 10/18/10-12/23/10




The world may never notice
If a Snowdrop doesn't bloom,
Or even pause to wonder
If the petals fall too soon.
But every life that ever forms,
Or ever comes to be,
Touches the world in some small way
For all eternity.

The little one we long for
Was swiftly here and gone.
But the love that was then planted
Is a light that still shines on.
And though our arms are empty,
Our hearts know what to do.
Every beating of our hearts
Says that we do love you.

Author Unknown

Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit

Every life has an important and specific purpose and impact on this world, no matter how brief. Thank you to all who prayed for this precious child. Little LeAnna fought very hard to stay with us, but God decided it was time to call her home.
Please continue to lift parents, Anna and Jeremy, up in prayer as they find a way through their grief. Funeral services were held this morning.

Dear Lord,
Please help this family in this time of loss and overwhelming grief. We don't understand why life can be filled with this pain and heartache.We will wait on you and not despair; We will quietly wait for your salvation. Our hearts may be crushed, but we know that you will not abandon us forever. Please show Anna and Jeremy your compassion, Lord. Help them through the pain so that they will hope in you again. We believe this promise in your Word to send us fresh mercy each day. Though they may not be able to see past today, we trust your great love will never fail them.
Amen

Prayers Please

While so many of us have so very much to be thankful for this Christmas, others, while thankful, are going through (or preparing for) difficult times. Please be in continued prayer for those in need, and remember just how fortunate we are to have a God who loves us and hears us when we call on him.




Baby Leanna: The process has begun to take LeAnna off ECMO. They say it could take up to 4.5 hours to complete. The family is not allowed in during this. She has been fighting sepsis and pneumonia, and they discovered a brain bleed last night.



Little Caroline: Caroline has had two open heart surgeries in her short time here (2 1/2 years) and has one to go. Her family is planning on traveling to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the end of February or the first part of March for Caroline's surgery. During this time, Caroline's parents will both will be out of work. They are selling t-shirts in order to raise money to help pay their bills back home, for food, and to pay for their stay at the Ronald McDonald House. The t-shirts are $15. For more information please visit http://thepuckettadventure.blogspot.com/2010/12/caroline-superhero-t-shirts.html
You may also read more about Caroline on this blog.



Sweet Sydney: Sydney (who has William's Syndrome) will be having a OHS through a hybrid procedure done in the OR at Batson as soon as February. They will be placing large stints in her arteries to open them up because the ballooning in the cath lab is no longer working. I will be posting more on Sydney and her story soon.

If you know of anyone who would like to be added to our prayer list or prayer warrior group, please email Megan at megbeau2@yahoo.com. God Bless!

Baby Leanna

Please be in fervent prayer for baby Leanna right now. She had OHS on Tuesday, and has had many complications since. She has been on and off life support, on kidney dialysis, ECMO, and is now fighting a blood infection. Her life is very delicate right now, and she desperately needs to be lifted up to the ultimate Healer. There is a food drive going on for her family today at the Pearl Brandon Wal-Mart through MS Mended Little Hearts at 3:00 P.M. Her family is staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Jackson, and also has 2 other young children.

Tenth Avenue North - You Are More

I Will Follow- Chris Tomlin (With Lyrics)

The Afters - Light Up The Sky