Judah Nehemiah Lingle — On Sept. 2, Baby Judah was ready to come. Brittney started showing signs the night of Sept. 1, but she knew his team of doctors wouldn’t be at the hospital until the morning. So, she toughed it out all night with contractions, and we left our house at 5 a.m. Sept. 2.
On the way, the contractions were getting stronger and more frequent. After they got her hooked up to a fetal monitor the nurse called the doctor to come early. They told us that Brittney needed to have an emergency c-section at 9 a.m. It all happened so fast. After Judah came out, they immediately rushed him to the NICU. I ran with them. He never made a sound. It was hard to leave Brittney behind, knowing she didn’t even get to see him or know what was going on.
They asked me to sit in a waiting room and I looked through the glass at them working on him. At first, the heart monitor was in the 30s and slowly started to increase to about the 80-90s. I was just praying. I felt helpless because I couldn’t do anything for him, and I was worried about Brittney. After what seemed like forever, the doctor brought me closer to Judah and explained what was going on. I took a picture of Judah and went back to show Brittney.
After Brittney made it out of recovery, they brought us to the NICU. When we walked in, it looked like they were trying to resuscitate him. They told us then that he would not live much longer. Brittney set up as much as she could to get to him, hold him and kiss him. I can’t remember a sadder moment in my life. I put the end of my finger in his palm and looked at his little
fingers and thought to myself, “I’ll never get to place these fingers on a fretboard of a guitar.” I lost it, and I’m losing it now as I’m typing. It was so hard to see Brittney in so much pain. We were both crying out to God and talking to little Judah. We told him “sorry” and we would see him again someday.
Jo was on his way with the kids (J.J. and Josie) to come see little Judah. I wasn’t sure if they would arrive in time, but when they made it here, the doctor called us down to the NICU. The doctor told me to come first. When I arrived his heart rate was 10 bpm and it was slowly going down and down. The only thing I could think to do was get my camera out because I didn’t want Brittney to miss his last breath. As soon as the monitor reached 2 bpm, Brittney and the kids turned the corner.
“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Our Lord took Judah around 2 p.m. They unhooked his tiny body from the machines and gave us some time with him. We just admired how precious he was. We looked him up and down and praised God for the little time we had with him.
I don’t want to go into much more detail to make anyone upset. So here are just a few last things I’d like to share:
There is something about suffering and lamenting that brings you closer to loved ones and God, and none of it is meaningless.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4).
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).
“It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes” (Psa. 119:714).
We are so thankful for all the support from the doctors, nurses, friends and family. Also, I can’t imagine going through something like this without God and His people. Judah means “praise” and Nehemiah means “God comforts.”
Everyone always says ladies have a glow when they are pregnant. For Brittney, it’s the afterglow that gets me. I’m always stunned by her strength and beauty after she brings a baby into this world.
We praise God for the day that is coming for His people when “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4).
Please pray for Brittney and me as we make funeral arrangements. Pray for our children, especially the older ones, Josie and JJ. They have been very emotional, and we are ready to get home and comfort them. Pray for our family back in America as they grieve from afar.
“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”… Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you…” (Psa. 42:1-6).
“My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word” (Psa. 119:28).
(Find more about the ministry of Brandon & Brittney Lingle by visiting thaimissions.blogspot.com. You can contact them at brandon.thaimissions@gmail.com or 166 Ban Fah Lagoon Soi 34; Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok 44; Prachathipat, Thanyaburi; Pathumthani, Thailand 12130.)
