About Author
Nicole Groenewald
’My firstborn son, that we prayed for (for 3 years!), was born with
half a heart. We were told at the 20 week ultrasound, and it was
suggested that I have an abortion. I was struck with deep grief. But
also a choice. I can be a victim to my circumstances. I can blame my
hard circumstances on why everything else is falling apart. Or I could
chase joy. I could fight for a more joyful tomorrow.
We fought.
My son Henry was born in April of 2018 and had 2 open heart
surgeries before he was 6 months old. He required a feeding tube
until he was about 13 months old. Now, at almost 2, he doesn’t quite
walk yet but is developmentally on track in all other areas. Living in
and out of the hospital for those first 9 months of his life was
really hard. But every day I fought for joy. I fought for hope.
That journey changed me.
Up until Henry came into my life, I let life tell me how to feel. When
bad things happened I was overwhelmed by the
difficulty. I didn’t know how to get past my very big emotions of
anxiety, worry, overwhelm, etc. and I would get really stuck and
desperate.
Learning to chase joy when life and death hung in the balance was
transformational. Learning to choose joy as I handed my brand new,
innocent, sweet baby boy over to the surgeons meant that in my
grief I could also find hope. Trusting that God would bring good in a
way only He could. And He has!
I now have a deeper joy than I could have ever hoped to ask for, and
I want to show others how they can chase joy too!
"I’m on a mission to inspire others to
chase joy, no matter the difficulty of
their present circumstances!"
thank you so much for sharing my journey!
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