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a piece of Diana’s story & a call to action (with an update)

AUGUST 27th UPDATE: Diana has given us the go-ahead to share that she and her family said goodbye to baby Kaden yesterday afternoon. Please continue to pray and believe with us that God knows what He’s doing. We might be sad and even angry for the Stones, but we serve a faithful God. And when I don’t know what else to say, I’ll just say that. He loves us, and He is faithful.
I’m going to keep things quiet here for the next few days, picking up with regular posts next week. I want to pause for a minute. I’m going to sign up for a few more slots and sit quietly with Diana this week. In the words of a wise friend, “It’s okay to be in shock right now. The world doesn’t have to go right back to normal.” I’m going to follow her lead.

For those who’d like to donate towards the Stones’ hospital & funeral costs, click here.

For those who have seen her updates on Twitter and Facebook, you know that Diana Stone is hurting something fierce these days. Last year, she lost a set of twins boys halfway through her pregnancy. Shortly after that, her family’s plans to adopt fell through suddenly and painfully. A few months later, she and her husband Sam learned that they were pregnant again. Their daughter Bella became excited at another chance to be a big sister.

Diana gave birth to a baby boy three weeks ago. They named him Kaden Isaiah. On the day they were scheduled to head home from the hospital, Kaden’s oxygen status began to deteriorate. A heart defect was discovered, one that can only be fixed with a heart transplant. Baby Kaden is not medically stable and has been given a poor prognosis. Their healthcare team told the Stones to say goodbye and prepare for their son to pass in the next day or so. Diana and Sam are pretty shaken up right now, as you can imagine. We can see them crumbling right here in front of us, online for the world to see.

So we say this simply: not on our watch.

Diana is one of us, and she’s grown tired. She’s lived out a big portion of her life online over the last several years; her transparency and vulnerability has ministered to others so beautifully. Now it’s time for her online community to come up under her and keep her head above water. This is huge, and this is epically painful… but this is also just a part of Diana’s story. We want to love on Diana loudly and publicly while she hurts. We want God to be glorified, even in the ugly parts.

We started a twenty-four hour prayer vigil started last night, and I’d love for you to sign up for a slot. What if you don’t buy into the whole idea of Christianity and prayer? That’s fine. Why don’t you sign up anyway, and just sit quietly for a few minutes? Some time slots have gone as many as seven people deep, and the entire vigil has been extended a few times already.

We’re asking God for a miracle, because He’s that big and He loves His children that much. We want complete and miraculous healing for Kaden, and relief from the grief that Diana has grown to know all too well. And even if He doesn’t heal Kaden, we’re asking God to show himself strong to Diana and Sam and their daughter Bella. We’re asking Him to remind this family that He knows them by name, that they are not lost or forgotten. Will you join us?

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10 Comments

  • Reply Jessica August 26, 2013 at 11:16 AM

    Thanks for posting this Rachel!!

  • Reply Love Being A Nonny August 26, 2013 at 12:12 PM

    Signed up…I consider it a privilege.

  • Reply Brittany Salmon August 26, 2013 at 2:40 PM

    As a mama of twins and in the adoption process… my heart breaks for her. Praying. Praying and weeping something fierce!

  • Reply Caroline W August 26, 2013 at 3:18 PM

    I’ve tried to sign up and I keep getting a google error? Am I doing it wrong?
    I just found this wonderful ladies blog today after seeing an instagram post. My heart is breaking for this beautiful family and I’ll be praying for them all.

    • Reply Rachael August 27, 2013 at 12:36 PM

      It’s easier from a computer. Try that! We’re still asking people to come alongside her today!

  • Reply Stephanie Johnson August 26, 2013 at 5:06 PM

    Been praying all day

  • Reply K. Elizabeth @ YUMMommy August 27, 2013 at 1:53 AM

    I saw her tweets yesterday and I moved to tears. I’m definitely praying for a miracle for Baby Kaden. Doctors can say one thing, but at the end of the day God has the ultimate say!

  • Reply Sara Stoff August 27, 2013 at 6:31 PM

    Thanks for the update Rachael. I’m reminded of the lyrics (can’t remember the song) ‘let me know that You hear me. let that be enough’

    • Reply JasonBethMicah August 28, 2013 at 11:37 PM

      Is that a switchfoot song your thinking of? That’s what popped in my head when I saw the lyrics.

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