Serenity Mabel Broten
Last night, Sonja and I headed into the hospital with progressing contractions. It was obvious that this would be the night we might finally meet our little girl whom we (and so many of you) have prayed so much for. We were passed through monitoring quickly and moved into a delivery room. True to most of Sonja’s deliveries, it was less than two hours before we were holding our little girl in our arms.
At 7:21 PM, November 16, we welcomed Serenity Mabel Broten into the world! She was kicking one of her legs to let us know that she was alive. Sonja and I just sat and stared at this little miracle. She beat the odds of 1 in 40,000 to make it to this day…to say hi to us.
Every 20-30 seconds, a smirk would come across her face, like when a baby relieves some built up intestinal gas. I took a picture of her and went to go tell the kids and friends who were watching them that Serenity had arrived. I told them they would be able to come in soon to meet her, once the nurses got her cleaned up.
However, when I returned, the neonatologists were already warning us that her heart rate was starting to drop. So, we scrapped our plans for really nice pictures and I went back out to bring the kids in to meet Serenity. Over the period of the next 45 minutes they each were able to love on her and hold her in their arms. At some point during that time, she closed her eyes and wasn’t moving as much. Nurses occasionally checked her heart and still found it beating, but it was obvious she was slowly saying goodbye to us.
At 8:33 PM, the neonatologist shared the hard news. Her heart had stopped and our little girl had passed away. The LORD gave our family one precious hour with our sweet Serenity. We wish we had more hours, but we’re thankful for what He granted us.
We’ll share more in the days ahead, but wanted you to know that there will be a memorial service for Serenity on Monday, November 21 at 11 AM on the downtown campus of Bethlehem Baptist Church. We’d love to have you join us if you’re able.
You all have been heavy on my heart this week, and I’ve been checking your blog regularly. I am so heartbroken for your loss. May God draw near you all as you walk through this valley of sorry, and death. I am so sorry you have to walk through this. :(
Friends, we rejoice with you in her life and life eternal. We grieve with you in her loss. Wishing with all our hearts that we could be near to offer hugs and support, but know we are bringing you before the Lord and asking for His perfect peace to surround you and the kids. All our love.
We have been praying for you, and now we weep with you as we hear of the news, read your post, and see your sweet baby girl. Thank you for sharing your story. We too lost our baby girl Mercy a bit over a year ago to trisomy 13. We didn’t get a chance to greet her while she was alive. I am so thankful that you received the grace to spend an hour with your baby girl while she was still on this side of eternity.
Scott and Karie David
Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful Serenity, I rejoice with you for the time you all had together as a family. What priceless captures! Thank you for sharing that sacred moment with us…I am so sorry for your loss. Prayers of comfort, peace and healing for your empty arms and broken hearts. Much love from Sherbrooke QC xx
You are a dear family, Brotens!
You are on our minds and our hearts are burdened for you. Evan was particularly overjoyed to hear that Evangeline got to hold sweet Serenity!
There are no words, but sometimes for me, it helps to think about the Lord’s provision. I think of how He provided good care for Sonja in Chad–someone with enough knowledge to know that maybe something wasn’t quite right.
I think about how He provided that flight for Sonja and a friend to meet her and the wise decision Jacob made to just step out in faith and follow with the kids.
Ultimately, He provided a chance for you all to enjoy her maybe more than you would have gotten to if you had still been in Chad. If you hadn’t known that she had Trisomy 22, maybe you wouldn’t have savored those last weeks of pregnancy the way you did.
Today, while I weep with you for your loss, I am grateful for a Big God, Who worked out a lot of little details so that You could make the most of Serenity’s short earthly life.
And as I type this, the sun is setting in beautiful ombre shades of pink, purple, and blue and truthfully, there is no better way to describe it than Serenity. He weeps with you today and loves you more than you can ever know!
Praying for all of you.
Jacob and Sonja,
We rejoice that you were able to meet and hold your little one but so sad your time with her was so short. Sending you hugs and praying for the comfort that only God can bring.
Jacob and Sonja,
Oh, my! To have experienced the compression of the deep joy of Serenity’s arrival amidst the sorrow of her soon departure has got to be a lot to process! We are grateful for God’s goodness in allowing you all to be there to meet and express your love to Serenity, as well as grateful to you for your amazing receptivity to His graces that enable you to do ALL of life WITH Him as a powerful testimony of the blessings of covenant love on all sides! Praying that knowing she is experiencing perfect love will help ease your grief.
Broten Family,
We send you our sincerest sympathy wrapped in praises to our God for giving you the precious time He did with your sweet Serenity. May He bless you and comfort you as you grieve and heal. May little Serenity’s story be a testimony of God’s grace with a ripple effect that keeps going. I know Serenity is with Ian and so many other precious little ones climbing all over Jesus. The joy we will have when we hold them again. Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos of your daughter, priceless.
Tears, Hugs and continued prayers, Rachel and Christopher Stone
Jacob, Sonja and Family
May God bless each of you in this trying time. I know that your strong faith will carry you through your darkest moments and the thoughts you will keep of your beautiful daughter will remain with you always. Thinking of and praying for each of you.
Your friend.
We love you guys and are lifting you up to our dearest Father today. Know we are standing with you!
Dear Brotens, We are prayer partners for the Hutts family, and we are praying for your dear family. We have known similar heartache but serve the same loving God, and have faith with you that He will supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. What sweet time you had with Serenity, and even sweeter fellowship she now enjoys!
Dear Jacob and Sonja,
We are so sad to hear this news, What a gift to have had an hour together with Serenity, but I cannot imagine how your hearts are also broken. May you experience Christ’s peace and presence and His loving arms today in a special and tangible way as you both celebrate and weep with your Bethlehem Baptist family. We’ll be with you in prayer.
Serenity is in the everlasting arms of her Creator and Heavenly Father. May you feel His embrace today too!
Lifting you up,
B & K
“When you can’t see His plan; when you don’t understand; Trust His heart.” Our prayers are with you. Wally & Jeannie- ABWE, Canada missionaries
I am typing with tears blurring the words on the screen. How sweet to have that precious hour with Serenity, to hold her and see her expressions. To be able to tuck away in your hearts the pictures of each of her brothers and sisters holding her, seeing her face to face for a moment, to have your family together as Serenity said hello and goodbye. I ache with you for the sorrow of releasing your precious little girl into eternity … no matter how prepared we are for such a farewell, it rips at our hearts because we know this isn’t how it ought to be. May the sure knowledge that Serenity is held in the Savior’s arms and will be waiting to greet each of you someday be balm to your aching hearts while you are apart!
Jacob
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your whole family and I am so sorry for your loss.
Dearest Broten Family,
My heart breaks for you and I am a puddle of tears praying for you as you experience this deep sense of loss and grief. My husband and I experienced the loss of our firstborn, Annie, over 30 years ago after only a day and a half of life. I never got to meet her, as I was in intensive care to save my life, so I am rejoicing with you for that precious hour. I had been asking often for Serenity’s healing, since we know and serve the Great Physician, but His healing obviously was accomplished through her entrance into His presence. I know that words are pretty inadequate right now, but I am praying for a deep and undeniable sense of His presence and peace for each one of you. Jesus weeps with you as well.
In Jesus’ love,
Sue Wooten
Dear Jacob and Sonja;
You don’t know us, but we are from Justin and Sarah Hutt’s church in Wausau, WI.
We well know the grief and loss you are feeling. Almost 29 years ago our son Peter Jens Rasmussen was delivered stillborn.
We just held onto each other and the Lord. The greatest thing He taught us was that our best healing was in service. Service to the dear ones the Lord had already entrusted to our care. But we remember Peter each year his birthday comes.
He has the best place in the world and the most loving of Father’s. And we can’t wait to see him again when the Lord decides to take us to our Heavenly home.
Please know you are in our thoughts. We are lifting you all up to the Throne of Grace, for strength and courage during this very sad time. Joy will be yours. Healing comes a day at a time.
…and underneath are the everlasting arms… Deut. 33:27
In His Great Love
Don and Kris Rasmussen
Dear Jacob and Sonja,
Our hearts are grieving with yours and we will be praying for you and your family.
Much love,
Michael and Amber
Dear Jacob and Sonja,
We are so sorry for your loss and rejoice with you for the gift of meeting your sweet baby girl. We are grateful to know that she is now with Jesus. Our hearts break with you that you didn’t get to have her with you longer and we pray the Lord’s comfort, grace and love to envelope each one of you as you grieve. May His presence be very real and my you know His goodness during these days.
Much love,
Allison & Steve
We are so sad to hear of your loss. We don’t know you but are huge fans of your and what you’re doing in Chad. What a testimony you guys are and we’ve never even met you. We praise God for your faithfulness, thank you.
Dear Jacob and Sonia,
Our hearts are heavy but thankful for the time you had with your daughter and thankful for our hope of sad things one day undone.
Love,
Chuck and Kristin