Jellybean, as nicknamed by her family, has an exciting life inside the womb. Not only is she developing and learning new things all the time, she also feels, hears, and can somewhat communicate with her family. She can tell when someone new comes in the room, she loves to hear her mother sing, and play with her siblings while she learns their personalities. Everyone is so excited as Jellybean starts to run out of room to grow inside mommy’s womb—it’s almost time to come out and see everyone for the first time!
But then, someone unexpectedly comes to visit little Jellybean, and leads her to a different home—a heavenly home. She is filled with even more joy and love than she already had, and now she has a mission and a job. She can see the sadness, grief, and heartbreak of her family on earth. Her mission now is to help them through their grief. To give meaning to their loss. To be their prayer warrior from heaven to be their biggest cheerleader in the cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12) as they make their own journeys towards God calling them home as well.
Jellybean was loved so very much by her family. She was created, she existed, she was known and loved by God. She is given dignity. She is worthy of grieving and celebrating the life she had and mission she now fills from heaven. Her life touched and impacted everyone who knew of her and interacted with her within the womb.
This gentle and truthful book covering miscarriage and stillbirth is a lovely tool and balm for the brokenhearted. If you have children in your life who are processing a miscarriage in your own family, this will help them to understand their grief while giving words and explanation to their loss with lovely pictures to help them as they process. If your children have friends or relatives who have recently lost a baby, I would highly encourage this book as well as they learn empathy and can gain a heavenly perspective of this harsh reality they may not have realized could happen. As there is not a book I know of this well done for the loss of infants or young children, this book could easily stretch with some further explanation on part of the adults to help children process their grief in those circumstances as well.
Already on its second printing so quickly following it’s first printing with Holy Heroes, I plan to keep many copies of this book on hand for when I learn of a loss just in case it is sold out again. This book fills a hole that has long been waiting for something lovely and tender to enter. Holy Heroes has accomplished just that. No justifications. No poor excuses. No bad theology or being told the baby has wings or is an angel. Truth and tender care have gone into every page and drawing.
There is a lovely page on the inside that you can fill out with the name (or nickname) of the baby who has gone to heaven with the Liturgy for the Funeral of a Child Who Died before Baptism. This would be a lovely gift to include as you care for a family who has recently lost a loved one, or a gift in memorial of one lost before.
If you have recently lost a baby or learned of the loss of a baby, here is a page of resources from Holy Heroes on infant loss. In it you will find resources on what to do, naming your baby, funeral resources, parish support, how to explain to your children, financial assistance, prayers/novenas/devotions, supporting a friend, and more.
Get your copy of Jellybean: A Baby’s Journey to God by following this link to holy heroes or on amazon by clicking here.