I Will Carry You (Audrey's Song) - Selah

My sister-in-law Meg told me about this song a couple days ago - we listened to it in her car and pretty sure we were both fighting tears. I just couldn't stop thinking about it so I went and bought the cd and now I want to share the story. It's just amazing and so precious. It makes view pregnancy so differently and realize what I was put on this earth to do and the strength that God gives us. Can't wait to hold my sweet baby girl!

Their Story:

On January 7, 2008 we went in for a routine 18-week ultrasound for our fourth daughter Audrey. After a few minutes of excruciating silence, we were told that she was “incompatible with life” and that the recommended solution was termination of the pregnancy. We didn’t agree, and chose to carry her.

We decided from the beginning that we were going to make the most of the time we had with her; we even went to Disney World so the girls could show her Cinderella’s Castle. It was an incredibly difficult time as we balanced what we knew to be true from the world’s view with what we believed our Lord could do. We prayed for a miracle, and although it didn’t come in the form we had hoped, we do believe He gave us one. Audrey came quietly into the world on April 7th, and we got to spend over 2 hours with her before she went to be with the Lord. We prayed over her, sang to her, counted her tiny toes, gave her a bath, and passed her around to our closest friends and family crowded in the tiny hospital room. It sounds strange to say, but it was really a time of celebration. We loved her a lifetime’s worth in one day.

While I was pregnant, I wanted to write a song that described what I was feeling so we could play it at her memorial service, and our dear friend Christa Wells wrote it with us as Audrey kicked inside me.

It wasn’t written to be on a CD, and wouldn’t have been, if it hadn’t been for one cord that wasn’t plugged in correctly on the day that Selah happened to be mixing this record. Because of the delay, the record wasn’t sent away to be mastered, and in that gap of time, Amy and Allan suggested that we include this song. I cannot tell you the joy that brought me, to know that in a way we hadn’t anticipated, my daughter’s name and story would be shared in such a special way.

There is much more to the story, and if you are interested, you can read about it online at www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com . In addition, I am honored to be in the process of writing a book about our journey with B&H Publishing that is scheduled to be released in the summer of 2010.

While this song was written for our daughter, it is also dedicated to all of the mothers and fathers who have been where we are, and we pray that it ministers to you and gives you hope that defies the pain. Selah has also recorded a “boy” version of the song in honor of Elliot Skaggs who passed away three weeks after Audrey from a very similar circumstance. That version can be downloaded from ITunes if you wish to hear it.

We will forever be grateful to Jesus, Who gave us the chance to carry her.

We did, and we still do.

Audrey, you changed everything. We miss you more than I could try and express, but we know you are resting in the arms of our Father, and we eagerly await the day we will see you again. We love you. - Angie Smith