Cedarville Magazine, Spring/Summer 2016

Human Life as Fearfully and Wonderfully Made Choosing Life NoMatter the Cost by Kristin (Kuhn) Koning ’00 A Cedarville alumna shares her testimony of learning to trust God’s sovereign plan for her family. NOAH SCOTT My doctor had been called into the room to take a second look at our ultrasound. He rested his hand gently on my knee and let out a heavy sigh. “I’m so sorry,” he began quietly. “Your son has polycystic kidneys and a sac of fluid protruding from the back of his neck.” Although my shock trumped my tears, I remember taking a deep breath and having a clear sense that even though we were not in control of this situation, we knew Who was! My tears flooded over as through the fog of medical lingo I heard, “… lungs will not fully develop… cannot survive outside of utero.” Our lives were forever changed that day. Mike and I had a decision tomake. Run to our Savior’s lap and trust Whom we professed to believe — or run away from a God that would allow such heartache. The pain was truly more than we could bear. It was evident we were not strong enough. We found comfort in knowing that our baby’s Creator loved him even more than we did. Jeremiah 31:3 reinforced this to us, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” Luke 12:7 says, “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” To others our situation looked like a tragedy; Noah’s condition, a mistake. Our Creator had a purpose and a plan for Noah’s life, no matter how brief. I began speaking Truth to myself over and over. God’s ways are always perfect. He is good (yes, to me, now). He is sovereign. His ways are not my ways. We were determined to trust our Savior, all the while hoping and believing God could do a miracle for our son. The body of Ch r i s t p ou r e d o u t l o v e a n d p r a y e r s a n d encour agement to our family. It was a humbling place to be. There were many God- orchestrated moments. During a visit with my mom [Rebecca (Selden) Kuhn ’78, Coordinator of Academic I felt the Lord empowering me to go back and be Truth and Light to my doctor who, just days before, had given us the option of ending my pregnancy — our son’s life! The Koning family (L-R): Drew, 11; Annalise, 3; Kristin (Kuhn) ’00; Mike; and Trent, 13 Cedarville Magazine | 27