I grew up a preacher’s kid, so I have known the Lord a long time. But losing our son has certainly brought us closer to God.
On July 17, 2022, we were at our family’s lake house in Alabama when I noticed that our son, Briggs, was missing. Immediately, we began to search for him. My husband, Josh, a firefighter, found him in the lake. After jumping in and pulling him out of the water, he called 911 and began CPR. He performed CPR for 30 minutes before Briggs regained a heartbeat. He was then life-flighted to Children’s of Alabama, where he remained on life-support for five days.
During this time in the hospital, I was very open about my faith. I never considered that Briggs would not wake up. We asked for prayer from everyone, and our son’s story reached as far as China. People all over the world prayed for him. Thousands were praying for us and believing with us.
We, and so many others, prayed for healing, but sadly, he passed away on July 22, 2022. Our hearts were broken into a thousand pieces, but I trusted God’s plan, and prayed that He would not let anyone lose the faith they had prayed with during those five days in the hospital.
As a mother, I was devastated at the loss of my only son, but I believed in my spirit that something amazing would still come from our tragedy. I believed God had a plan for Briggs’ passing and his little life was not lived in vain. Death was not the end of his story; this was just the beginning.
In the months that followed, we received countless testimonies of people who had given their lives to God and had their faith restored. Many came to salvation and were baptized. Even our daughter, Briggs’ sister, was baptized. We were flooded with such overwhelming kindness and love that can truly only be from the Lord. Our church, friends, and community stepped in to care for us and our family with encouragement and meals.
Though this path is a hard one to walk, I have fought to encourage people by showing them that there is still hope after loss. I can’t think of anything greater than telling others about Jesus.
In the two years since Briggs passed, his story lives on in all that God is doing through the ministry He has blessed me with in Briggs’ absence. We began a charity called Love Can Build a Briggs. It is our desire to educate people about water safety, so that they may avoid such a tragedy.
Through my grief journey, Lamentations 3:21-24 has resonated with me most. It encourages me to continue in faith, because God’s mercies are new every day. You can find strength in knowing that God is already in your tomorrow.
“This I recall to my mind, Therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: Great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; Therefore will I hope in him.” Lamentations 3:21-24 KJV
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