Copyright © 2011New Testament Ministries. All rights
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Writings contained herein are by the author unless otherwise
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Printed in the United States of America.
All Scriptures are taken from the King James Bible.
ISBN # 978-1-61119-055-7
Printed by Calvary Publishing
A Ministry of Parker Memorial Baptist Church
1902 East Cavanaugh Road, Lansing, Michigan 48910
www.CalvaryPublishing.org
Page 5
Gracie Lovato
Mora, New Mexico
July20, 2005 – May 13, 2011
This sweet little girl loved to sing,
The B-I-B-L-E
That’s the book for me
I stand alone on the Word of God
The B-I-B-L-E
BIBLE!!!
Another one of her favorite songs was:
Jesus loves me, this I know
For the BIBLE tells me so.
Little ones to him belong,
We are weak but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so!
Although Gracie didn’t know how to
explain the Scriptures, the Bible teaches
that every person is sent into the world for
a distinct purpose.
Page 6
The Bible which she sang about gives
the lessons that God wanted us to learn
from Gracie’s life. As her friend and older
brother in the Lord, God allowed me to be
the instrument to reveal them.
Our prayer is
May her little life touch the lives of
many and bring the peace, comfort and
salvation which Gracie experienced.
Page 7
A gift of Comfort
Presented to
_________________________
By Someone Who Cares
________________________
________________________
________________________
A short personal message
_________________
Date
Page 8
Page 9
CHAPTER ONE
EACH LIFE HAS A PURPOSE
A BRIEF VISIT TO EARTH
Recently, I attended the funeral of
a friend of mine. I marveled at how
beautiful she was, laying there in her
casket surrounded by all of her favorite
stuffed animals, just sleeping. Gracie’s
short race through life didn’t even reach
her sixth birthday….then she was gone!
Page 10
My mind
questioned, “What
was Gracie’s
purpose? What
message was God
attempting to
communicate to the
world through her
brief appearance on
earth?”
Since God had
to override my own
dear mothers attempt in her deep state
of bereavement and confusion to abort
me I am very aware that God has a
distinct purpose for everyone’s life.
Apostle Paul made this point very clear
in his letter to young Timothy.(1)
When God struck Paul down in
conviction on the road to Damascus he
proclaimed, “I have appeared unto thee
for this purpose.”(2)
II Timothy 1:9
“Who hath saved
us, and called [us]
with an holy calling,
not according to our
works, but
according to his
own purpose and
grace, which was
given us in Christ
Jesus before the
world began,”
(1)
Page 11
Acts 26:15-16a
“And I said, Who
art thou, Lord?
And he said, I am
Jesus whom thou
persecutest…for
I have appeared
unto thee for
this purpose…”
(2)
In a day when the
nation of Israel had
rebelled against God
and turned a deaf ear
to God’s prophets he
used a man’s life to
illustrate his message.
Much of the book of
Hosea reveals God’s
illustrated message to his people. (3)
In today’s
society where the
Lord’s Day *Sunday+
has become just
another day in the
week and the Bible is
looked down on it
would be very
possible for God to
send another
illustrated message
through the short life
of a little girl?
Hosea 1:2 “The
beginning of the
word of the
LORD by Hosea.
And the LORD
said to Hosea, Go,
take unto thee a
wife of
whoredoms and
children of
whoredoms: for
the land hath
committed great
whoredom,
[departing] from
the LORD.”
(3)
Page 12
THE SHORT MINISTRY OF JOHN THE
BAPTIST
Jesus said of all the people around him
there was none greater then John the
Baptist.
There are several
scriptures which
announce the purpose
of John’s life. He was
sent to prepare the
way before Jesus first
coming. He was to
baptize Jesus and
introduce him to the nation of Israel. (4)
As God began to move in my mind
and I pondered these questions, I
thought, “Why not let Gracie answer
these questions and tell her story,
regardless of how brief it may have
been?”
Before we get to her message we
will introduce her and the family which
God chose for her to be a part of.
“There was a
man sent
from God,
whose name
was John.”
John 1:6
(4)
Page 13
Chapter Two
A Mothers Version of
Gracie’s Troubled Life
The Bible states that one’s life on
this earth is as “a story that is told”. The
following chapter is a brief summary of
Gracie’s life as told by her mother
perfectly illustrated that truth.
God prepared a special little
person and sent her into the world. Her
life impacted every person she
encountered. Now she is gone… but her
influence lingers on.
Page 14
Listen to her story as told by her mother,
Anita Lovato.
CONCERN FOR MY BABY
May 2005
My friend and mid-wife, Sheri
Raphaelson, came to our home for a prenatal
checkup because I was concerned
that the baby was only moving twice a
day. This did not seem normal as I was
28 weeks along in my pregnancy and my
uterus should have measured 28 weeks,
however the uterus measured 35 weeks
instead. At the end of the appointment,
Sheri is certain the size discrepancy of
my uterus is a definite sign that my baby
could be born with complications;
complications which include: Spina
Bifida, swallow and brain problems. For
a moment, in my heart I worried, and
then God gave me immediate peace. I
remembered telling Sheri that whatever
God’s will was for my baby, we would
trust Him. After my check-up, Sheri
Page 15
scheduled an ultrasound appointment to
check for any noticeable abnormalities,
and I am faced with the possibility of not
being able to give birth at home. When
the ultrasound was completed at Santa
Fe Imaging, nothing was found abnormal
with the baby. The baby was the right
size, the bag had the right amount of
water, and everything measured and
looked normal. Throughout the
pregnancy I was sure I was having a boy
and I wanted to confirm this through the
ultrasound test, but Jake did not want to
know the sex of the baby. He enjoyed
the surprise of waiting till the birth,
because we both knew whether our
baby was a boy or girl, he or she would
truly be a blessing. However, I continued
to believe I was having a boy. As we left
Santa Fe, we thanked God for the normal
test results of the ultrasound and
continued to prepare for home delivery
of our soon to come baby.
Page 16
Months after this ultrasound and
Gracie’s birth, Sheri who is also a lawyer,
sent a letter to Santa Fe Imaging
explaining the condition and
complications of Gracie’s birth, and their
response to the letter was that no test is
ever 100% accurate. That day, God had
hidden the true results of Gracie’s
condition—even from the medical
experts who could have revealed her
abnormalities. Through it all God was
working his perfect plan for her life.
Page 17
LABOR BEGINS EARLY THIS MORNING
July 20, 2005
Early on the morning of July 20th, I
started the labor process in order to give
birth to my new baby, and I am still
certain the new addition to our family
will be a boy. We had previously decided
he (the new baby) would be named,
Isaac Judah, which means laughterpraise
in the Hebrew translation. For
each of the pregnancies of the previous
six children I would ask the Lord to give
me a scripture to meditate on for the
duration of each labor, and that morning
I asked the Lord for something I could
use to comfort myself as I would
undergo the labor and birth of my baby,
either a song, Bible verse, or a prayer.
When I opened my Bible, God led me to
II Corinthians 12:9, as I pondered on this
verse, I questioned the Lord asking Him,
“I already know this verse, Lord,” (I had
memorized this verse in 2001 quoting it
to my mother-in-law, Carlota Lovato,
Page 18
before she underwent heart surgery) and
the Lord said to me, “This is the one I
want you to think about today.” II
Corinthians 12:9 reads, "My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is
made perfect in weakness. Most gladly
therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me." Upon reading this
scripture, I felt the Lord piercing my
heart about the infirmities, yet I thought
of the heavy labor I would soon endure,
and assumed that was the infirmity God
was showing me--I never related the
infirmities to my baby. (Just recently I
looked up the meaning of infirmity and it
was the description of Gracie’s life, how
Powerful God is!)
MY BABY IS BORN
July 20th, 9:20 pm.
After several hours of labor, my
baby is born! Sheri immediately
wrapped the baby in receiving blankets
Page 19
and the baby was warmly placed in the
arms of Esther, my daughter, who at the
time was fifteen years old. Previously,
after each birth of my children, Sheri
would quickly wrap each baby and
sometimes in the excitement of the birth
we did not see if a boy or girl had been
born. This night, I did not check the sex
of my new baby, yet I assumed this was
my boy. However, to my surprise, Esther
excitedly proclaims, “It's a girl!” For the
first time in twelve pregnancies, I had
not chosen a girl’s name. The kids began
to ask, “What is her name Mom?” As I
mentioned earlier, I was positive this was
a boy, so a girl’s name was not on our
list. I told the children that I would need
to pray about her name and that I would
have one by the next day. When I finally
held my beautiful baby girl, all bundled
in her blankets, I truly felt blessed to
hold my 12th bundle of joy, not yet
realizing just how mightily she would be
used by God—not only in my and my
Page 20
family's lives, but in the lives of others as
well.
As I looked at her little fingers
poking out of the blanket, they were all I
could see, I realized how different they
seemed. Also, her cry, at birth, was not
the same tone of my other newborns
and I thought within myself, “This baby
seems different, but it is probably all in
my mind.” When I attempted nursing
her, she was unable to create suction, so
I looked in her mouth. She seemed to
have what looked like soft pink teeth. I
asked Sheri to come over and look at
her, and when she examined the baby’s
mouth, Sheri explained that it appeared
my baby had a cleft palate. Immediately,
Jake and Emilee, my second-oldest
daughter, went to Walmart to buy baby
bottles and formula in order to nourish
the baby. Meanwhile Sheri began a full
examination of the baby and discovered
numerous health issues. After Jake and
Page 21
Emilee returned with the feeding
supplies for the baby, a bottle was
prepared for her, but when she is given
the bottle to suck, she is still unable to
create suction. By now, Sheri is sure the
baby will need to be admitted to the Los
Alamos Medical Center, with specific
care from Dr. Jaqueline Krohn, the
pediatrician we chose for all of our
children. I tried overhearing Sheri in the
next room, but she spoke very quietly so
I could not hear the abnormalities
concerning the baby and the diagnosis.
When I knew the baby was headed for
the hospital, I wanted to go in with her,
however, because of complications I
suffered after the birth I was told to stay
home and drink fluids to accomodate the
severe blood loss I experienced. Jake did
not give me a choice of going and I had
no choice but to stay behind to rest and
pray—which was very difficult for me to
do.
Page 22
We made preparations for the
baby to be taken to the hospital in Los
Alamos, NM, and around 1:30 am Jake
and Esther were ready for the trip. The
children asked again for the baby’s
name, but I did not have one just yet.
Since we needed to admit her to the
hospital, I needed to decide on a name.
After several suggestions, I began to
think of II Corinthians 12:9, and the parts
of the verse that read, “My Grace is
sufficient… and most gladly therefore
will I rather Glory in my infirmities,” and
that was it. I decided that her name
would be Grace Glory Lovato. So my
baby was admitted to the Los Alamos
Medical Center on July 21, as Grace
Lovato. For myself, it was a very long
night to pass the time worrying about
the well-being of my infant, but morning
finally came. The day of the 21st, I
anxiously awaited word from Jake about
Grace, and when he finally called to give
a report and diagnosis from Dr. Krohn, I
Page 23
Grace was now
diagnosed with a
heart defect, swollen
Fontanel, hand and
foot contractures,
Cleft Palate, Club
Foot, deaf in both
ears and probably
mentally retarded
with some form of
Syndrome.
was shocked to hear that Grace had
been born with extensive infirmities—
infirmities I never anticipated she would
possess. Jake and I discussed the extent
of Gracie’s
abnormalities which
continued with a
swollen fontanel
(soft spot), club foot
(on both feet), cleft
palate, deaf in both
ears and the
probability of being
mentally delayed
with some form of a syndrome. And her
little hands that I thought were different
also had defects. I could not believe
what I was hearing, yet as I discussed
Grace’s condition with Jake, I began to
realize why God had pierced my heart
the morning of my labor when I read II
Cor. 12:9. God, in His omniscient (allknowing)
way had impressed, on my
heart, what I truly believe was Gracie’s
Page 24
condition at birth. I immediately asked
Jake to come home and take me to the
hospital. Although we did not know, Dr.
Krohn already knew Grace would face
heart issues because of a loud heart
murmur she could hear and an enlarged
liver she could feel.
As I waited for Jake to come home
and take me to the hospital, I thought of
the name Grace Glory and the scripture
in II Corinthians. Jake had a great-great
grandmother named Altagracia Lovato
and a grandmother named Altagracia
Trujillo, and as I thought more, I felt that
Grace’s legal name should be changed to
Altagracia, and her middle name, Glory,
changed to Gloria, which in Spanish
means Heaven. Altagracia Gloria Lovato:
Grace on High Heaven Lovato. If I had
planned for Gracie’s name it would
never have been Altagracia or Grace.
There was a pretty little girl by the name
of Grace Sandoval at our church, so I
Page 25
never thought to name our baby Grace
and the name Altagracia was not to my
liking. After deciding on Altagracia
Gloria, I knew this name was of the Lord
and not of my own choosing—and later,
the name was perfect and proved
appropriate for her, according to her life.
God had given her this name. After Jake
arrived home, and we were headed back
to the hospital, I revealed my desire to
change Grace’s legal name to Altagracia
Gloria, and he was pleased with the
change. That night I stayed with Grace
at the hospital, and the next morning Dr.
Krohn began making arrangements for
Grace to be transferred to UNM Hospital
in Albuquerque, NM. Dr. Krohn
explained the reason for Grace’s transfer
to UNM, was because of the heart
murmur she could hear, and began to
talk of heart surgery in California at
Stanford University. I, Jake, and Esther
were concerned and began to prepare
Page 26
ourselves for what was ahead in
Albuquerque and California.
On July 22nd, I waited all day for
word from Dr. Krohn about a transfer to
UNM Hospital, but it never came.
Apparently the cardiologist at UNM, who
Dr. Krohn spoke with, recommended we
make an appointment for Monday, July
25th, with Dr. Krohn, in order to perform
an EKG (in order to confirm the heart
defect) and hearing test on Grace. We
were puzzled with the response from the
UNM doctor, because of the urgency of a
heart defect, but did not question UNM’s
decision against an immediate transfer.
We were discharged from the hospital
on Friday, July 22, 2005, so we took our
sweet little baby home, not realizing the
trial that was ahead.
Page 27
LIFE IS SO DIFFICULT
July 25th—Dr. Jacqueline Krohn’s Office
On Monday, the 25th, we returned
to Dr. Krohn’s office for Gracie’s EKG and
hearing tests. When the EKG turned up
with irregularities, again Dr. Krohn
addressed the possibility of taking Gracie
to Stanford University in California for
heart surgery—Dr. Krohn was positive
Gracie was facing heart issues. By now,
Gracie’s liver was very enlarged, which
was the absolute sign that Gracie had a
heart defect. After several newbornhearing
tests, which Gracie failed (each
one), it was confirmed she was deaf. It
was hard not to cry, but I told Dr. Krohn
that since Grace was deaf we would
learn sign language and do our best to
take care of her every need. I
questioned Dr. Krohn about Grace’s
mental condition, and her response was;
because of Grace’s high pitched cry, it
was very likely she was mentally delayed.
Even though the future looked grim, I
Page 28
had peace that everything was going to
be okay. I knew that no matter what the
outcome, I would love this baby despite
her condition. Later, Dr. Krohn faxed the
EKG test results to the cardiologist at
UNM Hospital, who then made an
appointment the following day for Gracie
to be seen in his office. Again, we were
concerned of the delay to send Grace to
UNM Hospital, so I asked Dr. Krohn to
call the doctor and request that Grace be
seen this same day. We expressed that
we trusted Dr. Krohn’s concern and
shared the urgency she had for Grace to
be seen by a cardiologist, and that we
were prepared to go the very same day
to UNM if need be. However, the
cardiologist told Dr. Krohn that the
appointment for the next day would be
fine—I later found out about a
miscommunication between the two
doctors of Grace’s true diagnosis, and
that was the reason for the delay of her
appointment to UNM.
Page 29
July 26th—UNM Children’s Heart Center:
Albuquerque, NM
On Tuesday, July 26th, after the
appointment with Dr. Waldman, the
cardiologist at UNM Hospital, Grace is
confirmed to have a Double Outlet Right
Ventricle heart defect with a Ventricular
Septal Defect (VSD)—a hole between
the ventricular heart chambers. This
VSD saved Grace’s life allowing her to
remain alive inside my womb. With this
heart condition, Grace had two right
ventricles instead of a normal left and
right ventricle. A normal heart operates
using the right ventricle to circulate
blood into and through the lungs (to be
oxygenized) which then flows though the
left ventricle, exits, and enters the body.
Since Grace had two right ventricles,
there was no way for the blood, after
being circulated through the lungs, to
enter the body. Without a left ventricle,
Grace would not have oxygenated blood
flow into her body, and therefore would
Page 30
have never survived in my womb.
However, the VSD defect allowed the
blood to overflow and drain into the
body. What we first saw as a defect to
Grace’s heart, God had actually used this
defect to spare her life while forming in
my womb—this was yet another miracle
of God in this little baby’s life. While in
Dr. Waldman’s office, a genetics doctor
had been called to perform some blood
tests on Grace, but she never arrived.
However, right as we were preparing to
leave Dr. Waldman’s office, the genetics
doctor walked into his office. As the
doctor attempted to draw blood from
Grace, for the test, and was unable to
draw enough blood, she realized that
Grace was highly dehydrated. Thank
God this doctor arrived when she did,
because we were not aware because of
the cleft palate, Grace had not been
receiving the nourishment we thought
she was getting all along. So that
evening Grace was admitted into the
Page 31
I would sing;
“Grace, Grace,
God’s Grace,
Grace that will
pardon and
sanctify me.
Grace, Grace,
God’s Grace,
Grace that is
greater than all
my sin.”
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at
UNM Hospital.
SO MUCH TRAUMA TO MY SWEET BABY
July 26th – August 9th UNM PICU
While at UNM, Grace underwent
multiple tests in attempts to diagnose all
of her infirmities, besides the heart
defect. During
this time, my
sweet little baby
went through so
much trauma, but
through it all she
remained strong—
a little fighter. I
remember singing
the words to a
hymn, that to this very day I still wonder
where I learned the words. It was the
chorus and tune to “Marvelous Grace.” I
would sing;
“Grace, Grace, God’s Grace,
grace that will pardon and
Page 32
sanctify me. Grace, Grace, God’s
Grace, Grace that is greater than
all my sin.”
Later I found that the words I sang were
not the same as the original hymn, yet
had the same meaning. I would sing this
song to Grace in order to calm myself,
because I figured she could not hear me
sing since she had been proclaimed deaf
while at Los Alamos Medical Center.
However, one day while I was holding
Grace, staring into her eyes and
weeping, Esther, who had come to the
hospital to stay with me, asked, “Why
are you crying, Mom,” and I answered,
“Because my baby is deaf”. Esther
responded by saying, “How can she be
deaf, if she calms down every time you
sing that song (Marvelous Grace chorus)
to her?” The thought had never
occurred to me, but Esther was right.
Every time I would sing to Grace, usually
when she was whimpering after being
poked by a needle, she would
Page 33
I locked Grace
and myself in my
room, and wept,
praying to God
about all my
fears and doubts.
immediately calm down and begin to fall
asleep. I had been so blinded by the
negative results of
Grace’s hearing
tests, that I did not
realize she had
been hearing my
voice the whole
time. (Is this not how we sometimes
react and respond to God during our
trials in life?)
In my desperation for answers
after Grace’s birth, because of the six
failed hearing tests, I would ask if there
was a possibility that Grace had fluid in
her ears. But it was explained that the
tests administered for her hearing, were
tested using brain waves and quite
accurate, and this was the reason for
concluding Grace was deaf. Yet, later
testing of Grace’s hearing proved Grace
only had a slight hearing loss. I truly
believe, with all of my heart, that God
Page 34
had healed her little ears and she was
able to hear (another miracle).
During this two week period at
UNM, it was concluded that although
Grace had the Double Outlet Right
Ventricle with a VSD heart defect and
other infirmities, the genetic testing
showed that Grace had no syndrome—
which the doctors assumed Grace had a
syndrome because of all the infirmities
she had. Also, each infirmity proved to
be less extensive than what we originally
thought when Grace was born, and we
praised God for the good news. The
results of Grace’s infirmities were: no
club foot, just certain foot deformities;
hand contractures, that only time would
tell the affects (Grace later proved she
could do almost anything with her hands
as if normal); the cleft palate was not as
severe as we originally thought, but was
a soft sub-mucous palate (which could
be easily fixed, but not necessary); and
Page 35
mentally, there was still a question about
a mental delay.
WHY DIDN’T SHE DIE AT BIRTH?
One week before Heart Surgery
After spending around two weeks
at UNM, we were released from UNM
Hospital one week before going to Lucile
Packard Children’s Hospital in California
for heart surgery. After a few weeks of
the hustle and bustle of hospital life,
when I finally got home the devastation,
fatigue, and discouragement I felt—for
myself and Grace—was overwhelming
and I found it very hard to practice my
faith in God. Sometimes in our walk with
the Lord, we get so caught up in what we
can see, that we fail to remember our
faith is based on what we cannot see
(Hebrews 11:1). In my case, I had front
row seating in the life of Grace; for
weeks I watched and thanked God for
the miracles He was performing in and
through Grace, yet I still doubted. After
Page 36
I asked, “Why not
let her die in my
womb?” “Why let
her be born?” or
“Why didn’t she
die at birth?”
returning home, I locked myself and
Grace in my bedroom for what seemed
like hours of weeping and praying to God
about all of my fears
and doubts. One
day I finally asked
God, “Why did you
send Grace like
this?” This notion
ran through my mind constantly and of
course God already knew my heart and
my thoughts before I asked him this
question. I knew I could not hide my
feelings from Him, so I asked, “Why not
let her die in my womb, Lord?”, “Why let
her be born?”, or “Why didn’t she die at
birth?” I told the Lord that I was not
embarrassed of my baby, but I knew the
suffering she would endure in this life.
This hurt me and was a trying time for
me because I knew life was going to be
difficult for her. Although I questioned
God’s reasoning for what Grace, and our
family were going through, I
Page 37
remembered later, when all was well
with Grace, to ask God’s forgiveness for
not trusting Him, for not having the faith
to believe that He was in control. I
thanked the Lord for listening, but not
acting upon, my foolish doubts and
questions.
CODE BLUE
August 21st – Heart Surgery in California
Finally, on August 16th, we flew
from New Mexico to California for
Grace’s heart surgery. The heart surgery
was performed by Dr. Mohan Reddy at
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in
California and went well. However,
while Grace was in recovery, something
goes wrong. On Sunday, August 21st,
Grace Code Blues in the early morning
hours and is resuscitated back to life
after Dr. Gayle Wright and her staff
feverishly work on her for almost 3
hours. Around 5:45 am, Jake received a
telephone call informing him of Grace’s
Page 38
Right before the
ambulance
arrived, I was
able to revive
Grace.
survival despite suffering a code blue. By
God’s mercy, Grace survives again and
we are released from the hospital to go
home three weeks later.
September 2005
At home in Alcalde, NM, while
feeding, Grace began choking and stops
breathing. We immediately call 911, and
an ambulance is dispatched to our
house. Before the ambulance arrived at
our house, I cried out to the children that
Grace was dead.
Grace had stopped
breathing and
become stiff in my
arms, and since I
was still on the phone with the 911
operator I followed her instructions of
what to do for the emergency. Right
before the ambulance arrived, I was able
to revive Grace. Again, the Lord protects
Grace.
Page 39
October 2005
While at UNM Hospital, in July,
Grace developed feeding issues after
being flooded by an unmonitored
feeding pump, which resulted in
Pulmonary Edema (fluid in the lungs).
Because Grace’s formula was made too
strong, she would constantly vomit. This
added to her diagnosis: Feeding issues
requiring a twenty-four feeding pump
and the G-tube. We now had a baby
who was unable to tolerate normal
bottle feedings, and Grace received a Gtube
for feeding and ear tubes to drain
the fluid.
January 2006
Grace’s physical therapist Jean
Porteus PT, notices a scoliosis curve in
her back.
Page 40
February 2006
Grace’s heart is starting to show
signs of obstruction and her Blood
pressure is rising out of the normal.
June 2006
Dr. Bosch, orthopedic doctor,
confirms Grace has scoliosis.
August 2006
After an ECHO (heart ultrasound) it
is noted that the obstruction is worse.
September 2006
A heart catheterization is ordered,
showing both ventricular openings are
obstructed with scar tissue from Grace’s
previous heart surgery. Dr. Waldman
schedules Grace to return to Lucile
Packard Children’s Hospital in California
for a second heart surgery.
Page 41
The
conductive
center line to
the ventricle
is cut causing
a 4th degree
heart block.
The worst
form of heart
block
October 2006
The second heart surgery is
performed by Dr. Mohan Reddy, to
remove scar tissue that is obstructing
both ventricular openings and to remove
scar tissue from the VSD. The conductive
center line to the ventricles is damaged
causing a 4th degree heart block, the
worst form of heart
block a heart patient
can experience. Grace
is given an external
pacemaker to keep her
ventricle heart rhythm
beating. Five days later
the doctor determines
that Grace has lost this
heart beat forever. She receives a
Pacemaker and becomes 100%
Pacemaker dependent. God gives the
song “Wonderful Peace,” my favorite
verse to sing to Grace was:
Page 42
I am resting tonight in this
wonderful peace
Resting sweetly in Jesus control
For I’m kept from all danger by
night and by day
And His glory is flooding my soul!
Peace, Peace wonderful peace
Coming down from the Father
above
Sweep over my spirit forever I pray
In fathomless billows of love!
While Grace was in recovery, we
were not allowed to stay in Grace’s room
at night and the separation was horrible
but I knew when I left Grace every night
that she was in the Lord’s hands. One
night I asked God for a scripture to read
to Grace before I left her and He led me
to Psalm 57. As I came to verse 7, I read,
“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is
fixed, I will sing and give praise.” I was
so excited when I read this verse
Page 43
because I thought God was going to fix
Grace’s heart, or so I thought. I had
been pleading with the Lord for days that
he would heal Grace’s heart. I really felt
that this was the answer, but soon
realized that God was telling me that this
was the way Grace’s heart was fixed—
with a pacemaker. It was set to stay
blocked without a heartbeat. In verse 7
of Psalm 57, the Lord says to “sing and
give praise,” although I found it difficult
to trust God, I knew I must praise Him
for allowing her to survive yet another
surgery, and she was healed. So I sang a
praise song to Him before I left the
hospital.
We continued with numerous
doctors visits in the years to come, and I
learned through this long and difficult
road, that constant discernment from
the Lord was necessary to know what to
Page 44
Grace had
become a true
faith child. We
never knew how
her body or
organs were
doing, we could
only trust that
God knew and
was in control.
do for my precious little girl. Through it
all, Hebrews 11:1 came alive to me, this
scripture reads, “Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen.” Grace had
truly become a faith child, because we
never knew how her body or organs
were doing, we could only trust that
God knew and was
in control. From
then on, I found
myself in constant
prayer asking God
to heal this child my
way, if it were His
will. I did not
realize when I asked God for healing or
to do His will in Grace’s life, that I was
asking Him to make the choice of healing
her my way or taking her home and
Page 45
healing her in His way (God’s ways are
always right and perfect).
THE SHRINERS HAD COMPASSION
ON GRACE
In March of 2009, a couple from
our church, Al and Fran Garcia, felt
Gracie needed help, so they told their
daughter, Jeanie Powell about their
concerns for Gracie, and asked if we had
ever been to a Shriner’s Hospital. We
had always heard of many Hospitals for
Gracie, but hearing and contacting them
was a different story. Fran and Al
explained how Jeanie could help us apply
to Shriner’s for help, however, as time
went on, I had forgotten all about the
application process. In early June of
2009, Jeanie called to tell us that some
good friends of hers from Albuquerque
Shriner’s Balud Abyad sponsors were
Page 46
coming with a large group to meet at the
Sierra Bonita Camp & RV Park (about 17
miles from where we presently live in
Mora, NM)—which Jeanie and her
husband Kelly own. Jeanie asked if we
could meet with these sponsors on
Saturday morning June 20, 2009, and we
were glad they could meet with us that
day. We arrived at 11:00 am, a little
nervous because a lot of the families
there were on vacation, I felt as if we
would be interrupting their day. Jeanie
introduced us to Orvis Creel and Jim
Shepherd, who made us feel welcomed.
When they heard about Grace, their
overwhelming concern for her health
issues was such a blessing. As we talked,
they watched sweet little Gracie sitting
by my side, and you could see the
compassion in their eyes they felt for
her. They gave me an application to fill
Page 47
out in order to request an evaluation of
Gracie’s orthopedic needs, because it
was obvious how severe her scoliosis
had become.
It seemed as though we were
there for at least two hours, and yet they
never treated us as if we were in their
way or ruining their day. When we left,
Orvis came over with a huge box of
muffins for all of us, and thanked us for
coming. That ended up being such a
blessing to Grace and all of us, and a few
weeks later we received a call from Dr.
Norman Otsuka, with the Los Angeles,
CA-Shriner’s Hospital. He was requesting
records for Gracie. He went on to tell
me that Gracie’s application for care had
been hand delivered to his office early
Wednesday morning, on June 24th, which
was four days after meeting Orvis Creel
Page 48
and Jim Sherpherd at Sierra Bonita
Camp. Creel and Shepherd had made a
trip to the Los Angeles Hospital and were
there at Dr. Otsuka’s office first thing in
the morning waiting for the doctor to
arrive. They told the doctor of Gracie
and her desperate need of immediate
help. When I heard of their urgency to
submit the application immediately, I
could not help but break out into tears
knowing the love and concern these two
men felt for Gracie. Later on, to our
disappointment the Los Angeles,
Chicago, and St. Louis Shriner’s Hospitals
rejected Gracie because of her heart
condition. However, one day when Creel
was attending a special meeting in
Arizona, he saw Dr. Otsuka. Dr. Otsuka
asked how his little patient (Grace) was
doing, and Orvis explained, “Not too
well.” He told of all the Shriner’s
Page 49
Hospitals that had been contacted
concerning Gracie, but could not help
her because of her heart condition. The
Director for the Sacramento Shriner’s
Hospital overheard the conversation and
said he would look at her records and
consider seeing her in their hospital. It
was done! Yet again, God intervened on
Gracie’s behalf.
Our next trip took us to
Sacramento in October of 2009 to meet
with Dr. Joel Lerman, a doctor of
Orthopedics at Shriner’s Hospital in
Sacramento. We could see his passion
for helping children in need because of
the kindness he showed to Grace and us.
Dr. Lermen did a full evaluation of Gracie
and knew by examining her that there
was a Neurological problem. He wrote
his report and noted four diagnoses on
Gracie’s severe scoliosis, which were:
Tethered Spinal Cord, Syrinx, Chiari
Page 50
Malformation or Lipomeningocele
(These were the same conditions which
concerned Sheri Raphaelson during my
pregnancy, God had
given Sheri
discernment). Dr.
Lermen sent us back
to New Mexico for a
Myelogram of the
spine to check for
the spinal
cord/brain issues. Back at Carrie Tingley
Hospital, under the direction of Dr.
Elizabeth Szalay, a regular CT scan was
ordered and done in December 2009.
However, this test was not the correct
test we needed. A Myelogram consists
of putting dye in Gracie’s spine while
conducting the CT scan—this test was
finally done in February 2010, and
confirmed that Grace had a Tethered
Spinal Cord. This was the cause of her
now very severe scoliosis. Through
constant prayer, God sent us to a
I often had to be
that advocate
through prayer
for Grace,
asking the Lord
constantly for
His discernment
in treatment.
Page 51
faraway place and used people he placed
in our path to reveal this critical health
condition in Gracie’s spinal cord. Who
but God could have planned it all so
perfectly? In July 2010, we made one
more trip to Shriner’s of Sacramento to a
follow-up appointment to check the
results of the spinal cord being released.
Dr. Lerman explained Gracie’s lot in life
was not fair, and that we had two
surgical options for her. Both
procedures would not be good for Grace
and both would be high risk and change
her life for all of her future. Dr. Lermen
also mentioned having other patients as
Gracie with a spine like hers and are
healthy, and others with straight spines
that are very unhealthy. That day we
chose to trust God with her spine and
that He would bring the healing, or the
cure.
Page 52
HER SPINAL COLUMN WAS ROTATED 50
PERCENT
August 2010,
In August 2010, we traveled to
Colorado Children’s Hospital in Aurora,
CO hoping for a second opinion, in hopes
of better news. We met with Dr. Mark
Erickson, MD-Chairman of Orthopedic
Surgery, who did an extensive 3D CT
Scan of Grace’s spine. He found that
Grace had a very severe curve and her
spinal column was rotated fifty percent
on the bottom. He also did not have a
good diagnosis or treatment plan for
Grace. Again, we had two surgical
options that would not be healthy for
Gracie, both procedures would stop
Gracie’s upper torso from growing
normal and one procedure had a 20
percent probability of paralysis. Dr.
Erickson gave the two surgical options or
the option of doing nothing at all. So,
again we chose to do nothing at all,
trusting that the Lord had the healing.
Page 53
We see now
that this was
the right
decision, not
knowing her
life would
abruptly end
in May 2011.
Once again God brought us to a place
where he held the key to the healing or
curing of her back and rightfully so.
Sometimes we put our trust in man,
when ultimately everything is in God’s
control. I prayed constantly for healing
from the Lord or for His will to be done.
I often worried about seeing all the
different doctors and
the possibilities of
ending up with the
wrong doctor or
hospital that might
make a mistake which
could cause
unnecessary harm or
suffering for Grace. I often had to be the
advocate for Grace, through prayer,
asking the Lord constantly for His
discernment and wisdom in her
treatment. I felt God had shown us his
power and mercy by allowing both Dr.
Lerman and Dr.Erickson, who did not
know about each other, had never met
Page 54
or discussed Grace’s condition to
conclude that we could choose to do
nothing about her spine. This allowed us
to leave everything in God’s hands, and
we see now that this was the right
decision, because we did not know then
that her life would abruptly end on May
13, 2011. God spared Grace from the
suffering involved with either surgical
option for her scoliosis. Through it all, we
always see the goodness of God.
ANOTHER DEFECT THAT GOD HAD
PLACED FOR GRACIE’S GOOD
March 2010
Grace undergoes surgery at UNM
Hospital with Dr. Erich Marchand,
Pediatric Neurologist. Dr. Marchand
performed the surgery to release the
tethered Spinal Cord that was diagnosed
earlier by Dr. Joel Lerman of Shriner’s
Hospital. This entailed Dr. Marchand
surgically cutting through Grace’s L3
section of her lower back, drilling
Page 55
through the bone, and carefully
removing fatty tissue that confined her
spinal cord in the L3 position of her
lower back. After the procedure, Dr.
Marchand came to the waiting room to
inform that the surgery was successful
and Grace was in recovery. He explained
how the spinal cord had retracted
beautifully when released, and when he
was cutting through the skin on her back
to begin drilling through the bone in
order to reach the spinal cord, he found
a defect in the bony area of a soft tissue
and not bone. Dr. Marchand was
pleased to find that the soft tissue
eliminated the drilling of bone to reach
the spinal cord, thus making the surgical
procedure uncomplicated. This was just
another defect in our eyes that God had
placed for Gracie’s good. Out of all of
the specialists Gracie had seen, none of
them noted this defect beforehand but
Dr. Jacqeline Krohn, Gracie’s PCP.
Page 56
February 2011
In February of this year, we took
Gracie to her annual heart check-up and
Grace is given an excellent report
concerning her heart. Her cardiologist,
Dr. J. Deane Waldman of UNM Children’s
Heart Center, told me and Jake that
aside from Gracie being pacemaker
dependent, her heart was in excellent
condition, and we praised God for this
result. Again, God had proven the
concept of faith in Hebrews 11:1. We
never knew the condition of Gracie’s
heart by physically looking at Gracie, yet
we always hoped and prayed that it
would stand the test of time (God always
proves faithful through whatever we go
through).
GRACE KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO DIE
May 13, 2011
On Friday, May 13th, Grace is sure
it is her birthday, and throughout the day
informs Seth, her nine year old brother,
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that today is her birthday. Grace played
as usual with the kids, but seemed a little
more tired that day, she laid around
watching movies till the evening. In the
latter part of the evening, Grace began
to struggle breathing, her eyelids began
to swell and her heart rate was
fluctuating in a very abnormal way.
Grace was taken, by ambulance, to Alta
Vista Regional Medical Center in Las
Vegas, NM which is about forty-two
miles from our home in Holman, NM.
When she arrived to the hospital, Grace
was in cardiac arrest and it was at the
hospital Grace went home to be with the
Lord a few minutes before midnight.
This happened exactly one month ago, at
this same hour that I am writing this
story. The pain at times seems
unbearable, but GOD IS ALWAYS GOOD!
MAMA, REMEMBER WHEN I DIED?
A few months before Gracie’s
death she found a Gospel tract entitled,
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Somebody Loves Me, it is printed by
Chick Publications in cartoon format. In
this tract a little boy dies, and is taken up
to heaven by an angel. She was very
saddened by the death of this little boy
and Grace would cry as we read this to
her and she viewed the pictures, but she
carried it around everywhere for those
couple of weeks—even sleeping with it
under her cheek. Later, we received
another tract entitled, Tiny Shoes. One
night before bed, when I first read this
book to Grace, she called herself,
Juanito, the little boy in the Story, and I
was Juanito’s mother. As I read the story
to her, we came to the part where
Juanito dies. Grace opened her teary
eyes and looked at me and silently cried,
but said nothing. She lay down and
placed the tract under her cheek and fell
asleep. The next morning she asked
Jacob, Josiah and Abigail her older
brothers and sister to read it to her
again, and each one acted out the parts
Page 59
of the characters in the story. In the
story, once Juanito has died, his shoes
are hanging on his grave maker at his
burial, and later that morning Gracie tied
the laces of her sneakers in a knot and
hung them on the headboard of our bed.
I remember the week before Gracie died,
she said to me.”Mama, remember when
I died?” I asked her, “Gracie when do
you remember when you died?” but she
never answered me. Again I asked,
“When did you die Gracie?” but she
ignored me and walked off.
Throughout Gracie’s life, her story
of struggle, hope, faith, and miracles has
been told hundreds of times. She was
prayed for by so many people and
everywhere we would go people would
ask for Grace and how she was doing.
We always gave God the Glory for the
miracles He was working in and through
her because it was God who kept this
little girl in the palm of His hand. Many
of Gracie’s therapists always noted that
Page 60
she was amazing and a miracle; one
physical therapist, Jean Porteus from
Espanola, NM told me that Gracie had
beaten the odds; Connie McGhee,
another physical therapist from Santa Fe,
told of her 30 years as a physical
therapist and how she has worked with
several children with healthier backs
than Gracie yet they were unable to
walk, but Gracie rode a
bike, walked and
played as normal as
possible for her. Grace
especially loved
ponies, and would ride
the ponies at the State
Fair, circus, or even
the carousel in the
shopping mall as often as she could.
Grace touched so many lives as she lived
and has continued to touch lives in her
death.
God used her
with her
infirmities to
glorify
himself and
show His
power and
strength
through her.
Page 61
“As I prayed for her all I
could see was her running,
dancing, and skipping all
over Heaven, talking,
singing, and laughing as
she longed to do in this life.”
Now I understand the part of II
Cor. 12:9b, that reads, “Most gladly
therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me.” God used Grace’s
infirmities to glorify himself and show
His power and strength through her.
BY GOD’S GRACE, GRACIE
GENTLY FELL ASLEEP
I thank the Lord that through her
sudden and untimely death on May 13,
2011, God answered a prayer I
questioned Him about in August of 2005.
With little faith in my trial after Gracie’s
birth, I worried that my child would
suffer in this life. By God’s grace she
gently fell asleep the night she died. I
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Thank the Lord that he took her without
suffering; I thank Him for not allowing
her to suffer in the almost six years of
her life on this earth, and for never
bringing me to the point of pleading with
Him to take her because of the suffering.
God is Gracious, Merciful and
Longsuffering because He LOVES each
and every one of us. Thank God He
allowed her to live such a full and joyful
life, Praise be to God!
Page 63
Anita would sing Laura Story – “Blessings” to
bring herself comfort after Gracie’s passing.
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, you hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
Cause what if Your blessings come through
raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in
disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe
Cause what if Your blessings come through
raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
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What if trials of this life are Your mercies in
disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It’s not our Home
Cause what if Your blessings come through
raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t
satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The Rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise
Used by permission.
Page 65
Chapter Three
THE PREACHERS’ VERSION
THE HOME SHE WAS TO VISIT
In the light of eternity little
Gracie’s visit to this earth would be so
short it would
take a trained eye to catch the bleep on
the radar screen as she briefly appeared
on the earth.
She came into the home of Jake
and Anita Lovato on July 20th, 2005 and
left just as suddenly on May 13, 2011.
Time, which has been described as
“measured eternity” and has been
Page 66
illustrated as a small dot on an endless
line which has no
end or beginning. In the light of this
there would be no way to register that
she ever existed..
Even in contrast to a human life of
70 or 80 years, her little race of 5 years,
10 months and 23days, would go
unnoticed by all but a very few people.
That is, if she wasn’t a chosen vessel
with a message from God.
She was born at home in Alcalde,
New Mexico which is so small that only a
few local people in Northern New
Mexico have ever heard of it. A small
little person of 6 pounds and 12 ounces
in a crippled body was welcomed into a
large family of eleven brothers and
sisters. Perhaps no one ever received as
much love as Gracie received from the
members who made up the loving family
of Jake and Anita Lovato and their twelve
Page 67
children. Gracie was under watchful,
loving care almost 24/7 for each and
every day of her entire life.
THE MID-WIFE’S CONCERN
The mid-wife who was known and
respected for
her unusual
sense of
discernment
and medical
ability was
troubled as
she examined
little Gracie
while she was
still in her
mother’s
womb. Upon voicing this concern Anita
went into the clinic and had extensive
tests. Anita was assured by the reports
and the hospital staff that Gracie was
normal and that there was nothing to
worry about.
Perhaps no one ever
received as much love as
Gracie received from the
members who made up
the loving family of Jake
and Anita Lovato and
their eleven children.
Gracie was under
watchful, loving care
almost 24/7 for each and
every day of her entire
life.
Page 68
This did not reassure the mid-wife,
and Jake got the impression that the
mid-wife had grave doubts and was very
concerned that the baby had severe
problems.
After Gracie was born, the midwife
sent a report to the hospital that
stated the following problems which
Gracie had.
GOD GAVE THE NAME “GRACE”
Recent tests and the latest’s
indicators to Anita
Lovato had convinced
her that her soon to be
born baby would have
severe complications.
Since all of her other
children had normal
births and were
healthy babies this
was uncharted waters for her. But Anita
When she and
Jake became
born again
Christians they
agreed to cut
up their credit
cards and live
by faith.
Page 69
didn’t focus on circumstances and
potential dangers because her faith was
in the Living God. When she and Jake
became born again Christians they
agreed to cut up their credit cards and
live by faith. At first it was very hard.
Many of their family members and
friends strongly voiced their opinions
against such a far out, fanatical way of
life. But God really blessed their faith
over the twenty year period since they
made that commitment so it was only
natural for Anita to turn to God and His
Word for direction.
When she began to pray God
confirmed that in truth, the baby would
have grave complications. With this
knowledge God also brought to Anita’s
mind a scripture which God enabled
Apostle Paul to endure and overcome his
extreme health problems. The words
which God spoke to Paul are, “My grace
Page 70
is sufficient for thee for my strength is
made perfect in weakness.” II Cor 12:9
The impression upon Anita‘s heart
did two things, it calmed her completely
and give her courage that whatever
would happen God would work it out for
good.
The second thing was just as real
as God’s comforting peace. God
impressed upon Anita’s heart that if the
baby was deformed or mentally
challenged that she would accept it as
God’s will and would be proud of the
child and give it what loving care that
was needed.
Little did Anita know that she and
her family would have to rely so heavily
on God’s grace during the next almost six
years with the many trips to the
hospitals and little Gracie’s’ two deaths.
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There would be many anxious
moments, tears and long nights for Anita
and her family, but they found that God
promise which he so personally
impressed on Anita’s heart that night
was true. His Grace was sufficient and it
was demonstrated every day as little
Gracie came into their lives and lived
among them.
Anita and her husband Jake,
although they had sonograms done
before the baby was born didn’t ever
inquire whether the baby would be a boy
or girl. They believed that baby was a gift
from God. Anita believed that she would
have another boy so she had picked out
a name for a boy.
When a little girl arrived Anita did
not have girls name picked out. So when
the baby arrived with deformed feet and
a hole in the roof of her mouth which
made it impossible for her to feed, the
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Scripture which had given her so much
assurance before came back into her
mind. It was so comforting and vivid that
Anita knew it was from the Lord. She
would name the baby, Grace. The
Spanish name for Grace is Alta Gracia
which literally means Grace on High or
grace on high heaven, Anita accepted
her tiny little gift from God and by
relying upon God’s amazing grace, she
would help her precious baby to fulfill
that purpose.
GRACIES’ FIRST DEATH
Gracie arrived
on this earth with
two defects in her
heart. There were
two arteries going
into the right
chamber of her
heart and none
going into the left
chamber of her
The surgery was
successful but two
days later Gracie
stopped breathing.
A code blue was
ordered and the
staff worked
feverishly for
almost three hours
before Gracie
started breathing
again.
Page 73
heart. Normally this would mean that
the baby would die in its mother’s
womb, but little Gracie also had a defect
in the bottom of the right side which
allowed some blood to enter the left side
of her heart.
Friday August 19, 2005 at the
Lucille Salter Packard children’s hospital
in Palo Alto, California Gracie had heart
surgery to correct these defects. The
surgery was successful but two days later
Gracie stopped breathing. A code blue
was ordered and the staff worked
feverishly for almost three hours before
Gracie started breathing again.
A LITTLE GIRL WHO SHOULD
NOT HAVE LIVED
This was the opinion of one of the
many doctors which ministered to
Gracie. In addition to her heart defects,
her deformed feet, and the hole in the
roof of her mouth, she had extreme high
Page 74
blood pressure. They also thought she
was mentally retarded. Surgery, when
she was three weeks old where they put
tubes in her ears and stomach corrected
her high blood pressure. One of the
major defects which was not detected
until she was four years old and had
severely plagued her was that her spinal
cord was attached to the boney area of
the lower back which caused her spine
to have severe curvatures both at the
top and the bottom. Again, Surgery
greatly released the tension on the
Spinal Column.
PACE MAKER FOR
GRACIE
In October, 2006
Anita and Jake were
back at Lucille Salter
Packard children’s
hospital where little
Gracie received a pace
maker. Gracie was a patient in Los
According to
the specialist
she should
have been “a
little more
than a
vegetable or at
least confined
to a wheel
chair.”
Page 75
Alamos, Las Vegas, Palo Alto, California,
The New Mexico University Hospital,
Albuquerque NM, Sacramento,
California and Denver Colorado and had
six major surgeries. According to the
specialist she should have been “a little
more than a vegetable or at least
confined to a wheel chair.” But after the
detachment of her spinal cord Gracie
became a “walking miracle.” She would
roll around on the floor and play with
her brothers and sisters. They would
assist her as she learned not only to walk
but to dance also. Everyone was amazed
and delighted as she even learned to ride
her bicycle. The
physical therapist who
worked with her could
not believe it.
When they tested her
IQ it was higher than
children her own age.
But where this crippled
little girl excelled was in the spiritual
The Holy
Spirit comes in
and lives in a
child until the
child comes to
the age of
accountability
Page 76
realm. She loved it when someone would
read to her about Jesus.
THE SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
OF GRACIE
Gracie’s love to have someone
read to her about Jesus was only natural
because the Holy Spirit comes in and
lives in a child until the child comes to
the age of accountability when they
learn the difference between right and
wrong. When they
consciously sin, the
Holy Spirit withdraws.
This also means that
the baby would go to
Heaven when it died
without the aid of
baptism, prayers or
any other ritual. The death of Jesus on
the cross was accepted by God as
payment for their sins.
The other reason she loved to hear
about Jesus is because she had heard
For thou hast
possessed my
reins: thou
hast covered
me in my
mother's
womb.
Psalm 139:13
Page 77
about Jesus while she was still in the
womb of her mother.
She had heard about
Jesus while she lay in a
hospital in a strange
city. She had heard
about Jesus for hours
on end as her mother
would quote
Scriptures or sing quietly to Gracie as she
lay recovering from her latest surgery.
Hearing about Jesus or songs about Jesus
was a way of life. Anita believed that the
Bible was a living word which brought
healing and life to people, therefore the
endless Scriptures and songs.
Anita quoted the twenty-four
verses in Psalm 139 to Gracie almost
every day. There were some days when
Gracie lay between life and death and no
one knew if she would live or die. Then
Anita quoted it over and over again.
Anita believed
that the Bible
was a living
word which
brought
healing and
life to people,
Page 78
There is no
person Gracie’s age
that ever heard so
much about God
and His power and
goodness as Gracie
did. Some days
Gracie was
ministered to by
her mother eight
to ten hours a day.
In crucial times, more.
Gracie could quote some of the
verses which she had heard so many
times. Anita was teaching Gracie to
memorize the whole chapter of Romans
twelve when she died.
TO WALK BY FAITH
God had taught Jake and Anita to walk
and trust Him by faith, preparing them to
Thine eyes did see
my substance, yet
being unperfect;
and in thy book all
my members were
written, which in
continuance were
fashioned, when as
yet there was none of
them.
Psalm 139:16
Page 79
trust Him and endure the many trials
while they loved and taught little Gracie.
SOMEONE LOVES ME AND TINY SHOES
In January 2011 five months before
she died the family received some Chick
Tracts through the mail. A Chick Tract is
a gospel tract which features both
pictures as well as the message of
Salvation. In reality it is a small booklet
about 20 pages long. The two chick
booklets which Gracie had her brothers
and sisters read to her over and over
again were “Someone Loves Me” and
“Tiny Shoes.”
“Someone Loves Me” was about a
poor dying boy. Before he died he
learned that Jesus loved him. He prayed
the sinner’s prayer and among the last
pictures were the angels carrying him up
to heaven.
Page 80
The booklet entitled “Tiny Shoes”
was about a poor little boy who had no
shoes. His father promised to buy him
some shoes but each week his dad
would either drink or gamble his money
away. Finally the little boy became sick
and went out into the wintery storm
looking for his dad and
his new shoes.
The little boy died in
the storm while
praying to Jesus. The
father finally bought
the shoes only to find
his little boy dead. The last picture
showed the tiny shoes tied together
hanging over a cross which was made
into a tombstone.
Little Gracie would go to bed each
night clutching the two booklet tracts.
The last
picture showed
the tiny shoes
tied together
hanging over a
cross which
was made into
a tombstone.
Page 81
Sometimes when she had someone read
the tracts to her tears would well up in
her eyes, other times she would silently
weep.
Later she would
have her brothers and
sisters act out the
parts in these two
booklets. She would
play the part of the
two little boys who
died. She would say,
“that’s me mama that
me” referring to which
ever booklet they
were reading or dramatizing. But then
she would point to Juanito’s father and
exclaim, “That’s not my daddy! That’s
not my daddy! My daddy is good!”
“MAMA, DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN I
DIED?”
She would
say, “that’s
me mama
that me”
referring to
which ever
booklet they
were reading
or
dramatizing.
Page 82
These are the words which Gracie
startled Anita with on April 28th, two
weeks before she died.
Anita asked, “What did you say?”
Again Gracie repeated, “Mama, do
you remember when I died?”
Anita answered, yes, I remember.
Why do you ask?
Gracie retreated into her bashful
state and walked off to join her brothers
and sisters.
The same week Anita came into
her bedroom to find that Gracie had tied
her shoe strings together and hung them
on the bed post of her mother’s bed.
The day that Gracie died her
brothers and sisters came into her room
and found her in a kneeling position on
Page 83
her knees much like the little boy in
Tiny Shoes when he died.
“IT’S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY!”
Little Gracie had a premonition
that she was going to die. She told her
brother, “Today is my birthday!” She
knew well that her
literal birthday would
not be until July 20th.
The family made
Gracie’s birthday about
the biggest day of the
year. They had already
talked about her
birthday which would
not be for another two
months.
Gracie was saying, “Today is a
special, special day for me.” Since her
birthday was always a special, special
day, Grace used the word birthday
instead of the word death. Just as the
“Today is a
special, special
day for me.”
Since her
birthday was
always a
special, special
day, Grace
used the word
birthday
instead of the
word death.
Page 84
Apostle Paul, referring to his death,
stated, “My departure *for Heaven+ is at
hand.” I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course…in essence…my
purpose on earth is over and I am going
to be with Jesus.
Little Gracie, thinking about her
special, special day exclaimed, “Today is
my birthday!” A few hours later, she
gently went home to be with Jesus.
THE HUMAN ELEMENT IN GRACIE’S LIFE
Little Gracie’s eleven brothers and
sisters accepted her into their lives as a
special gift from God. There is no one
that knows the Lovato family who ever
heard one of her large family even
complain or act in a contrary way toward
Gracie. She was the most loved and
cared for little girl that, perhaps ever
lived.
Page 85
In the weeks and
weeks of confinement
in different hospitals
often times the little
infant hovered
between life and
death, her mother was
right by her side. Anita
would quote scripture
to Gracie or softly sing
little songs of hope and faith to her.
Several hospitals staff members were
deeply moved by Anita’s devotion and
practice. One particular nurse came in
each day and announced, “Miss Gracie,
Miss Beverly is here to watch over you
today.” This same nurse told Anita that
the love, singing and quoting the
scriptures had caused her to rededicate
her life and get back into church. Little
Gracie was proving to be the blessing
which her heavenly father had sent her
to be as her little twisted body lay in a
strange city far , far from home.
This same
nurse told
Anita that the
love, singing
and quoting
the scriptures
had caused her
to rededicate
her life and get
back into
church.
Page 86
Alta Gracia, a name given by God
which means grace on high heaven, was
giving her heavenly father pleasure while
moving adults closer to God and heaven
through the grace which he supplied to
Anita whose only thought was toward
her responsible to comfort and
encourage her baby.
A WORD OF COMFORT
I am so sorry to hear about Gracie’s
passing. She was such a special little girl.
Even with all of her physical problems,
she was so strong and determined…I can
picture Gracie now, as a young girl with a
straight spine, dancing and playing in
Heaven.
Dr. Jacqueline A Krohn, MD, MPH
Page 87
Chapter Four
Gracie’s Victorious Life
Please listen very closely as this
tiny little person speaks….
Mother, when God sent me into
the world, you made great preparations
for my arrival. You fixed a special place
for me, bought me new clothes, and
gave me a special name. And Mother, I
love my name, Gracie.
The moment I was born they
placed me upon your breast and it was
so reassuring to me. After the traumatic
Page 88
“…the beggar died,
and was carried by
the angels into
Abraham's
bosom:…”
(Luke 16:22).
(1)
experience of being born --- all the
commotion and bright lights --- then I
heard your voice;
It was so reassuring!
As I was caught up close to you – I
heard your heart beating…. It was the
same beat I had heard when I was part
of you.
I began to feel secure – then the
tones of love in your voice –
I was glad to be alive.
Oh sweet
mother, you did
your best to
welcome me into
this world --- and it
was wonderful!
Your best was motivated by human love.
Page 89
“For we know that if
our earthly house of
this tabernacle were
dissolved,… an house
not made with
hands, eternal in the
heavens.”
II Cor 5:1
(2)
But oh mother dear --- my
reception into heaven ---- It was breath
taking.
I was carried up to heaven by the
gentle hands of the angels. (1)
I left my
weak imperfect
body for a “body
not made with
hands, eternal in
the heavens.”(2)
And oh mother, the
special place God
prepared for me is
beyond the ability of the tongue to
describe. There is no other place in all of
heaven like it, and it’s for me… your
little child. I can’t wait to show it to you.
And oh mother, you tried your best
to make our home a place of love,
warmth, and beauty and it was to me a
Page 90
“Eye has not seen, nor
ear heard, neither
entered into the
hearts of men what
God has prepared for
them that love him.”
(I Cor. 2:9)
(3)
little heaven on earth, BUT MOTHER,
THIS IS THE REAL HEAVEN – the love here
is beyond description…(3) so warm, real,
and wonderful --- and the beauty of
heaven is beyond imagination. Mother, if
you took all the beautiful sunsets,
mountains, and
glorious
landscapes, it
would be nothing
in comparison to
the beauty of my
new home and
country where I
now live.
Mother, you wanted me secure
and mother, there is nothing to hurt or
harm me in my new homeland.
You longed for me to have a great
education… I learned more the first
moment I arrived here than any mortal
tongue is able to teach in a lifetime.
Page 91
“Every good gift…
cometh down from
the Father…”
(James 1:7)
“…which lighteth
every man that
cometh into the
world.” (John 1:9)
(4)
Mother, you longed for me to have
the very best! What more could a kid
want than to walk on the streets of gold
surrounded by family members and
friends as we travel on our endless
adventure through heaven?
REMINDERS FROM GOD
But mother the purpose of my
little life was to remind you of some of
the lessons you already know.
First, the
reason God sent me
into the world was
to remind you that I
was a gift of God to
you and to the
world. (4) Mother
you may be
wondering why I
only lived a very
short time on earth. God sent me into
the world to remind you of some things
Page 92
“…one day is with the
Lord as a thousand
years…” II Peter 3:8
“For a thousand years
in thy sight are but as
yesterday when it is
past, and as a watch
in the night.”
Psalm 90:4
(5)
you already know. He sent me to
demonstrate His unconditional love for
us.
Remember
Mother, how the
love God placed in
me, drew people to
surround me and it
made them feel
good afterwards?
That was a
demonstration of
God’s love. God
was loving people
through me, your little girl. Mother that
love permeates all of heaven. God’s love
is sweeter than any rose or flower on
God’s great earth. I breath in that great
love with every breath I take. Mother it
is wonderful!
Second, my short life was to
remind people of how brief our earthly
Page 93
phase on this earth really is as we
journey into eternity.(5) Death does not
end all, it is only a door for, (a child of
God), to enter into God’s glorious
eternity.
God attempts to communicate in
the Bible that 1,000 years on earth in his
sight is as one day. 1000 years in his sight
is as yesterday when it is past, or even as
a three hour watch in the night. My little
short life was to illustrate that one’s life
is like a vapor or puff of smoke or a short
story, like the ones you used to read to
me.
My appearance
on the earth
was to try and
impress on
people that
whether they
live an hour, ten
years, or even
seventy or
A lifetime mother can
best be illustrated by
what we did every
night. You kissed me
goodnight, turned off
the lights, and suddenly
you were kissing me
good morning. That is
how brief your life is
mother.
Page 94
“Man that is born of
a woman is of few
days, and full of
trouble.” Job 14:1
(6)
eighty years, their life is like a story that
is told and will very soon be over. After
God reminded the palmist of this truth,
David cried out, “Teach us to number our
days that we may apply our hearts to
wisdom.”
A lifetime
mother can best
be illustrated by
what we did
every night. You
kissed me
goodnight, turned off the lights, and
suddenly you were kissing me good
morning. That is how brief your life is
mother.
Third, I was sent into the world to
demonstrate that life is a struggle. (6)
My short struggle illustrates that man
lives in a world governed by the devil
who brings death and destruction into
the lives of all mankind. It is the devil
Page 95
“…all things work
together for good to
them that love
God…” Romans 8:28
“…worketh for us a
far more exceeding
and eternal weight of
glory;” II Cor 4:17
(7)
which wrecks hopes and dreams and
brings despair into
people’s lives. It is
he who brings
arguments, harsh
words and divisions
between family
members. In such a
world, God
promises to work all
things together for
good to the people
who love Him and are called according to
His purpose. It is God who comforts and
gives purpose. (7)
God also promised that the light
affliction which we suffer, such as my
sickness and death, would work out for
our eternal good and blessing.
Mother, my loving Heavenly Father
sent me INTO YOUR LIFE FOR YOUR
ETERNAL GOOD. I know it hurts very
Page 96
“…for thou hast
created all things,
and for thy pleasure
they are and were
created.”
Revelation 4:11
…” do all to the glory
of God.”
I Cor 10:31
(8)
badly right now since I am gone and you
can’t see any good from my short visit,
but let my tender and loving Savior help
you. He is the God of all comfort and
grace and he promises to stick closer to
you than any brother and will never
leave you or forsake you. He is the God
of all grace and wants to comfort and
help you, please mother, just call out to
Him! He is there and he will help you.
My many trips to the hospitals, the
surgeries and my struggle just to live
illustrates the hard times the devil gives
to all people. But,
mother to live in
God’s great house
where he rules is
best described by
one word,
“Heaven!”
Fourth, we
were all sent into
Page 97
“Lay not up for
yourselves treasures
upon earth,…”
Matthew 6:19-20
(9)
the world for a purpose. Often times we
human beings lose our focus. When we
do, God has to send a little reminder,
(like me), into the world to help us find
our real purpose. Our real work in life is
not to please ourselves, but to please
and give God pleasure.
God’s word states that we are to
give God glory in everything we do. (8)
Jesus told his disciples that they were in
the world, but they were not of the
world. Our purpose on the earth is not
to live for our pleasure, we are not to
work to lay up riches by accumulating
material things on this earth, but we are
to lay up treasures in heaven by giving
the Gospel to people and getting them
saved. (9)
The night I
died my beautiful
oldest sister Annie
almost died. An elk
Page 98
“And the LORD God
formed man of the
dust of the ground,
and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of
life; and man became
a living soul. “
Genesis 2:9
“…Let us make man
in our image, after
our likeness: “
Genesis 1:26
(10)
ran in front of her car and caused a
wreck which totaled her car. Mother, I
died because I had fulfilled my purpose.
Annie was spared because God still had
work for her to do.
Fifth, mother, I was sent into the
world to remind people in a vivid way
that there is life after one dies,
physically. Mother, you don’t think of
me as being
annihilated and
decaying in a cold
dark grave, but you
think of me as being
alive!
I am alive,
mother, I am alive!
God made me in His
image and likeness
and since He is an
eternal being, He
made me an eternal
Page 99
“Who gave himself a
ransom for all…”
Timothy 2:6
“…who is the
Saviour of all men,
specially of those
that believe.“ I
Timothy 4:10
(11)
being that will live forever. (10)
That’s the reason I had you read
over and over again the stores of death
in the Chick Tracts. We all die mother.
We all need to prepare for death which
will happen to all of us. That’s the
reason, mother I would cry out as we
read the stories of the two tracts.
“That’s me, mother, that’s me.”
We must learn to live our lives in
the light of our soon coming death.
When Adam sinned it brought death
which means separation from God. God
gave His Son to die
on the cross to pay
for a person’s sins
and to redeem
sinful man back to
Himself. His
sacrificial death
paid for the sins of
the innocent, like
Page 100
“For the wages
[payment] of sin is
death…”
Romans 3:23
“For he hath made
him to be sin for
us…” II Cor 5:21
(12)
me, and for the sins of all those who do
not have the mental ability to choose.
(11) All others, because we are all
sinners, must hear of God’s love and
provision for them in order to be saved
from eternal separation from God in hell.
Each person must have their sins paid for
personally, either by dying and going to
hell or by accepting God’s loving
payment of His son, Jesus, who died as
their substitute.
Mother, there is life after physical
death for each person on the earth.
Some will join me and experience the
exuberant life
with God in
heaven, while
others will sink
down, down into
the blackness of
darkness, lost and
without hope in a
devil’s hell
Page 101
forever. (12) My mission from God was
to remind you of this reality. Mother,
the only sad thing about my funeral was
that I was saying good bye to so many
who are trusting in their religion or in
themselves, instead of Jesus in order to
get to heaven. It made me sad to think
that I will never see them again. Oh, I
wish they could have the peace and
eternal life I am enjoying.
The reason I was clutching the two
Chick Tracts, so closely in my hands and
slept with them as my pillow was to
illustrate my faith in Jesus Christ as my
Saviour. I was trying to tell people how
precious Jesus was and to rest in him
alone as their Saviour.
I’M ON VACATION IN HEAVEN
Mother, it is wrong when a person
dies for people to say, “He has gone on
to his reward.” That is not what the Bible
teaches. It says, blessed or happy is the
Page 102
person who dies in the Lord. They rest
from their labor (they have gone on
vacation), but their works do follow
them.
The works he is talking about are
the results or works which the person
who died, produced in life. Mother, like
miss Beverly, the nurse who rededicated
her life and became active in serving
Jesus again, whatever works she does
for the Lord – like getting people saved.
Part of the reward she receives will go to
her account in heaven.
If my brother and sisters, even my
uncle and aunts (whom God used my life
to touch) began to serve and work for
the Lord – Mother, part of the reward
will go to our account and enrich our
position in the 1000 year reign with Jesus
when he comes back.
Page 103
“…the righteous is
taken away from the
evil to come.”
Isaiah 57:1-2
(13)
Mother, that is almost to
marvelous to believe but it is true
because God’s Word said it is true.
Sixth, mother, one of the main
reasons God took me from you so early
was because he loved me so much and
wanted to spare me of an “evil to
come.”
Mother, God knows everything! He
sees the end from the beginning. God
saw something terrible coming up a little
later in my life, which I would not have
been able to bear. It would have totally
destroyed me. Mother, it would have
greatly damaged or destroyed your life
also. So my loving Father reached down
and lifted his little child up above “the
evil to come.”
Mother, when
you saw me resting
in my little casket
Page 104
with all our wonderful, loving memories
unsoiled by some “evil to come,” it was
because our loving Father wanted to
spare you of the sorrows that the evil to
come would have caused you. Your
sweet little baby was lifted up safely
above the evil to come and is eagerly
waiting to welcome you to my new
mansion. (13) Mother, isn’t God
wonderful?
Oh yes mother, I met another
person who has no name when I arrived.
He asked me to share the lesson from his
life with you also. He said that his story
brought joy and hope into the lives of
thousands.
Mother, I have met so many
fascinating people since I got here;
preachers, prophets and this special
young man who has a story to tell.
Page 105
“But now he is dead,
wherefore should I
fast? can I bring him
back again? I shall go
to him, but he shall
not return to me. “
II Samuel 12:23
(14)
He died when he was only a new
born baby. He even took me and
introduced me to his father. He was one
of the greeters who were assigned as
part of my welcoming committee when I
arrived in heaven. He doesn’t have a
human name, mother, but he loves to
introduce himself as the only one of King
David’s sons who does not have a name.
He then joyfully expresses just call me,
“Messenger Boy”.
His mother and father committed
the awful sin of adultery which resulted
in his birth. He only lived a few days
before the angels carried him to
paradise. Mother, even though his
mother and father
sinned there was
no reflection of
shame cast upon
him.
His father,
Page 106
King David, loved him just as you loved
me, mother. From the time “Little
Messenger Boy” was born until he died
his father fasted and begged God to let
him live. When Little Messenger Boy left
for paradise David got up, bathed, ate
and went in and worshiped God. When
the king’s servants inquired of David
about his total about-face of his actions
from one of tears and anguish to peace
and composure, little messenger boy’s
father made the following explanation.
“While my son was alive I begged
God to forgive me and let me keep him.
But when God said “no” and took him to
Paradise I knew he was alive and that I
would soon join him in heaven,
(Paradise)." My answer to my servants
and to the world was, “I cannot bring
him back but I can go to where he is,
(Paradise). He is safely home and waiting
for me in heaven." (14)
Page 107
Mother, my new friend, “Little
Messenger Boy’s” message is to all
mothers and fathers; we kids and babies
are well and happy in heaven and
regardless of what you did, especially to
the mother who aborted their babies,
we love you and yearn to welcome you
to come to our home in heaven.
THANK YOU MOTHER
Mother, I just want to thank you
for singing to me. In my little mind I
would be scared and wonder, “What’s
going on?” Then you would begin to sing,
“Grace, Grace, God’s grace…" and within
another verse or two I would realize
everything is ok. Mama and God are
watching over me. And mother, when
you would quote the whole 139th Psalm
In my little mind I would silently be saying
them with you.
It was so good and reassuring
when I finally realized that God saw me
Page 108
“But we see Jesus, who
was made a little lower
than the angels for the
suffering of death,
crowned with glory
and honour; that he by
the grace of God
should taste death for
every man. “Hebrews
2:9(15)
“We are confident, I
say, and willing
rather to be absent
from the body, and to
be present with the
Lord. “
II Corinthians 5:8(16)
developing in your womb and gave me
the exact body he
wanted me to
have. And mother,
he gave me the
exact mother who
would love me and
help me to fulfill my
purpose on earth.
Isn’t God good
mother? But how could you know
fully…you still have a limited knowledge
– But oh mother – you will soon join me
here – and then you will know.
DON’T BE AFRAID
Because Jesus tasted death for
everyone of his children, mother, there is
nothing to be afraid
of when a child of
God dies.(15) The
truth is mother, a
child of God never
dies. When his
Page 109
Paul’s Testimony
“For I am now ready
to be offered, and the
time of my departure
[death] is at hand.“
II Timothy 4:6(17)
And they stoned Stephen,
calling upon God, and saying,
Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit…And when he had said
this, he fell asleep.
Acts 7:59-60 (18)
earthly race is over, he takes his last
breath on earth followed by his next
breath in heaven.(16)
One of my
new friends
described his death
by saying, “I was
just walking along
and took one step
on earth, the next step in mid-air and my
third step was “on the streets of Gold!”
Apostle Paul described his death as
a departure from the earth.(17) While
the apostle Peter described his death as
one who was changing clothes.
Mother, the first Christian martyr,
Stephen,
while being
stoned to
death saw
Jesus
standing in
an open door
Page 110
Peter’s Testimony
“Knowing that shortly
I must put off this my
tabernacle,[by dying]
even as our Lord Jesus
Christ hath shewed
me“
II Peter 1:14 (19)
in heaven, and said, “Lord Jesus, receive
my spirit” and then went to heaven (18)
Lastly, mother, I want to leave a
little poem with
you that one of my
new friends in
heaven wrote. I
have changed it a
little and
addressed it
directly to you.
Please read it mother – it will be a
blessing to you.
MOTHER, I AM SAFELY HOME
I am home in Heaven, Mother,
Oh, so happy and so bright,
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.
All my pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed.
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.
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Mother, you must not grieve so sorely
For I love you dearly still,
Try to look beyond earth’s shadows,
And learn to trust our Father’s will.
Mother, try to learn the lessons I tell
And remember Jesus died, to save
sinners from hell.
Look at Our loved ones still lost
And, tell them the story of the cross.
There is work still waiting for you,
So now you must not idly stand.
Do it now while life remaineth,
Soon you shall rest in Jesus’ land.
Mother, when your work is all completed
He will gently call you, “come.”
Oh! The rapture of that meeting
Oh! The joy to see you HOME.
(Author Unknown)
(Adapted by James Wilkins)
Remember Mother, I am more alive in
heaven than I ever was while on the earth.
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And mother, if people learn and do from
the lessons I taught it will bring us greater
rewards in the Millennium.
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FOR THE DOUBTERS
I can hear someone say, “Gracie, a little six
year old kid didn’t have the ability to teach
all those things which the preacher wrote
about.
Let me ask you a few questions?
Does God send each person into the world
for a distinct purpose?
The Bible says “yes!”
Could her little troubled life be used as an
illustration that every life is brief and is a
story which is told; full of trouble?
The Bible says “Yes!”
Does the bible teach that everything and
everyone was created to being God
pleasure and to give him glory?
The Bible says “Yes!”
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Does the Bible state that God works all
things together for good to them who love
him and are called according to his
purpose?
The Bible says “Yes!”
Does the Bible teach that God paid the price
for the sin of the guilty?
The Bible states, “Yes!”
If God loves you and wants you to reconcile
to Him and spend eternity with Him in
Heaven, wouldn’t He use every means to
communicate, even a little crippled girl?
The Bible states, “Yes.”
Please, please, PLEASE, let His love through
this little girl reach your heart!
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EPILOGUE
FOR THOSE WHO LOST A BABY
The most devastating event in the life
of a couple is the loss of a child especially if
the child is an infant.
The divorce rate especially among
young couples is very high. This is because
each spouse grieves differently from the
other and since they both are grieving they
can not give proper comfort to each other.
The wife gives over to weeping and
emotional outbursts, while the husband
grieves inwardly. This leads to the wife
believing that her husband is hardened and
doesn’t share her grief. Nothing could be
further from the truth. He is unable to
express himself in a way the wife perceives
as bereavement.
The husband attempts to comfort his
wife in her uncontrolled weeping, but after
four or five outburst he becomes confused
and no longer seems to be sympathetic.
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Please seek help and comfort from the
Lord. Little Gracie’s lessons are the very
ones your little one would give you if she
was able to communicate with you.
Your child (under age of
accountability) is in heaven. The child is
alive and is praying for you. The child loves
you even though you may not have been as
good a parent as you could have been. God
hears the child’s prayers and shares the
child's love and concern for you.
The only difference is God is able to
hear your prayers and give you healing and
comfort.
For those who may need help in
wording their prayers please pray these
words as sincerely as you can.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please forgive me of all my sins,
Jesus, come into my life and heal me of my
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broken heart. Forgive me and save me so I
can be reunited with my child when I die.
I will go to a church who preaches the Bible
so I can learn of you and receive comfort
and complete healing. Thank you so much.
Amen.
WORD FROM THE AUTHORS
If you need further understanding we have
three other books which have brought
healing and comfort to many.
Healing Words for Hurting People.
Healing Words for Lonely People
Wilt Thou Be Made Whole? – An eight
week self help course to spiritual and
mental healing.
Visit our Website for more information.
www.JamesWilkins.org