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NOT SO PERFECT PARENT Blog |
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March 2009
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Amber's love for photography began at the age of 9 when she received her first camera as a birthday gift. As the years went on, her love for photography continued to grow. However, it wasn't until a personal tragedy that that her passion became her mission. Amber and her husband, Peter, were expecting their third child. With two older children, Amber did not anticipate any complications. But, at 26 weeks, Amber was in danger of losing their little boy. "You want to beg God to save your child", says Amber, "but you also just want to trust in his will." Still, she pleaded with God to bless this situation. "Whatever it was going to be - if we were going to lose Lane or he was going to have a really rough life or not be healthy - to let it have a purpose not let any of the suffering be used in vain - to let it be used for good." When Lane was born, the doctors were not sure if he would survive. Amber remembers those early days. "As a mom, who just delivered a baby to know that there is absolutely nothing that I can do for this child. You know, I can't fix this. I can't even comfort him. I can't even hold him until and tell him that it's gonna be all better sometime. It's a very helpless feeling." Amber used her passion in an effort to comfort those around her. She took pictures for a family who wanted to document the first time they held their daughter - something that they had waited for three weeks since their daughter's birth. Amber reflects, "They were so touched by that and I knew right there that this was what I was supposed to do." Lane survived his early complications and is now a healthy little boy. Because of her personal experience, Amber created a ministry called Tiny Works of Heart. She goes to area hospitals and takes pictures of the babies and their families in the NICU. Many of the infants will survive, but others will not. "To think that could possibly be the last time you ever see your child is heartbreaking to me," says Amber. "So what I do is so important and means so much to me because I know that after all of this has happened, they can go back and remember their little fingers, their little toes, that precious little nose, and perfect little lips or curly hair - things that I would be so afraid to forget." In 2007, another tragedy hit. The Augustin's home was flooded and everything was destroyed. But using the same faith that sustained her in the past, Amber and her family approached this situation with conviction. Amber gathered a group of friends from her Bible Study and, armed with Sharpies, began to write scriptures on the damaged walls. "I just had to claim it back. This was our home and God we want you to show us your glory we trust you, we do not understand any of this and we don't know where we are going to land." Throughout this ordeal, Amber has used a song, written by Christian singers, MercyMe, titled "Bring the Rain". It became her family's theme song. Amber would sing the chorus everyday to get her through. "Bring me joy, bring me peace When Extreme Home Makeover came knocking and work began, Amber made a special request. She asked if it would be possible for her friends to return to the house and write scriptures on the studs before sheet rock was installed. One day, production stopped, and once again, Amber's friends came in with Sharpies and reclaimed the Augustin's home. Amber explains, "before it was sheet rocked or anything, I really wanted God's word literally in the walls of our home." Amber's beautiful home is filled with many treasures including an in-home photography studio. However, the most significant was a piece of art that the producers from Extreme Home Makeover commissioned. The words summarize Amber's faith through some of life's most difficult moments. It remains her hope that the images she leaves for the families she touches will remind them that they are not alone through the pain and through the rain. To learn more about Tiny Works of Heart, go to www.amberaugustin.com 2 CommentsLeave a comment |
What a great post! I love this woman's heart.
hey Paige - Wonderful post. We watched this as a family and loved it, but I love even more your insight into MercyMe and the scriptures on the studs. Just precious - thanks for sharing this!