Noelle: Come and See What God Has Done

There are moments in life when God’s presence feels unmistakable—when His voice is not loud, but certain. Noelle’s story began in one of those moments.

Before I became pregnant with Noelle, I had experienced a miscarriage. I remember sitting on the couch one day, heavy with grief and fear, wondering if my son would ever have a sibling. At the same time, I was thinking about how much I did not want a Christmas baby. My heart was conflicted—longing for new life while still carrying loss. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18), even when we don’t yet see how.

And then, suddenly, I felt a deep, undeniable sense that I was pregnant. Of course, a December baby... the only month I didn't want.

Not only that—but that I was certain it was a baby girl.

I had never felt the Holy Spirit so strongly before. It wasn’t emotional wishful thinking; it was calm, steady, and certain.

For the next several days, the song “Noel” by Lauren Daigle played in my mind over and over. I couldn’t escape it. I knew—before any test confirmed it—her name would be Noelle. Her name means Christmas, a reminder that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). She would have a story, that was for sure.

At first, the pregnancy tests showed nothing. My husband worried that my desire for a baby after loss was clouding my judgment. But then one day, there it was—two lines. Soon after, blood tests confirmed it: we were having a baby girl.

The pregnancy itself was filled with uncertainty. Ultrasounds revealed concerning findings, and fear often crept in. Still, I held onto the peace God had given me at the beginning. “Do not be anxious about anything… and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7). Noelle was due on December 21, and I sensed she would have a story—though I had no idea how much that story would cost. I knew the end result would be "come and see what God has done."

At 33 weeks, on November 5, Noelle stopped moving in my womb. I called my doctor and was told to go straight to the hospital. I hesitated, but my husband and coworkers urged me. There, it was determined that she was in distress, and an emergency C-section was needed.

When Noelle was born, her belly was distended, and she was transferred to St. Joseph’s NICU. I will never forget my husband coming in to tell me that she was going to be transferred and he would be going with her. I soon found out I would be transferred later that night as well. The next day, she underwent emergency surgery for a bowel blockage. What followed was a six-week NICU stay—weeks of praying, waiting, and learning what it means to trust God one breath at a time.

About a week into her stay, we received the diagnosis: Cystic Fibrosis. It was not the story I would have chosen for my child. But we held to His promises, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

And then—just in time for Christmas—Noelle came home.

Her first year of life was marked by frequent hospital stays—almost every month. It was hard. The kind of hard I don't think I could put into words. God sustained us one day at a time.

Today, Noelle is doing amazingly well. She is on gene modulator therapy, wears her airway clearance vest twice a day, and takes her medication morning and night. Her life requires diligence and care, but it is full of joy and resilience. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8).

Her name means Christmas. And Christmas means God with us—Immanuel (Matthew 1:23). Noelle’s life reflects that truth daily. God entered our broken world, not promising an easy path, but promising His presence.

One line from the song that followed me from the very beginning continues to echo through her life:

“Noel, come and see what God has done.”

Through loss, fear, surgery, diagnosis, and healing—God has been faithful. Noelle’s life proclaims the Gospel in a way words alone never could. She is evidence that Jesus came near, that light shines in the darkness, “and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). We thank God for the gift that Jesus brings, eternal and full life with Him. We long for the day that there is complete healing!

This is Noelle’s story.

And it is still being written. “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

https://youtu.be/5Vwu-t7QRaE?si=fHNCN22bwyKae6n_