A Child's Legacy: A Mother Faced with the Unbearable Pain of Losing Her Child

By Dorene Fort

Has anyone ever told you that it is completely appropriate and acceptable to be angry? To ask why? Why my child, and why my family? To feel and think that this is unfair! To say, This is unbearable! You are right. It is unbearable. You just lost your child! You may cry all the time and feel you cannot handle anything. You may be unable to cry because the pain is so deep. No one can possibly understand the depth of pain you are in and the question you ask every day, How am I going to get through this without my baby? This is the question no one else hears, but it echoes in your mind and heart at every waking moment. Everything you are thinking, feeling and saying the Fathers shoulders are big enough to handle it all.

This life is filled with pain and sorrow. We were never promised that we would not be touched by it, but the Father does promise to be with us every step of the way. To hold us, to cry with us and to carry us through!

There are pages at the end of A Childs Legacy waiting for you to pour your heart out onto them. What will your childs legacy be?

These are some heart felt thoughts from those that have lost their own precious little ones and then have read A Childs Legacy.

Its beautiful, powerful and cathartic. Your words regarding how the commitment to trusting in Gods strength and healing power is not a battle with a finite end were especially relatable to me. So often I try to categorize the birth and death of my child as something I WENT through, instead of acknowledging it is something I am GOING through. It was wonderful to read those words I have thought so many times coming from someone else. I think your words could be a service to so many grieving parents.
-Amanda Heckelsberg Wolfe

Its such a moving and poignant tribute to Amy Nicole and a Mothers love. You wrote straight from the depths of your heart with openness and honesty. Anyone just beginning this journey of grief can read your book and know that you understand. Youve turned something terrible into a ministry that gives others walking this path hope. I dont know if youre conscious of it or not, but the utter grief you expressed at losing your daughter shortly after birth shows the tremendous value of LIFE. How precious is your Amy Nicole and how precious is every life. Thank you for sharing your heart with us all!
-Michele Almquist

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 20, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496914408

Dorene Fort

Dorene Fort grew up in the beautiful hills of up-state New York and graduated from Christ for the Nations, Institute in Dallas, Tx, 1978. She has seven amazing children and is extremely blessed with nine beautiful grandchildren. Even among such blessings Dorene has experienced great loss. A Child’s Legacy is the journey that she began in December of 1990, when she lost her daughter, Amy Nicole, shortly after she was born. Amy is her fifth child. Indianapolis, Indiana has been Dorene’s home for the past 27 years.

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© 2014 Dorene Fort. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in

a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means

without the written permission of the author.

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,

COPYRIGHT © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975,

1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

Published by AuthorHouse 06/16/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-1441-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-1440-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014909276

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or

links contained in this book may have changed since publication and

may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those

of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher,

and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Introduction

My Prayer for You

Making Memories as We Wait

The Moment We All Have Been Waiting For

Coming Home

Sage

December 13th

The Third Strand

Victory!

Questions

Notes from the Heart

A Place

Music Box

Amy’s Legacy

A Piece of My Heart

I Have a Daughter and Her Name is Amy

A Special Glimpse into the Lives of My Children

A Mother’s Longing

Grass

Trip to See Emily

Silent Conflictions

More Time

4:20am to 4:43am

Time

A Flicker in the Night

A Father’s Pain

The Missing Voice

Healing Fire

Twenty-Three

An Invitation to Journal

Legacy

"I would like to commend Dorene for her insight and sensitivity in the area of grief and loss. The telling of the loss of her daughter and the grieving of her whole family is a tender, but revealing story of this journey of pain and recovery.

The loss of a child is one of the most tragic and damaging events that can occur in this life. Dorene tells her story in a thoughtful and healing way. This book would be helpful to anyone who has shared this kind of loss and hopefully bring a measure of healing and peace."

James M. Robertson, MA LMHC-LAC

In memory of

My precious Amy Nicole,

Her beautiful Aunt Tilly,

Nephews Matthew and Jonathan

You are in our hearts… always and forever…

Dedicated to

Amy’s Amazing Sisters and Brothers

Jenny Ann

Michael Connell

Rebekah Margaret

Stephen Edward

Thomas Robert

James Richard

The lamb on the cover I drew from a figurine

that sits on a table in my living room.

It has been there for 23 years

and is a loving remembrance

of my sweet daughter,

Amy Nicole

Introduction

A Child’s Legacy is not a how to book, nor is it an attempt to answer the question why. It is about my wonderful daughter, Amy, and my journey through losing her. It is about the joy of a life living within me, the excitement of the day I went into labor, knowing I was soon to hold my baby in my arms, the heart ache of finding out there was something terribly wrong with my little one, the hope that everything still will be alright, and then the pain that pierced my heart the moment Amy was gone. There are no words to describe that horrible, heart wrenching feeling. In spite of the pain and struggles, this journey has been one of hope, comfort, and surprise. The Lord has revealed Himself to me and showed me what a wonderful and loving Father He is. This same journey is waiting for you.

My Prayer for You

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If you are reading this book then my heart is breaking for you and I have wept for you. I have wept for the loss of the little one that you are not able to hold right now. I want you to know that I have been praying for you. Praying the Father is gently holding you, comforting you, wiping your tears away as they flow, and has started to heal your broken heart and shattered dreams. I have been praying that you will

Reviews for A Child's Legacy

[scribblingsprite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I do love a good goblin story. This was a really lovely Classic Children's novel. A bit unbelievable, but fun!

[quibee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A reread of a book from my childhood.
A princess, who is raised by servants and whose father rarely visits, runs into a young miner who is very interested in some unusual goblin activity in the mountains.
A sweet story, very much from the Victorian era.

[charlie68_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A well narrated and well written story.

[caroline_mlis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I haven't read this book since I was a child but I do remember loving this charming story. The description of the goblins is so vivid! This children's book was first written in the 1870s, but I think it will still charm children of all ages. It is a classic like Alice in Wonderland or Peter Pan; it is just not as famous!

[marti041 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

MacDonald created yet another Mythical Masterpiece in The Princess and the Goblin. I disagree with previous reviews. I found it neither long nor rambling. Everything in the story was necessary for the plot. It would have help my attention as a Child just as easily as it held it now. I plan on reading this book to my children when they arrive.

[venqat65 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A classic fairytale where a princess rescues a miner boy from goblins with the help of a magical thread woven by her great, great grandmother. A nice escape into a fantastic world...I am looking forward to reading more by MacDonald. I definitely see the relationship between his writing style and that of CS Lewis.

[debnance_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An old, yet completely new-to-me story of a lonely princess, her mysterious grandmother, her (largely) absent father, a young miner boy, and lots and lots and lots of scary goblins. (Turns out---and this isn’t giving anything away---goblins, though quite dangerous and scary, hate rhyme and have very sensitive feet).I went into this expecting something of a fairy tale, but the story went on and on for an additional hundred pages. Lots of nice surprises, but I wish it had been a bit shorter read.

[quondame · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The goblins almost come across as an oppressed minority - or rather the king and his people are clearly oppressors of goblins. Somehow this charming tale doesn't work quite as meant when it has the goblins being taxed underground and redeemed by becoming brownies. All the verbiage of how one must behave when one is a princess (or prince?) is a bit much too. But the brisk story and the steadfastness of Curdie and Irene remain.

[rrhowell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A MacDonald book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading to my children. Not deep, but filled with a delight in goodness.