This is from Alan and Joy, Leslie's parents:
"Words cannot express our gratitude to all of you for your kindness, love and support to our family during this very difficult time. As many of you already know, Leslie was our only precious daughter and we love and miss her so much. We have been amazed how God has used so many of you to touch our lives with your compassion. Thank you."
Thanks for updating. Since I heard this story on facebook, I have checked back because the story of Leslie and what kind of life she has lived and her death has touched my heart deeply. I am heartbroken for Leslie's parents, family, Mark and the children. The loss is so difficult to imagine! I will be praying for this family, her friends, and this church family for a long time to come. May God Bless them richly and abundantly, beyond "all that we can ask or imagine." Prayers and blessings to you. May God heal your hearts as only He can do!
ReplyDeleteI, too , have checked back for updates. This story has touched me like none other. To Leslie's parents, you have done such a wonderful job raising such a godly young woman. She just sounds simply amazing. I don't know any of you and read about Leslie on a blog. I'll continue to pray for all of you. I am so sorry for what you have been through. Kelley (Conway, Arkansas)
ReplyDeletePraying in Searcy, Arkansas....
ReplyDeleteThough I know none of you personally, you have been thought about and prayed for so many times over the past days. Leslie and all of you have touched so many of us in amazing ways. What a precious child of God she is. During my devotions this morning, this was the Bible verse - 1 Corinthians 2:9 "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him". Leslie is, I'm sure, basking in the wonders of Heaven and His love. Continued prayers for all of you - Debby (North Carolina)
ReplyDeleteMy heart is broken for all of Leslie's family. I have carried this family in my heart and prayers ever since I heard about her from my daughter who lives in the area. Praying, praying the Lord will give you peace and lift your burden.
ReplyDeleteI have checked back every day as well. Since I read about Leslie from another blog and then on her blog, I have thought of this story so many times every day. Sorry I did not know her as I know she was a remarkable lady and loved her family so much. I will continue to pray for Mark and the children and her parents. God bless all of you and know that she is at peace.
ReplyDeleteSue LeJeune
Bossier City, LA
I just want you to know that God is holding you all in His hands. He pours out His grace just when you need it, and will carry you through this difficult time. I pray for you often. Leslie's life story and witness have been a blessing.
ReplyDeleteI don't know Leslie but her story is so touching, I have not been able to stop thinking about her life, her spirit, and her family grieving over such a tragic loss. I pray they all find peace in the Father's arms.
ReplyDeleteA new angel lives in heaven now (3 new angels actually).
God Bless - Diane from Baltimore MD
One can only imagine the pain you are all going through!!! Know that you have been in your prayers & on our minds!!!
ReplyDeleteYour daughter's story has brought back some memories of a person I knew that died after child birth and I think that is why her story "hit" me kind of hard. I was young when this happened & now being a mom it's tougher to hear of such a loss.
We use your family when we are having a "bad" day to think about the "last things" we do and that life is too short...so enjoy it!!!
Continued prayers for all of you!!! Please give the kids a big hug for us!!!
Thank you for updating this blog...
SS
We love you guys. We pray the peace of the Holy Spirit will continue to fill you.
ReplyDeleteShe was simply an amazing woman. Just looking at her makes you smile! God needed her and her precious babies. I pray that all can move forward and see how blessed they were to have had her as a friend, daughter, wife/mother. God bless all of you and Im sure she is your presence at all times!
ReplyDeleteAlan and Joy. People come in our lives for different reasons. Some are happy times and some are sad times. We are forever touched by them. The sudden loss of your daughter was so unbelievable. The way we were all allowed to be a part of that grief made us learn more from you than you learned from us. We learned how to rely more on our awesome God by just watching you and the rest of Leslie's family.
ReplyDeleteLeslie will forever be with us in the wonderful memories and knowing that we all have another angel in Heaven looking down on us. We will continue to pray for all of Leslie's family. We are so glad we met you in this life. Lets keep in touch. We love you Jimmie and Maudie
We may not understand at times God's plan, but as the hymn "Farther Along" informs us, "we'll understand it all by and by!" I continue to pray for the families and the precious children involved. May God's hand heal their hearts and give them peace and comfort! ~Karissa~ (Benton, Arkansas)
ReplyDeleteMy church & I will continue to pray for your family. Every week I put your family on our church's prayers request list. Someone else in our church does too. Many people are touched by all that you are going through.
ReplyDeleteMy heart and prayers have gone out to all of you. No one can understand the loss you have experienced. May God comfort all of you.
ReplyDeleteHolding them close in my heart. I pray that God holds them even closer as they travel this journey through grief. {{HUGS}}
ReplyDeleteI continue to think of Leslie and the babies each day during prayer. We will continue to pray for God's comfort and love for the entire family during this time.
ReplyDeleteThe Jacobs
Bryant, AR
My heart aches beyond words for you. I have thought about your family daily and I continue to pray that God will carry you through this.
ReplyDeleteWith love from, Madison, Wisconsin
Wow.I have tried to post several times but this story is one that I just can't get away from. I never knew this loving family, but Leslie and I share many bonds with regards to doing anything possible to keep our babies. My time was 10+ years ago when a very similar incident happened to me during my twin pregnancy. I did the bat hang too for many weeks. I was very ill and ultimately went on to recover and have another set of B/G twins.I was in the hospital for a procedure when she was still there. I would have loved to have hugged her neck assured her that her story was bringing me closer to the God I lost 10 years ago. None of our words will erase the emptiness that is left behind but I hope they continue to encourage the family to hold one another in love and life. May you continue to be richly blessed by your memories
ReplyDeleteMy heart still aches for your family. I lost a full term newborn daughter 20 years ago. It was so hard on my family. I can't imagine a triple loss of your loved ones. I do believe that good can come from even the worst moments in life and I also believe it is a choice to heal and move forward or fall down and stop living. Leslie would want each of you to have your time of grief then stand up, dust yourselves off and go on. She was too full of joy to be any other way. Let her light shine through you. "How lucky you are to have known someone who is so hard to say goodbye to".
ReplyDeleteMy prayers continue for all of you,
Colleen
Monroe, LA
I heard about Leslie from another blog and ever since you have all been in my prayers. Just from looking at the photos of Leslie a joy and goodness radiates from her. I thought to myself, 'what a beautiful person, she looks like someone I'd be friends with'. May God continue to guide you through this time. xx
ReplyDeleteI say a little prayer for the family every morning. I know you will have good and bad days, but I hope you know that God is grieving with you. We lost a daughter 30 years ago right after birth and another 10 years ago at the age of 19 to a drunk driver. I know personally there is a God and I know he will keep his arms around you always....love a stranger in NC.
ReplyDeleteSo Sorry for your loss, my brother lost the mother of his daughter 2 years ago, she was only 36 years old. She passed away on June 13, 2008 only a few hours after her daughter was born. We were fortunate that the lord left us a beautiful gift which is her daughter. Your daughter sounded like a very special person, I hope that she meets up with our Angel. Your family will remain in my prayers. God Bless you all.
ReplyDeleteThough I do not know your daughter my heart aches for her absence here on earth and for all of those who are left missing her. I just pray for you and your family, that you will be surrounded with love and that you will live every day to the fullest in honor of Leslie and with complete assuredness that you will see her again in heaven. Many blessings to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteStill praying for peace for your family. I don't know you, but Leslie's lifesong has touched my heart.
ReplyDeleteMonticello, AR
I only wish I was among the lucky ones who knew your daughter. She truly has touched so many lives, you may never truly know.
ReplyDeleteIn that way her loving Christ-filled spirit lives on. You may be proud of the daughter you raised, for I'm sure the King of Kings welcomed her into his loving arms with the words:"well done faithful servant"
May she rest with Him, until her earthly parents are reunited with her. Thank you for the update.
Love,
Di
I am so so sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed by the daughter that you raised! I am so sorry for you loss and I know you have been proud of her. The love within this family and extended family radiate to all corners of the Earth. My prayers go out to you all.
ReplyDeleteHeather Forte Huntersville, NC
I was just wondering if you could write out the story of what happened and give a little more detail about the days following the delivery of the babies before Leslie passed away? I pray for your family still...
ReplyDeleteI came across this paragraph this morning from a book called “Wrestling With An Angel” by Greg Lucas. It’s “a story of love, disability, and the lessons of grace”. I loved the following paragraphs so much that I wanted to share them with you.
ReplyDelete“I hear religious minded people say all the time with good intentions. ‘God will never place a burden on you so heavy that you cannot possibly carry it.’
Really?
My experience is that God will place a burden on you so heavy that you cannot possibly carry it alone. He will break your back and your will. He will buckle your legs until you fall flat beneath the crushing weight of your load. All the while He will walk beside you waiting for you to come to the point where you must depend on Him.
‘My power is made perfect in your weakness,’ He says, as we strain under our burden.
Whatever the burden, it might indeed get worse, but know this-God is faithful. And while we change and get old, He does not. When we get weaker, He remains strong. And in our weakness and humility, He offers us true, lasting, transforming, and undeserved grace.”
-Greg Lucas
As I've known Leslie for many years, I did grow away from her some as well as my church recently. Today, I feel moved to speak about this. I prayed heavily during Leslie's journey to the Lord and once told my mother that I have noticed how much time I haven't been spending in prayer. I found myself always being well intended these last few years telling family and friends that I'll pray for this or that only to forget when I did finally pray. But that all changed with Leslie. I prayed throughout the day and even woke at night to pray. I now find myself praying often to thank God for blessings, to ask for guidance, to bless those around me and myself. I feel that closeness with God again and pray that others have as well. Leslie was an inspiration to me in many ways; when I spent time with her I wanted to laugh louder, love more and have patience for God to answer prayers. I'm thankful for the years I've known her and know I was blessed to call her friend.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know that I thought of your family frequently during the holidays. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for everyone having the holidays without Leslie. I hope you will find peace with the new year.
ReplyDeleteHugs from Texas,
Beth
Leslie's story still touches my heart and today she was on my mind. Although I never got the chance to meet her, I have been truly moved by her life and legacy.
ReplyDeleteAs 2011 begins, I pray for an abundance of peace and comfort for her family and friends in the coming year. It will never be the same without her, I am sure, but she certainly touched many people throughout her life.
In Christ,
Leslie Eden
your family came to my mind today. I am praying that God will fill your heart and give you a Romans 15:13 kind of a hope. Blessings on the upcoming year...from a stranger in Spring, TX.
ReplyDeleteI thought of you..today.....im sure your one of the most beautiful angels! hugs!
ReplyDeleteDear Alan and Joy, Leslie story has touched me. I'm so sorry for your loss. I pray that God mend your hearts and comfort you daily. I also pray God bless Leslie and her babies in heaven.
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel because I lost my husband when I was young, 17 years ago.
I keep you close to my heart.
Kathy N from California.
Still think about Leslie and what happened often...hope God has helped the healing and holding the family up each and everyday. Remember you have 3 special angels watching over you all day, everyday.
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled upon this blog & am heartbroken for Leslie's family. Although I do not know any of you, you are all in my thoughts & prayers.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone ever update how Mark and his children are doing? No one should have to bury two wives at such a young age, and no children should lose two mothers. I cannot imagine how they have made it through this. I only went through this once with children, and that was SO hard. I cannot imagine twice.
ReplyDelete