An Easter Healing Blessing in the Intensive Care Nursery

With the Easter Season on us very soon, I am reminded of our Easter adventure many years ago with my youngest daughter.

I recently rediscovered Rev. Jurgen Schwing's publication of our ICN/NICU Story as an example of a Healing Blessing used at the beginning of life.

Jurgen tells of our ICN/NICU adventures from the perspective of the Chaplain on call. He is the one that was asked to wake up in the middle of the night to come into the hospital. (Ironically, Rev. Schwing would experience being a NICU parent several years later with the birth of his second child.)

You can read more of Rev. Schwing's "Healing Blessing in the Intensive Care Nursery" at the Chaplaincy Institute website.

Healing Blessing
Even though we weren't very religious, when the decision was made to transfer Kristiina to another hospital for higher level of care, we wanted her blessed before going. She was born on Good Friday and was going to be transferred on Easter Morning. We were hoping her name would be good karma.

Rev. Schwing came up with a beautiful blessing for Kristiina:

Little Kristiina,

I bless you and ask that God may heal you.

May the One who formed you in your mother's womb blow divine breath through your lungs so that you can breathe the breath of life.

May your heart beat and your blood circulate and bring you Divine love and light, may you know that you are loved and wanted, and may you find deep inside of you a call to survive, to live, to thrive.

May the God who formed you in the depths of the earth give you many days & years of life.

May you grow up and become all you were meant to be.

I bless this woman and this man, your parents, Kirsti and Cole.

May God's hand be on your shoulders and relieve your fears.

May the One whose knowledge is so vast be the light on your journey.

May you be given the love and strength to bring your daughter through this difficult time,

and may you watch her grow up, proud and filled with knowing what a miracle she is.

More on our Easter NICU Experience later next week...

More:
Schwing J. Healing Blessing in the Intensive Care Nursery. Chaplaincy Institute website.
Dyer KA. Observing Mother’s Day with Renewed Appreciation. Journey of Hearts.
Dyer KA. Observing Mother's Day with Renewed Appreciation. MomMd.com