Encouraging Message: Standing at Times of Challenge

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday and the upcoming National Day of Service, today's inspiring quote comes from one of his inspiring sermons.

These words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. can serve as an encouraging message for NICU Parents:

The ultimate measure of
a man (or woman)
is not where
he (or she) stands
in moments of comfort,
but where
he (or she) stands
at times
of challenge and controversy.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

NICU Parents find themselves facing times of challenge, a true test of their measure. Many of us discover internal strengths that they many never have even known they possessed.

It is this new-found strength that sustains us through the NICU challenge and allows us to hang on, when things seem impossible.

Image: Vivek Chugu. Attached 2. Royalty Free Use.

8/15 - Encouraging Message - Learning from Challenges

I have always grown
from my problems and challenges.
From the things that don't work out,
that's when I've really learned.

Carol Burnett

Comedians often turn to comedy as a way of coping with their life challenges and hardships. Carol Burnett has faced many hardships and losses in her life, including the death of both a husband and a daughter.

I think as NICU Parents and as parents in general, we often wish that there weren't as many problems and challenges to learn from.

Many of us discover a strong internal sense of strength, for some a light, that helps to guide us through the difficult times.

Resources for Managing Your NICU Challenge:

• How Will I Survive the NICU? The Squidoo lens developed for helping NICU parents once the initial shock period is over.
• What does my baby's diagnosis mean? Several helpful articles on the most common problems faced by NICU babies. Some articles have additional links for even more information.
• How do I talk to the doctors and nurses? Several useful articles to help in talking to the doctors and nurses as well as figuring out what questions may be useful to ask.

Photo Source: Stefanie L. Breakthrough. Royalty Free Use.