God
is so amazing!! At many times through my journey with The Upside Down Club I
have been completely blown away at how God is using me to do his work and the
promptings I have felt in my heart! I want to share one of my testimonies on
how Amazing GOD is!!
About 3 months ago I was having major promptings from the Holy Spirit. Every day for a few weeks I heard "babies are coming and our club needed to get ready" I made 2 girl baskets and 2 boy baskets to welcome new babies into our club and to show the families love and support... I named them "Tubs of LOVE". Before the tubs were even all the way finished we got 2 girl babies and 2 boy babies born with Down syndrome to welcome to our club! I couldn't believe it!!! Something even more amazing happened with one of these sweet babies God had already placed me right where he wanted me.
I met my new sweet friend Jessica Cope Riggan at Beltway's Released Retreat. Jessica and I were placed in the same group...she was pregnant and looking forward to meeting her new healthy baby girl. A few weeks later I did her maternity photoshoot and come to our surprise she was in labor during the photoshoot and went to the hospital after to welcome her baby girl Paisley into the world. The next day I went to pick up my mom from the airport, she came to visit us from Colorado. After I picked her up I apologized to her but told her I had to go because I was having a strong prompting that was telling me I needed to go to the Hospital NOW! I called my husband and told him, I dropped my mom off at our house because I was feeling an overwhelming urge that is prompting me to go to the hospital NOW because I think Jessica's baby has Down syndrome.... What.... No that can't be... he said "Can you imagine if that was true??? How amazing would it be that God put you in her life right now?" I couldn't explain it and I was sure I could be mistaken but when you feel the Holy Spirit prompting you like I did... You listen and walk in obedience even when you feel doubt in your understanding.
At that time, I didn't know Jessica very well at all, other than hanging with her at the church camp and doing her photoshoot, so it was pretty uncomfortable for me going to her room, but I continued to trust in the Lord! I knocked and went in and immediately felt a sadness in the room. I asked if everything was ok and Jessica, with tears in her eyes, told me her baby girl was just diagnosed with Down syndrome and she has not told anyone other than her family. Wow!!! God has me right where he wants me.... Overwhelmed with emotion My first response to Jessica was with tears in my eyes "This may sound crazy but I already know she has Down syndrome because God prompted me to come here right now" She was very confused because she did not know that I along with two other women Susan Pate& Deedee Moore Baker run The Upside Down Club....a support group for Down syndrome here in Abilene.
I
asked her if she knew that I also have a daughter with Down syndrome. She
didn't. She said the Dr. had just come into the room before me and told her
about our club. So when I walked in she was looking on her phone at our club’s
website. She saw a picture of my daughter Addison and was even more confused
because she did not realize my daughter Addison even had Down syndrome. I told
her about my journey adopting my daughter and why I chose this journey, I told
her that God has a plan and it's so much bigger than us and she may not realize
it yet but she has been given such a gift and her heart is going to be filled
with a love and joy that she never thought possible. I encouraged her not to
get overwhelmed in reading all the outdated material and all the negative about
Down syndrome but instead shared with her One of the books in our "Tubs of
LOVE" called "Reasons to Smile" by Andrea Knauss & Elizabeth
Martins. This book provides inspiration & encouragement with eye
opening short stories of many loving lives with Down syndrome.
I got to sit on the bed with Jessica reading uplifting stories and filling her with hope and goodness about Down syndrome! We laughed and cried together! I can't explain the high I was on knowing how incredible Gods plan is... It's so much bigger than us or our understanding! Baby Paisley is absolutely beautiful and perfect just the way God made her!!! Jessica's family was absolutely wonderful and gave me a huge hug before I left telling me that I was their angel in this moment sharing light and love that they needed to hear. God is so Good how he uses each and every one of us if we take the time to lean not on our own understanding but always trust in the lord and walk in faith! - Written by Becca Bortnick pulled from Facebook
The Upside Down Club is a Down syndrome
support group for families in Abilene and the surrounding Big Country. We
thrive to build community support for inclusion and acceptance of individuals
with Down syndrome and persons of all abilities.
We would love you to join us for our Fifth Annual Buddy Walk which will be held September 17th, 2016 at Beltway South from 9:00 to 12:00. The Buddy Walk is a family fun day in which anyone can participate. It is an inspirational event that celebrates the many abilities of people with Down syndrome as well as spreads awareness and acceptance in our community
About 3 months ago I was having major promptings from the Holy Spirit. Every day for a few weeks I heard "babies are coming and our club needed to get ready" I made 2 girl baskets and 2 boy baskets to welcome new babies into our club and to show the families love and support... I named them "Tubs of LOVE". Before the tubs were even all the way finished we got 2 girl babies and 2 boy babies born with Down syndrome to welcome to our club! I couldn't believe it!!! Something even more amazing happened with one of these sweet babies God had already placed me right where he wanted me.
I met my new sweet friend Jessica Cope Riggan at Beltway's Released Retreat. Jessica and I were placed in the same group...she was pregnant and looking forward to meeting her new healthy baby girl. A few weeks later I did her maternity photoshoot and come to our surprise she was in labor during the photoshoot and went to the hospital after to welcome her baby girl Paisley into the world. The next day I went to pick up my mom from the airport, she came to visit us from Colorado. After I picked her up I apologized to her but told her I had to go because I was having a strong prompting that was telling me I needed to go to the Hospital NOW! I called my husband and told him, I dropped my mom off at our house because I was feeling an overwhelming urge that is prompting me to go to the hospital NOW because I think Jessica's baby has Down syndrome.... What.... No that can't be... he said "Can you imagine if that was true??? How amazing would it be that God put you in her life right now?" I couldn't explain it and I was sure I could be mistaken but when you feel the Holy Spirit prompting you like I did... You listen and walk in obedience even when you feel doubt in your understanding.
At that time, I didn't know Jessica very well at all, other than hanging with her at the church camp and doing her photoshoot, so it was pretty uncomfortable for me going to her room, but I continued to trust in the Lord! I knocked and went in and immediately felt a sadness in the room. I asked if everything was ok and Jessica, with tears in her eyes, told me her baby girl was just diagnosed with Down syndrome and she has not told anyone other than her family. Wow!!! God has me right where he wants me.... Overwhelmed with emotion My first response to Jessica was with tears in my eyes "This may sound crazy but I already know she has Down syndrome because God prompted me to come here right now" She was very confused because she did not know that I along with two other women Susan Pate& Deedee Moore Baker run The Upside Down Club....a support group for Down syndrome here in Abilene.
I
asked her if she knew that I also have a daughter with Down syndrome. She
didn't. She said the Dr. had just come into the room before me and told her
about our club. So when I walked in she was looking on her phone at our club’s
website. She saw a picture of my daughter Addison and was even more confused
because she did not realize my daughter Addison even had Down syndrome. I told
her about my journey adopting my daughter and why I chose this journey, I told
her that God has a plan and it's so much bigger than us and she may not realize
it yet but she has been given such a gift and her heart is going to be filled
with a love and joy that she never thought possible. I encouraged her not to
get overwhelmed in reading all the outdated material and all the negative about
Down syndrome but instead shared with her One of the books in our "Tubs of
LOVE" called "Reasons to Smile" by Andrea Knauss & Elizabeth
Martins. This book provides inspiration & encouragement with eye
opening short stories of many loving lives with Down syndrome. I got to sit on the bed with Jessica reading uplifting stories and filling her with hope and goodness about Down syndrome! We laughed and cried together! I can't explain the high I was on knowing how incredible Gods plan is... It's so much bigger than us or our understanding! Baby Paisley is absolutely beautiful and perfect just the way God made her!!! Jessica's family was absolutely wonderful and gave me a huge hug before I left telling me that I was their angel in this moment sharing light and love that they needed to hear. God is so Good how he uses each and every one of us if we take the time to lean not on our own understanding but always trust in the lord and walk in faith! - Written by Becca Bortnick pulled from Facebook
We would love you to join us for our Fifth Annual Buddy Walk which will be held September 17th, 2016 at Beltway South from 9:00 to 12:00. The Buddy Walk is a family fun day in which anyone can participate. It is an inspirational event that celebrates the many abilities of people with Down syndrome as well as spreads awareness and acceptance in our community
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