“The cramping was getting worse through that day,” Preslee recalled. “Once I started to bleed, I thought we have to go to the hospital. So, by that point, I was in excruciating pain.” Matthew and Preslee Gooch had already been through one miscarriage. Now, in December 2020 at 20 weeks, Preslee feared it was happening again. “I started feeling this cramping and I was talking to Matthew, I told him, I said, 'I’m not feeling the baby. I haven’t felt her in a couple of days.'” The expectant parents went to a local ER where the staff performed an ultrasound on their baby girl they had named, Isabel. They couldn’t find a heartbeat. 

Moments later, the couple were taken to a delivery room where Preslee was induced and gave birth to Isabel, who was stillborn. “I didn’t want to see her right away because after all that I had just been through, and then knowing I’m going to have to hold my dead child, I just couldn’t bear it at the moment,” recalled Preslee.

Matthew recalled, “Once I was ready, we got to hold her and process that she didn’t make it. It was the saddest moment of my life. Once they, they took her and put her in like a blanket, that’s when I started realizing the reality of the situation. It was the most traumatic thing I’ve ever seen or been a part of. I’ve never experienced that kind of darkness before.”

The family held a memorial service for Isabel that in many ways brought comfort to the couple. But days later, they were overcome with grief. Preslee recalled what she had felt weeks after the stillbirth. “I questioned like, why did this have to happen? Why did I have to get sick? Should I have done something different?” In his own pain, Matthew said, “I felt like God owed me. I just felt like He owed me another girl, because I serve Him and I’m dedicating my life to Him. I want this.”

In the days that followed, family and friends showered them with words of encouragement and prayer. One of them was Matthew’s mom, Karen Peck, of the award-winning gospel group, ‘Karen Peck and New River Band.’ A close friend had shared what she believed was a word from God for the couple. “She said, 'I know that God will,'” Karen stated. "'He will give them a harvest of joy eventually.' So, I started reading in Psalm 1:26 that if you sow seeds of sorrow and grief, eventually you will have a harvest of joy, and that harvest would be the sheaves.”  

As prayers continued, so did the couple’s struggle with their loss. Matthew, who was back on the road as guitarist for his mom’s band, says it felt like God had gone silent. “I fasted and prayed trying to get back to, you know, feeling the Holy Spirit touch me. I prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill me and try to give me guidance and to give me peace and relinquish the pain.” 

Four months after they lost the baby, both say God broke His silence. It was Mother’s Day and their church was having a baby dedication. Matthew recalled the moment. “To me, that was the breaking point of...we are sitting here, and we would’ve had Isabelle here, and we don’t have her here. We were crying and it was just a heartbreaking moment. Our pastor was up preaching, and that was the day that I, I felt God had spoken to me. He said, 'alright you know, it’s been six months. It’s time for you to move on and it’s time to start healing.'”

Preslee recalled Matthew telling her what God had told him. “He told me, 'we have to move on. We can’t sit in this place forever.' I thought, you’re right. We do.” Weeks later, they discovered Preslee was pregnant again. As the pregnancy progressed, Preslee and Matthew prayed for God’s peace and protection. “What comes along with that for the third pregnancy is a lot of fear and anxiety,” said Preslee. “I struggled. So much fear had consumed me of getting sick again and something going wrong.”

This time Preslee carried her baby full term with no complications. On January 7, 2022, she gave birth to Isla Grace. “There’s just nothing in the world like it,” Preslee exclaimed. “I mean, knowing that this baby is alive and warm, it was just perfect.” Matthew's sentiments were silmilar, having said, “The first time I laid eyes on that girl, I mean, it brought tears to my eyes. I felt like something broke in me that day when Isabel was born, but something healed when Isla was born.” 

A month after Isla’s birth, ‘Karen Peck and New River Band’ released their Grammy nominated album, “2:22.” One track is especially close to the family. Inspired by the word her friend received from God and scripture, Karen wrote a song titled “Sheaves,” dedicating it to baby Isabel. Matthew and Preslee have since had another baby, a boy they named Jack. They say God is using their story to minister to other couples dealing with grief. “God has smiled on us, and He’s given us favor,” Matthew said. “But I feel like part of that is believing that He’s going to make things right and He’s going to do things as if it never happened to you.”

Preslee shared. “Our prayer has always just been that to use us for His glory and whatever He was going to walk us through, we knew that He would lead us through, and that one day He would fulfill His promise to us of having this beautiful family.”

A tornado hit Dawson springs, Kentucky leaving a trail of destruction.

Jason McKnight said “it sounds like a train is coming over you. The lights go out, the house starts shaking violently,”

Ashley McKnight continued “it's pouring down rain and it's pitch black. I honestly thought when we came up the stairway, I wasn't expecting to see a roof.”

Police major Jason McKnight took care of his family first, then jumped into action.

“Once I was sure that my family was going to be safe here. Then that's when I made the choice to go and start trying to find people and help wherever I could. Went to an apartment complex and tried to try to get as many people out as we could.” Jason recalled.

“And they just kept pulling people out of the apartment complex behind us.” Added Ashley.
 
Operation blessing’s disaster relief team rushed to Kentucky to help families in need.

Jason said “somebody that works for operation blessing said, hey, we're going to be able to help you. Number one, I don't have the skill set to do, but number two, I still have to go to work and do all those things.”

Jason and Ashley had insurance, but it wasn’t enough to cover their homes damage. So, operation blessing partnered with other local organizations to tackle the big job of restoring their house.
 
“Slowly but surely, you see the house get stripped down to the studs.  New drywall…and finish the drywall and tile floors and just anything that you can think of that would make a house beautiful.” Jason described.

Ashley said, “when this is all said and done, there's not a day that goes by that i won't walk in this house and think of operation blessing.”

Operation blessing has been there to share the love of Christ with Jason, Ashley, and many other families in Dawson springs.

Ashley let us know “operation blessing has just had an outpouring of love for our town. They're putting families back together. I mean, they're giving us hope.”

The gernerous support of operation blessing partners makes it possible to be there for families like jason and ashley’s during their most desperate times.

Ashley explained “when you contribute and you give to this organization, your donation is going to help boost spirits. From the bottom of my heart, i want to thank anybody that had any type of donations to make my family feel loved, to make my family see that there's going to be a finish line, and to let me know that eventually we're going to have a roof back over our head. It's a true miracle.”

Keith and Kristyn Getty have been writing and performing hymns for over 20 years.

Their songs have been sung by millions in churches all over the world.

“We began to look at the songs we were singing and we were going, "Are these songs that we will carry with us and pass to the next generation? Are these songs that are helping us think more deeply?”  Keith continues, “so we realized there was a need alongside what is being sung today to really try and recreate, I guess, the hymn genre, but it's really just deeper songs written in a more classic way. And so we started with “In Christ Alone" with our friend Stuart back in 2001 and it's really just become our life's work ever since.”

Kristyn comments, “I think the initial idea, "Why do we have this song and how will it be used?" That is often the beginning of all of our creative conversations. When we think of the church service, when we think of the church's year, when we think of the things going on in the world, when we think of pressures in the family, all those things. What parts of the Bible, what main ideas would it be a really great idea to sing?”

Keith adds, “What do we learn about the Lord in this song? How do we go deeper into His word? That's the first thing. The second thing is, is it great to sing? Not is it singable, because anything is ultimately singable, but is it great to sing? Can you hear a large group of people singing it? And thirdly, could you see yourself grow old with it?”

He continues, ”Kristyn started the hymn of the month with the girls, and I was driving them to school from our old house one day, and they started singing "Be Thou My Vision" And I thought of my girls, and that was the prayer for their lives, "Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart" Then with carrying their little screens into school, with all they might learn in education, "Be Thou my wisdom" Thinking about them leaving us some day, singing "Be Thou my battle shield, sword for the fight, Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight" Thinking that they will grow old, I want them, however successful or unsuccessful they are by worldly terms, I want them to say "Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise, Thou mine inheritance, now and always" And then, all of us one day will die, and I want them to sing "High King of heaven, after victory won, may I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun" But the joy of that is, I know they will carry that song for 50 years, because even beyond my best songs, there's no evidence yet, people will sing my songs for 50 years, they'll sing them for 20, 25 years, but they're not singing them for 50.”

Kristyn responds, “It's a lofty goal for us as writers, but I think it's worthwhile going after what is so wonderful about that, and how can we follow in the footsteps of those great hymns, and write into our time and our generation.”

In 2017, the Getty started the Sing Conference, gathering writers, performers, pastors and churches from all over the world to join the chorus praising God.

“We want the conference to be a wonderful experience, and people to enjoy being with one another and singing, but we don't want it to become just that,” says Kristyn. “We want it’s use to continue on into the months, and so it's very important as we're planning the Sing Conference, what does this mean for next Sunday in these churches? What does it mean for families? What are they actually taking away with them? And it's been encouraging over the last few years, watching those who come back, those who are new because they've heard about it, and the expansion of some of these ideas It's been really, really important.”

She adds, “I think that's the most encouraging thing, when someone will text us or send a letter and say, "We tried this song in church on Sunday, it worked really well" Or our congregation are going through the Sing book to learn some of the ideas behind this, or next year we're going to bring the students with us.”

The Gettys are excited to bring their Christmas tour home to Ireland this year, and are working hard on a hymnal full of great songs, prayers and more.

Keith smiles, “Sing 25 is a real moment in our history. It's the most exciting sing we've ever had because we're launching the hymnal that year with our friends at Crossway It's opening at the Grand Ole Opry House with a special gala hymn concert for everybody who's coming, but also for the whole city of Nashville It's going to be a massive hymn singing. It will feature City O'Light, ourselves, our writers, guests.”

Kristyn adds “Celebration of hymns, old and new, but the core of this gospel story, and lots of voices telling it. That’s what so exciting about it.”

Minkah Fitzpatrick is fast, physical, and flourishing, playing his game with disciplined freedom, declaring, “Jesus Christ freed this free safety!” The play on words plays on the field where the 3-time NFL All-Pro is the standard of accomplished focus and commitment as the leader of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense.  

Question: “What makes the Pittsburgh Steelers the best fit?”

Minkah Fitzpatrick: “Pittsburgh itself is a blue collar, you know hard-working, family-oriented city. The Steelers reflect that as well in the way that we play, in the way the organization is run. That’s how I am as a man, as a player. I come from a blue-collar family, family-centered. Pittsburgh was a perfect fit. God definitely made it happen for a reason!" 

Cam Heyward, Steelers DT: “What makes Minkah unique is he can play all over the field. He is professional through and through and when he’s on your side you feel confident. His leadership is more of a walk than talk. I’m proud to call him a brother in Christ.”  

Question: “You are considered the league’s elite free safety, moving all over the field. You’re a chess piece! What are the common traits?” 

Minkah Fitzpatrick: “It’s the instincts. It’s the intuition. God has gifted me with a lot for sure in my physical ability. But He’s also entrusted me with a lot in regards to my preparation and my responsibilities. You need to prepare as if it is an honor. You prepare as if it is a great responsibility. And then your result is reflected off your walk throughout the week. And that’s kind of what I pride myself on.”  

Question: “Same qualities in your spiritual journey?”

Minkah Fitzpatrick: “A hundred percent! Your walk is gonna dictate your character and your destiny and how you move through out your life. So, the faith journey is relying on God, but there’s things we gotta do as well. He places things within our reach but not in our hand for a reason that require us to get closer to Him in order to get through those things.” 

Question: “Your pre-game tradition is walking around that field. I think it’s twice. What are you hoping for, what are you asking, what are you praying?” 

Minkah Fitzpatrick: “Yeah! It’s usually a worship song. I let it play as I walk around. Most of the time I’m praying for my people, praying people on my team. And then I pray a specific prayer once I’m done. I always pray that the stadium becomes a place of worship of God and not of men.”  

Alex Highsmith, Steelers LB: “His faith, and he has a firm foundation in Christ and so, you know God has given him and blessed him with the abilities and talents he has. He truly plays for and glorifies God in all that he does. And it's so cool having a teammate like that!”

Kent Chevalier, Steelers Chaplain: “I feel like Mink is finding his spiritual voice on this team - leadership, accountability, holding guys to not just the standard of football, but also the standard of Jesus. And he’s helping guys stay in that.”

Question: “The greatest attribute a leader can leave or draw out of someone?”

Minkah Fitzpatrick: “It’s leadership! I think great leaders create great leaders! My coach in high school, Coach Hansen was great at that. Coach Saban in college was great at that. Coach T is great at that. They’re winning coaches for a reason. Because they hold people to a high standard whether they like it or not. All of us become better men. And I believe the better man you are, the better player you’ll be.”    

Question: “2011 - Hurricane Irene. Watching foundations of your house taken out. What do you have to show for out of that experience?” 

Minkah Fitzpatrick: “If I didn’t go through that period of my life I wouldn’t be where I am today. There was a crack in the foundation, water got into it. So, even from the outside it looked good, the foundation was collapsed, we weren’t able to live in it. God was telling us we need to create a strong foundation for the life ahead of us, for my life ahead of me, to establish a foundation in Him, on Him.”     

Question: “You honored your siblings with the tattoos on your hand and in Hebrew?”

Minkah Fitzpatrick: "It’s my siblings you know what I’m saying, they’re going to be with me forever. I’ll always have their back through whatever. I chose Hebrew for a simple reason, I just didn’t want plain English and Hebrew Aramaic is what Jesus spoke. We got a cross with a crown of thorns and around it says, ‘take up your cross and follow me.’”  

Question: “Your dad was raised Muslim, found Christianity. You grew up in a family with both demonstrations of faith, determining how things can reconcile, with deep unconditional love instead of going dualistically to hate.”

Minkah Fitzpatrick: “As Christians, our job is to learn and understand that which is different from us. We don’t always have to agree with it. One of the greatest commandments is love your neighbor as yourself for a reason. When you do that you create a peace and softness in other people’s hearts and love them, as we’d like to be loved. Break bread with them. Understand them. And then we’ll have opportunities to pour into them.”

Question: “A three-time All-Pro. But for you, what is the greatest connection, Minkah, as to who you are?”

Minkah Patrick: “Um-hm. Honestly, Son of Christ, brother in Christ, following Christ. I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on my journey, on my faith walk, and the story of Job, the guy that had everything and had everything taken away from him, but at the end of the day – he still praised! God showed him the entire universe and said, ‘who are you to question my ways?’ My identity is tied up in being a Son of God and if I lose sight of that then I’m going to struggle through this journey.”  

Question: “How has Jesus Christ freed this free safety?”

Minkah Fitzpatrick: “Man, He’s freeing me every day. Every day is a fight. Every day is a battle. I got to lean on Him. I got to trust in Him. I’m a young man, I’m still learning. Still growing. The only thing that I know for sure is Jesus is Christ, is that I’m forgiven, is that I’m loved, that I have a Savior in Him – so I get to fight with Him and in Him.”