Empty Hands and a Heart Full of Hope

I often tend to hold onto things and carry burdens as if they are mine alone to bear. Specifically, I have been holding onto the grief and loss of Savannah pretty tightly over the last few weeks. A year ago last month, we received the fatal "triploidy" diagnosis, and that is when the grieving process began for me. Now, I often find myself aching with a hurt that is indescribable because I miss holding her in my arms. My baby girl would be 10 1/2 months old, and I wonder if she would be crawling, babbling, etc..."I know" that I am not supposed to carry such a heavy burden alone. "I know" that God longs to take the burden from me. So, my prayer today and over the next few weeks is that I can keep giving this burden back to Him until there is no longer any grief left in my heart to hand over to Him. And, once I have done that....I can't wait to see what amazing gift He places in my empty hands :-)!
The following verse has become my strength throughout the past year because it reminds me that God promises to give me HOPE, and it is something that I can ask for over and over again!

Jeremiah 29:11" For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all." Emily Dickinson