Blessing Baskets

The Christiana Faith Foundation (CFF) was established in fall 2023 after Brandon and Nina Willert’s fourth child, Christiana Faith, was diagnosed with trisomy 13 while still in the womb. Our overarching goal is to spread the hope of the gospel that can only be found in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

We aim to do this by coming alongside families who are experiencing the life-altering tragedy of infant loss. We pray that the Lord will open their ears and hearts to the truth of the gospel. We want these families to feel seen, loved, and celebrated because we know that ALL people are created in God’s image, no matter how brief one’s life may be.

We want to continue serving families who are experiencing fetal and infant loss by providing them with Blessing Baskets, which are distributed by labor and delivery staff at St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado. These beautiful metal and wood baskets contain tangible resources and support for grieving families.

We’ve included the following books in our Blessing Baskets:

Safe in the Arms of God provides the Scriptural basis for why infants who pass away go to Heaven. It is a quick read and was a life-changing book for us. Holding Onto Hope details Guthrie’s personal story of losing two children and also follows the Biblical story of Job. It was especially poignant to read because Nancy penned the book while pregnant with her son, whose life on earth (she knew) would be brief. Trusting God is a classic that delves into God’s sovereignty, wisdom, and goodness, even in the midst of the tragedies and turmoil of life in our fallen world.

Additions for siblings include:

We just love Joni’s book The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party (from the series Tales that Tell the Truth) detailing the physical and spiritual realities of Heaven. The text and illustrations are engaging and relatable for young readers. The Moon Is Always Round was very helpful for us to walk our children through the expectations and processes associated with stillbirth/losing a sibling. Its overarching message is that God is always good, even when we can’t see the whole picture. Goodbye to Goodbyes is another book from Tales That Tell the Truth; it details the story of Lazarus, Mary, Martha, and Jesus and relates the infinitely important truth that Jesus crushed the power of sin and death through His sacrifice on the cross. He is making all things new!

We’ve also included engaging CFF-branded print materials with a clearly enumerated gospel message, ways to connect with our ministry, and information about other Christ-centered resources for parents who have experienced infant loss.

Other tangible Blessing Basket inclusions are:

  • Handprint/footprint art supplies (canvas panels, nontoxic acrylic paint, foam brush, a mess-free ink imprint pad, and a three-dimensional clay footprint ornament kit)

  • A neutral chenille throw blanket which can also be used for newborn/family photos, adding a touch of home and beauty to the hospital stay

  • Aloe vera socks (with nonslip grips so mothers can wear them around the hospital suite if desired)

  • Rocky Mountain Soap Company artisan soap, a favorite gift of a CFF board member

  • A CFF branded handmade soy candle, donated in honor of Rachel Joy and Susanna Patience (both the artist and her husband have sisters born with trisomy 18 who are now in Heaven with the Lord)

  • Organic sage leaf tea to suppress lactation

  • Eucalyptus aromatherapy lotion

  • A beautiful, soft leather-bound journal

  • Unscented epsom salts for postpartum recovery

  • Pampering items like Lindt dark chocolate and chai latte concentrate (both are favorites of our board members!)

  • An 18k gold-fill birth month pendant necklace (see photo) with the following message on the back of the card: “Amy Carmichael (1867-1951) was an Irish missionary to India who served there for 55 years and founded a children’s orphanage that eventually housed over 900 children (most of whom had been rescued from forced temple prostitution). The place she would lay children who had passed was called God’s Garden. She would tell the children that each child was like a precious flower given to us to care for. When the flower was ready, God would bring it home to fill all of Heaven with fragrant beauty that glorified Him. Someday when they reached Heaven, they could witness that spectacular beauty and be together forever, praising God in His garden paradise. How beautiful that we can be reunited with our precious babies, praising God together for eternity. May this necklace remind you of God’s love and sovereignty, as well as commemorate your child, God’s precious flower, who is alive and well with Him right now.” We pray this necklace will point unbelievers to the truths found in Scripture, that Jesus Christ has reconciled us through His cross to the Father, fulfilling all the just requirements of the law through His life, bearing the full wrath of God as our holy, righteous substitute.

We began distributing these baskets in February 2024 and have already gifted fourteen baskets to grieving families. The approximate retail value of each basket is just under $200. We plan to gift 60 baskets this year, with a total cost of approximately $12,000. Individuals can sponsor a basket online through our linked giving platorms, PayPal and Zeffy.