We are so glad you have found Lily of the Valley! We are two moms who found each other after independently walking through difficulty pregnancies with a prenatal diagnosis. Our stories are different and yours is too. We are united in our faith and passion to bring comfort, healing, and peace to others who have struggled with difficult early life challenges in their own families.
We wanted to cultivate a community where mom’s and dad’s could get the prayer support and resources they needed during difficult family life decisions. Our goal is to reflect Christ’s love and reassure you that God is with you. Together, we co-founded LOTV in 2022 and have been relying on faith and prayer since the inception. We want you to know that you are not alone. Grace waters our souls when we rely on our faith and trust in Jesus. Our hope is that through prayer, you will find peace and joy, amidst a time of sorrow and suffering. We are here, along with many other Prayer Ambassadors, to pray with you and for you no matter where you are at in your journey.
We have come to know many families who share similar stories to our own and through these encounters, we have come to learn about many Saints, both big and little, who we never knew. St. Gianna Beretta Molla is one such Saint with whom Lizzy and I share a special relationship. She was a wife and mother like the two of us and her family shared in the sorrows of miscarriage and child loss. It is under the patronage of St. Gianna that we have dedicated Lily of the Valley Catholic Ministry.
The Story Behind The Name
One day while was folding laundry and contemplating this mission on my heart I prayed to God, “but what would we call this ministry?”, the name Lily of the Valley stuck with me and I immediately called Lizzy who said, “I am with you, let’s do this.” We discussed imagery of the flower being a symbol of hope, joy, light, and beauty that comes forth and blossoms after walking through a valley of darkness or sorrow. We later learned after doing some research, that lily of the valley is also called “Mother of Tears” and is associated with flowers that bloomed at the foot of the cross where Mary suffered and mourned after experiencing her own son Jesus’ death. In conversation with St. Gianna’s daughter, who has been so kind and supportive of this ministry, she shared, “The lily of the valley was my mama’s favorite. It is our family flower.” It is a flower associated with purity as well as death. It can be found in both wedding bouquets and funeral arrangements. We felt it was perfect for the name of this ministry! ~Whitney