Jana Duggar offered her sister Joy-Anna (Duggar) Forsyth following Wednesday’s sad news that Joy-Anna and husband Austin Forsyth lost their baby last week. Joy-Anna learned she suffered a miscarriage when the couple went to their doctor for her 20-week ultrasound and check-up.
Jana, 29, shared the same black and white photo Joy-Anna and Austin shared Wednesday, along with a touching message for her younger sister.
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“My heart aches for you, Joy and Austin,” Jana wrote. “I know this has been a very difficult time for you. Watching you both walk through this deep sorrow and loss with hearts that continue to trust Jesus—in all things—has really touched me. Love you both dearly and praying for you!”
Jessa (Duggar) Seewald sent a message to Joy-Anna on Instagram, just a few hours after the Forsyths shared the news.
“Our hearts are breaking over your loss. Such beautiful words you’ve written in your post,” Jessa wrote on Instagram. “Annabell will forever be in our hearts. We love you all and are praying for God’s peace and comfort during this time.”
Late Wednesday, the Forsyths revealed their doctor told them last week they learned they lost their baby.
“Although we don’t understand why, God has given us unexplainable peace and comfort during this very difficult time,” the couple wrote. “Yes, it still hurts and we have cried countless tears, but we know that we can trust the Lord. In the words of King David after the loss of his baby, ‘I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me’ (2 Sam 12:23). We don’t grieve as those who have no hope because we trust that we will see this little one again.”
The couple said they learned the baby was a girl, whom they named Annabell Elise.
“Annabell means ‘God has favored me,’ and Elise means ‘God satisfies,’” the couple wrote. “What a precious thing to know that when our daughter opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the face of Jesus.”
Other members of the Duggar family took to the comments section to share their support.
“Heartbroken over your loss,” Anna Duggar, wife of Josh Duggar, wrote. “We are so thankful for the joy her life brought and we look forward to seeing Annabel when we see Jesus in heaven. Love you so much Joy and Austin.”
This is the third tragedy for the Duggar family this year. In February, Josiah and Lauren Duggar revealed they suffered a miscarriage a few weeks before they opened up about the tragedy in Counting On. In June, Jim Bob Duggar’s mother, Mary Duggar, died at age 78.
Joy-Anna and Austin Forsyth are also parents to son Gideon, who was born in February 2018.
