Friend,
The journey to parenthood is often considered a joyous adventure filled with excitement. However, for my husband and me, it was an unexpected path filled with disappointment until finally- joy. As I share our story, I hope to offer you who may be on the same journey a bit of encouragement by discussing the choices we made and the grace that carried us through difficult days.
When you find yourself on the difficult journey of trying to conceive with the awareness that you or your husband have fertility concerns, there will be moments when you want to tap out. You are not a bad person for feeling sadness, anger, disappointment or doubt. You are human.
But it’s in these moments that you must make a choice – to surrender to disappointment or to anchor yourself to your faith in Christ, believing in what God has said in His Word. For us, choosing faith was an important decision, one that kept us moving forward.
Courage to Defy Fear
One of the ways we chose to combat fear was by stepping out of our comfort zones on challenging days. I decided to confront my disappointment by entering the baby section of stores, an area that I usually avoided. I purchased baby clothes, toys, and other items “in faith.” My husband caught on, and he also began doing the same. If we were on vacation, or happened by a children’s boutique, he would proactively buy items in faith- with the hope that we would use them one day. We placed these items in what we called our faith box.
The Miraculous Outcome
Years later we finally received the news we had longed for: I was pregnant with our precious baby boy. Our faith had triumphed over the disappointments and fears we had faced.
As our journey continued, some of the items in the faith box found new homes with friends who were also on their own paths to parenthood. The faith box had transformed into a ray of hope, passed from one hopeful heart to another. A few items even became toys for our little one.
Staying Focused on Faith
Throughout our journey, we were determined to stay focused on faith. I delved into scripture, searching for verses that spoke to our situation, particularly those about barrenness and the promise of children. I handpicked declarations of faith, wrote them on post-its, and pasted them to our mirrors. They served as daily reminders of the truth we held in our hearts, despite medical diagnoses or countless negative pregnancy tests.
We firmly believed in God’s plan for our family, even when the path seemed unclear. We entrusted our story to the Promise Keeper. He was faithful.
During the holiday season you may feel left out or rejected when you are bombarded with photos of the perfect family. You may feel like you will never have the family you are hoping for. Please let me encourage you, lovely one- you have the ability to believe, hold fast to faith, and triumph over difficulty more than you realize.
The good news is you don’t have to do it alone. There is a loving God who cares about you. And I care about you, too.
If you need prayer, contact me at RachelMinyard@Gmail.com.
Love,
Rachel
