Testimonies

What in the World is God doing?

As I stare at a blank page unsure of where to even begin, I quietly ask the Lord, “What is your heart for this community? What do you have to say to these ladies and families?”

As we wrap up National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), do I write something for the mom who has never met her babies because of miscarriage? Or maybe to the family who just decided on adoption. Or what about to the ladies who are just starting their “ttc journey” and going through what we like to call “delayed fertility.” Or maybe I’ll write to everyone with “unexplained infertility.” Wait, no, I have it- I should write to the woman who’s truly infertile. She like really never had children. She’s gone through menopause. And she has told God “no thank you” on that Sarah miracle. Yes, maybe I should write to her. Or to the mom who has a child at home but is struggling with guilt and shame and- oh yes- secondary infertility. She definitely needs a pick-me-up. Who am I even writing to, Lord?

So I come back to my quiet questions with the Father. God, what is your heart for this community? What do you have to say to these ladies and families? Because I don’t want to write another article just for the sake of another awareness week.

Well I believe He has ALOT to say and here’s what He dropped on my heart.

It doesn’t matter if you’re literally infertile or considering adoption or already have kids at home but about to start yet another round of IUI. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had 7 failed IVF’s or your husband has no sperm or you’re battling cervical cancer. It doesn’t matter how much money is in your bank account or your HSA. It doesn’t matter how many eggs you have, what shape your uterus is, or what size your cysts are. It doesn’t matter how many recurrent miscarriages you’ve had or that you can’t seem to get past the 1st trimester. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never conceived, and you know what?!- It doesn’t matter if your issue is so bad that it didn’t even make this list!

And here’s why!

God’s not intimidated by the list I just gave.

God is not upstairs biting His nails wondering “How do I get her out of this mess?!"

He is not preoccupied or too busy for your issue.

He has not forgotten you or stopped listening to you or put your mail at the bottom of the stack to deal with later.

God is not worried and He’s not confused.

He’s not scared or rushed or hopeless.

He hasn’t pressed pause on your story, and He hasn’t misplaced your prayer request.

He hasn’t rejected or abandoned you or your dreams.

He isn’t dangling bait or trying to tease you. It’s just not in His nature.

He didn’t give you the wrong child or mess up during conception, and He didn’t kill your baby. Nope, He sure didn’t.  

 

Here’s what He IS doing!

He’s showing compassion in tangible ways!

He’s healing cancer and endometriosis.

He’s dissolving cysts. He’s distributing peace and wisdom into your situation.

He’s creating sperm from nothing.

He’s reshaping and repositioning wombs.

He’s carefully preparing your heart for your promise.

He’s creating life and redeeming loss.

He’s re-arranging people and situations and schedules on your behalf.

He’s calming the storm.

 

He’s reaching out His hand for you.

He’s moving mountains into the sea!

He’s raising dry bones and wounded hearts and dead dreams!

He’s handing out freedom.

He’s answering prayers and He’s speaking!

He’s working on your behalf!!!

 

So here’s to raising awareness not just for infertility, but for a God bigger than infertility. I hope this week we see more miracle stories than anything else... in order to stir hope in this community and create an atmosphere for miracles to be duplicated!!

If you are anywhere on the “infertility” spectrum... we hope you’ll stick around and dig through our resources. We hope you’ll find community in our online groups. We hope you’ll be encouraged by our social media posts. But mostly we hope you’ll be pointed to Jesus and refueled in your hope!


 

The Christmas Card Exchange CHANGED HER LIFE!!

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Lauren, here! I'm so excited to share this email testimony with you (I asked permission to share)! This is an AMAZING story of God's goodness. He sees us and what we need, and He is FAITHFUL! Now grab a tissue...


Photo Credit: Sabraw Photography

Photo Credit: Sabraw Photography

Hi Lauren!

My name is Courtney Kelly and I was a part of the 2017 Christmas Card Exchange. I learned about it from the I Am Fruitful Instastories. I didn't know that it would change my life when I swiped up for more information. 

I learned about I Am Fruitful from the blog post, Wait Until He's Late. I started following I Am Fruitful on Instagram. I signed up and then prayed for my Christmas Card Exchange partner, not knowing who she would be but fully confident that God knew.

On October 26th, 2013, I vowed to my husband to love him "in sickness and in health," and it has come in that order. We have dealt with a miscarriage right before he started chemotherapy for stage 3 colon cancer. Infertility was something we knew COULD happen but didn't think it would. After 12 rounds of chemotherapy, infertility was added to the list. We did two failed rounds of IVF in the fall of 2016. 

Mark Batterson says that, "God shows up and God shows off." God REALLY showed off with Jamie. On November 30th, my life changed. I tried to find her on social media, but couldn't, so I hoped Jamie was a girl (Haha!) and sent her a card and my favorite devotional. On December 8th, she sent me an email, and a friendship was born. 

I'm not sure I can get through this part without crying, so please stay with me! I had to wait 29 years to meet my husband. I had to wait 33 years to meet the friend that my heart has always always always wanted. I used to pray to have a friend that I had a lot in common with but I stopped praying because I hadn't met her. I didn’t think she existed. I wanted a friend I could laugh and cry with, a friend that would understand me and my love for Jesus (and share it with me!) and a friend that would be there – really be there – and understand me. And I would do the same for her! Only God could've orchestrated this friendship because even our differences are compatible. Jamie is the same as me AND totally different than me. God really showed off!

I'm writing this email to thank you. Thank you for hosting the Christmas Card Exchange. Thank you for prayerfully considering the matches. Thank you for this incredible blessing. My hope and my prayer is that you are blessed abundantly. I pray that God shows up and He shows off... for you! Thank you, Lauren, from the bottom of my heart.

Love,

Courtney Kelly 


Joy Comes in the Morning: Coloring Through Infant Loss & Miscarriage
$12.99

If you have experienced a miscarriage, still birth, or infant loss- this coloring book is for you!  It also makes a thoughtful gift for a friend going through the devastating loss of a baby. 

This collection of designs forms a beautiful and therapeutic tool for grieving. It provides a creative way to express your grief while meditating on the Word of God and filling your mind with truth.

It is a beautiful collection of over 25 inspiring pages designed by artists from Alaska to Hawaii, from East Coast to West! The pages include a variety of styles, ink drawings, and digital creations. Many of the artists have experienced miscarriage or infant loss, and on the back of each page they share encouragement for the grieving heart.

*Also available on Amazon Prime!

Believe Despite: A Story of Hope, Loss, & Extreme Faith

I sat down the other day with an amazing woman, Elisa Rumbo, who bravely shared her story with me. She struggled through 15 years of infertility, PCOS, 9 miscarriages, the devastating loss of her infant daughter, and yet she believed despite. She believed that the Lord would make her a mother!

If you are struggling with infertility or loss, you HAVE to hear her story. Her perspective is so wise, unique, and encouraging. She will, without a doubt, re-ignite your faith, remind you who our God is, and provide that extra jolt of hope you need to make it through the next hurdle in your own journey.