I'm so excited to introduce you to my amazing mom, Pam Grosse. I'm so thankful to her for sharing her heart during National Infertility Awareness Week. If you're going through infertility or loss and your family just doesn't seem to understand... send this to them. It's a great way to get a conversation started! Chances are they WANT to be there for you, they just may not know how!! And most likely, they don't have any idea how you feel or how hard this is!! I'll be following up this post soon with a list of ways to support family members going through delayed fertility.
Written by: Pam Grosse
I have never experienced the excruciating loss of an infant or child, or had a miscarriage, or spent years of waiting, hoping, and praying that I would become pregnant. Nor have I dealt with the stress that can manifest in a marriage when any of these things have occurred. But, I am the mother of someone who has endured several miscarriages, has spent hours in doctors’ offices, waited and waited and waited for months to conceive only to receive disappointing news, and probably cried buckets of tears. Sadly, most young women or couples in that position feel very alone and frustrated – and many get depressed. What is even sadder is that the people around them don’t even know how that person is feeling. Not even family. Not even Mom. That is why I am so thrilled to see I Am Fruitful reaching so many lives and helping so many to heal and have hope.
When my daughter, Lauren Bourne, and her husband, Billy, started I Am Fruitful I was so happy to know that even though they had already had one baby and another would soon be on the way, they wanted to reach out to couples like themselves who were going through similar situations. There just wasn’t much out there for them when they were going through a tough time, so before they even received their first miracle, God began speaking to them to begin their ministry to women and couples who were going through similar situations or even worse.
As Lauren’s ministry began taking shape I began to realize just how much my daughter hadn’t been able to share with me and how much pain she and Billy had experienced. Even though Lauren and Billy have a solid marriage with God at the center, they suffered heartache that people who are not in their situation will ever understand. I thought that because I had such a great son-in-law, he would be there for Lauren and she would be there for him, and I just needed to let them be alone. Time would heal their wounds. Besides, her dad and I lived 4 ½ hours away, so I would just pray and trust God to answer. Sadly, they felt very alone with little support. They were experiencing deep pain and hopelessness and very few people knew what they were going through or how to help. I believe that most family members or friends who have never gone through a long season of waiting to get pregnant, suffered miscarriage, or even worse – the loss of an infant, will ever fully comprehend what someone going through any of those events truly feels.
Fast forward to two precious gifts (my grandchildren) from God and a ministry that is reaching out to couples who are hurting – just like Lauren and Billy were hurting. And it all comes down to them surrendering their hearts completely to their heavenly Father, believing that His word to us is true, that His ways and thoughts are much higher than ours, and His plans for His children are great – to give them a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Now, there is a wonderful place to connect with others who are trying to conceive or have suffered an immeasurable loss – a safe place where they can share from the depths of their heart and find resources to help in such a difficult season of grief or waiting.
I now have a much greater understanding of what my children went through with delayed fertility and multiple miscarriages, and I feel honored to be part of the prayer team at I Am Fruitful. We are here to be a voice to God on behalf of those who are unable to express theirs or for those who need someone to stand with them for their dreams and desires to be met.
“You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! ”
My heart goes out to every person who writes in, and although I am not connecting with them on a personal basis, I am interceding on their behalf, thanking our faithful heavenly Father for hearing every prayer and for bringing every answer. I have already heard many happy stories of what God has done in so many lives, and I want to encourage anyone reading this who is going through a difficult time to press into God and let Him take your burden and pain in exchange for His peace, joy, and healing.
No matter where you are right now, God knows it, He sees it, and He is there to comfort you, strengthen you, and give you hope – even in the midst of what may be a very dark time. Joy truly does come in the morning, because the Lord’s mercies are new every morning – and He will never leave you alone. EXPECT His faithfulness in your life!
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
”
Lauren, here! Can I just tell you how amazing this woman is?? This woman I get to call Mom. The one who drives over 4 hours to babysit. The one who always reminds me it's okay to be a little feisty. The one who has encouraged me over the decades to pursue my dreams.
She may have downplayed her involvement during our waiting season. She and my dad may not have understood, but they were CONSTANTLY encouraging me, sending me emails, shooting me texts with scripture, calling, asking how I was, reminding me that God is bigger. I'm so grateful to have a supportive and Christ-centered family, and I say we need to make Mom's writing a regular thing around here!
Check out OUR IDEAS for raising awareness and getting involved during National Infertility Awareness Week! It's not too late!
Lately on Instagram:
