waiting

Take Courage! He's in the waiting.

It's Worship Wednesday, and we would love for you to worship with us today! I wish we could be together, hands lifted high in praise, but here we are worshiping together over the internet! This song... these lyrics! He's in the waiting, what a precious reminder for our TTC family. 

Quite honestly, my family went through a pretty scary situation over the weekend, and I truly experienced "taking courage through the waiting." We were waiting on what could have been a HORRIBLE diagnosis for my 5 year old son. Something NO Mom ever wants to experience. But the Lord was in every detail. (He's fine BTW! Just mono. AND HE WAS COMPLETELY HEALED THAT NIGHT!)

I think so often we keep God out of the waiting. We think He'll show up once the issue is resolved, the healing has come, the answer is yes. But He wants to be there DURING the waiting! Whether the "waiting" is a over a period of hours, years, or decades.

Whatever you're going through today. Whatever situation. No matter how big or how small. No matter how long you've been waiting... TAKE COURAGE. He will keep His promise to you and you will experience victory!!

Watch the lyric video for "Take Courage" from the album "Starlight." "Starlight" is the first album recorded live on tour and the follow-up project to "You Make Me Brave." Featuring 14 new songs by worship leaders: Jenn Johnson, Steffany Gretzinger, Amanda Cook, Kristene DiMarco, Kalley Heiligenthal, Melissa Helser, Hannah McClure and Grammy award winning guest worship leader, Francesca Battistelli.

Take Courage- Bethel Music

"So take courage my heart,

Stay steadfast my soul

He's in the waiting

He's in the waiting

Hold onto your hope

As your triumph unfolds

He's never failing

He's never failing" 

Nothing is Impossible!

It's Worship Wednesday here at I Am Fruitful, and we hope you'll take a few minutes to submit yourself before the Lord and praise Him!

I feel like this community needs a good reminder that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!!

Read the chorus and then worship with us!!

I know, nothing is impossible
I know, every chain is breakable
I know, on Christ the solid rock I stand!
My fear, is conquered by His perfect love
My life, is ransomed by His royal blood
I know, on Christ the solid rock I stand
 

Official video for the song "I Know" from Kim Walker-Smith's new album, On My Side, available now.

Speak to Us!!

Worship Wednesday is here! How's your week going? Would a word of God change your answer to that question?

Let's take a few minutes today to lift our voices to our God who hears AND speaks. Speak to us, Lord! 

It's National Infertility Awareness Week, and you may be a little discouraged by this point. There are lots of sad stories being shared, there is a lot of negativity, there is a ton of anger in the ttc community. I don't see much hope.

But when we are surrounded by darkness, the best thing in the world is hearing His voice. He makes the darkness tremble and He silences fear. If you relate even a tiny bit, listen below and WORSHIP!

Mosaic MSC "Speak To Us"

Provided to YouTube by Sony Music Entertainment Speak to Us (Live) · Mosaic MSC Glory & Wonder ℗ 2016 Provident Label Group LLC, a division of Sony Music Entertainment Released on: 2016-09-16 Composer: Andres Figueroa Composer: Carlos Pimentel Composer: Mariah McManus Auto-generated by YouTube.

Have you checked out our National Infertility Awareness Week IDEAS?

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It's Worship Wednesday!

This song is so dear to my heart. My darkest seasons of life have been marked by lies from the enemy that God is not near to me. Everyone else? Oh yes... Just not me. That is so WRONG! Do you ever feel this way? Let worship be your weapon today. God has NOT forgotten you. He loves you deeply, completely, and constantly. 

I love this song because it reminds us that He doesn't give us pieces of His heart, and He doesn't tease us! So often, miscarriage can feel like a big tease from God. But it's not!! And I know that because He does NOT tease us. 

Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?
— Matthew 7:9-11

Bethel Music "Pieces" 

This is the official lyric video from Bethel Music for "Pieces" off of Amanda Cook's upcoming solo album, "Brave New World." Pre-order the album and get 3 instant song downloads, including "Pieces": http://bit.ly/BNWPreOrder Learn more about the album: http://www.bethelmusic.com/brave-new-world

First Ever Worship Wednesday!

It's Wednesday... Worship Wednesday! And we want to start by reminding you that God is the God of miracles!!!

We are going to start sharing one song every week on Instagram. Our team will choose a different song each week– something that we believe will draw you closer to the Lord as you worship. 

We highly encourage you to give a "sacrifice of praise" as you begin worshiping. 

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
— Hebrews 13:15 ESV

It's not a sacrifice to praise God when life is going perfectly. But He asks us to praise Him continually– not just in the good times. So begin your worship by praising God for simply who He is.

As a community, let's lift up our voices and praise the King of Kings together. In your car, in your kitchen, wherever you are let's take a few minutes to declare that our God is the God of Miracles! 

Jesus Culture "Miracles" 

Jesus Culture presents "Miracles" live from Outcry. New album Let It Echo on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/LetItEcho?IQid=vevo SUBSCRIBE to JesusCultureVEVO: http://smarturl.it/JCVEVOSubscribe Stream/Share on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/LetItEchoSpotify?IQid=vevo See more on: Website: http://jesusculture.com/albums/let-it-echo Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jesusculture Twitter: http://twitter.com/jesusculture Instagram: http://instagram.com/jesusculture (P) (C) 2015 Jesus Culture Music, under exclusive license to Sparrow Records


When Your Stork Gets Delayed

We took our kids to see the new Storks movie. I've honestly been waiting anxiously to see it since I first saw the preview.  Major spoiler alerts in this post (I know, I know... it's not the latest Star Wars or Bourne movie... it's just a kids movie... and it's animated. I should calm down... I know)! But still- spoiler alerts.

My husband will be the first to tell you that when I get into a show or movie, I REALLY get into it. Like, if you overheard me discussing the movie, you'd think Jen Aniston and I were besties. Yeah, I call her Jen.

So yes, it's animated. But I really got into this one.

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I'm a grown woman. And I wouldn't consider myself overly emotional. But Lord have mercy, this grown woman cried during an animated film about storks. Not tears running into my popcorn crying, but my five year old looked over at me wondering what was up.

Well I'll tell you. This movie hit home with me for so many reasons!  

First- doesn't the stork idea sound so amazing? You send a letter for a child and the storks produce the perfect baby for your family and deliver it in no time, to your doorstep. No waiting. No tears. No childbirth. No failed ivf's. No infertility. Just a baby and a bird on your doorstep. 

An infertile couple's dream.

The storyline was centered around an 18 year old girl who lives with the storks because she had never been delivered to her family. Now she's grown and accidentally turns on the baby-producing machine that's been shut down for so many years. She screws up, makes a baby, and now she and a stork have to deliver it to the boy who ordered a sibling. 

This boy was in serious need of affection. He had workaholic parents with horrible priorities and he just wanted someone to love him. Someone to play with. So he ordered a baby.  

By sending a letter.

For all those who have gone through infertility on ANY level... Absolute dream.

Well what got me were how many obstacles the girl and the stork faced trying to get that sweet, pink-haired baby girl to her family. It should have been an easy delivery. They had the address and transportation.

Then a broken wing. Then a plain crash. Then a wolf attack. And it was one thing after another. Well that hit home. 

Thats how it felt when we were trying to conceive. One thing after another. Failed iui. Then a miscarriage. Then months of nothing. Bad reports. And the list goes on. It felt like the enemy did everything in his power to stop our children from joining our family. Some days I lost faith and thought it would never happen. It was one of the most challenging things I've ever faced. 

Back to spoilers. They began to show the storyline of the little boy and his family. The change that took place in their hearts as they waited for their baby. They began spending time together, re-prioritizing, allowing change to happen in their ralationships and in their hearts. And I thought- if that baby had been dropped off at their door right away, their family could have fallen apart. WOULD have fallen apart! They would NOT have been ready.

And I know- this isn't Les Miserables. It's an animated movie about storks. I'm not trying to win a movie critic award.

But it really got to me! How many of us want the stork to deliver the baby right away, when God has so many things He'd like to work in our hearts and families. He may or may not be causing the delay. Every situation is different. But why not use that time to build our dream families in our hearts. Become the best wives we can. Love fearlessly. Grow our relationships and capacity for love. Work on the deep stuff, get emotionally healthy so that when that delivery does come... our families are ready for it!!  Cue "We are the champions!" 

I grew so much during my struggle to conceive, during my miscarriages, during my marriage struggles, during each failed fertility procedure or negative test. I was in a place of complete reliance on the Lord and I deeply desired to change in any area the Lord wanted me to. That's when breakthrough happens, my friends!

And so as amazing as it sounds to send a letter and receive a delivery...  

I want to challenge you to open your hearts and your families to change. Please hear me... I am NOT saying that you're not getting pregnant because there's something wrong with you or you're being punished or you've got a long list of things to change. I don't believe that! What I AM saying is don't allow this time to go by without ALLOWING God to do a work in your heart.  You'll be even more ready when you're "stork" arrives!

  “[Gabriel] stood before me and said, ‘Daniel, I have come to make things plain to you. You had no sooner started your prayer when the answer was given. And now I’m here to deliver the answer to you. You are much loved...” Daniel‬ ‭9:22-23‬ ‭MSG‬‬

God sent an angel with Daniel's answer the first day he prayed, but did you know it took 21 days to arrive because there were forces not of this world that were delaying the angel!!  Daniel's personal stork, in this context. 

 “Relax, Daniel,’ he continued, ‘don’t be afraid. From the moment you decided to humble yourself to receive understanding, your prayer was heard, and I set out to come to you. But I was waylaid by the angel-prince of the kingdom of Persia and was delayed for a good three weeks.” Daniel‬ ‭10:12-13 ‭MSG‬‬

Answers get delayed. Storks in movies get delayed. Actual angels even get delayed. But we serve a God of redemption!! And He restores much more than what was lost! Whether it be time, life, hope, finances! He redeems it!

So have hope. Continue believing and praying and allowing God to work in your life. Praise Him BEFORE your stork arrives. Because He's already received your letter. He's already packaged up your delivery... sometimes it just gets delayed and arrives differently than we expected it to. It's what you do in the meantime that will change the course of your family and your legacy. 

Please Pin or Share if this encouraged you in your waiting!

 

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