IAW Post 1: “Sing Oh Barren Woman”

Today is the first day of National Infertility Awareness week and this is an awareness week that is very real to my heart. In honor of this week and all the women who are walking this journey with me, I’m posting several things this week that have brought me hope and kept me planted in the truth in my journey through a season of barrenness. With out Jesus and the hope He brings, I would have lost heart long ago.

This month, April 2018, marks two years I’ve been waiting to become a mama. Zach and I have two babies in heaven who we wish we could hold in our arms but when we will forever hold in our hearts. There are so many things I could say to describe what this journey is like to people who have never been here but I don’t want to use this as an opportunity to be understood. I want to use it as an opportunity to be understanding of those who are already here. You are not alone and there IS HOPE. His name is Jesus.

Some people might say it’s not an appropriate topic to share publicly about, but I say if even ONE sister of mine can be encouraged in her journey through infertility by what Jesus has taught me in mine, I’ll share anything and everything with out hesitation. We are here for community. We’re not here to journey alone. This can be one of the loneliest journeys - it is so silent. No one can see the reality of it except your spouse, your doctors and Jesus. It takes great courage to know you have a chance every month for breakthrough and when it doesn’t come, to keep your hope up for next time, believing it will happen. Hope is courageous - that has been one of my biggest lessons. (You can read more on that in my previous post “Hope: a weapon in the desert”) After the 10th, 18th, 23rd times breakthrough doesn’t happen, we can still be as confident it will come as the first time we expected it because of Jesus.

He gives us this promise: “Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord. “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated...For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.” Isaiah 54:1-5

So sing sisters! Sing over your barrenness! Our breakthrough is coming. Prepare and enlarge the tent curtains of your heart. Don’t hold back your confidence! Lengthen the chords of your hope and strengthen the stakes of your faith. You’ll need it to hold the magnitude of your breakthrough. You will spread out in every direction. Your children will dispossess nations of the enemy. They will take back the territory he had occupied and settle The Kingdom in it. They will change the world. Do not fear the future. You have a husband who fights for you and will not let you be put to shame. Cling to Him in the waiting and let Him be your hope and joy. I’m singing with you.