Our Journey with Infertility

Let me start by saying that our journey with infertility has been easy compared to the difficult road walked by many people I know. I don't pretend to understand what some people have gone through during their struggles to get pregnant. For most infertile couples, the heartache is unspeakable. Sometimes they want to share but don't know how to begin. I have friends who tried or have been trying to conceive for five, seven, or even twelve years. The three years it took my husband and I to conceive, and then the twenty months we've been hoping to get pregnant again since our son was born, pale in comparison to the years of doctor appointments, infertility treatments, and emotional roller coasters experienced by many infertile couples. I've only just begun to scratch the surface when it comes to encountering the trials that accompany infertility, yet the pain I've experienced is deep, weighty, and, at times, seemingly unbearable. 

I'm not usually so open about my personal issues on the Internet, but after my first post on infertility, several people asked me to write more about our experience with it. If you're unfamiliar with infertility, I hope to provide you with some insight into what it's like and to give you an idea of how to talk with those around you who are experiencing this awful disease (Yes, it's defined as a disease). If you're reading this as a person who has always been able to conceive easily and give birth to healthy children, give thanks to God! If you're reading this as a follower of Jesus Christ, and you're experiencing infertility yourself, I hope you'll be encouraged in your struggles and reminded of God's good plan for His children, for those who have been called according to His purpose. If you're battling infertility but don't know the unending, unchanging grace of Jesus Christ, I encourage you to trust Him with your life today. As I said in my first post, He is the only one who can bring ultimate satisfaction; not health, wealth, babies, or anything else this world has to offer.

Our story starts in January of 2011. Corey and I had been married a year and a few months at that time, and we decided we wanted to start a family. What an exciting time it was - dreaming of being parents and having a child of our own! I was finishing up my third year as a second grade teacher, and Corey told me I could quit teaching at the end of that school year and could start working part-time until we had a baby. We had always planned for me to stay home with our children one day, and we assumed I'd be pregnant within a few months. When I wasn't pregnant by the time school let out in May, we just thought it must've been because teaching was a stressful job; I simply needed some rest and relaxation. Surely we'd be pregnant by the end of the summer. We were both healthy, exercised regularly, and ate well. We shouldn't have any issues getting pregnant, we thought. 

The year 2012 rolled around and we still weren't pregnant. By this time we had done hours of research, tried several natural supplements, and talked about our different options. We were starting to grow more concerned but remained hopeful that our time was coming very soon, if we'd just be patient. We decided then that if we weren't pregnant within another year we'd make an appointment with a fertility specialist. The months passed by and we were met with disappointment after disappointment. It was truly a roller coaster ride of highs and lows: anxious hope, followed by heartbreak and sorrow, followed by more hope that next month would be our month, the month we'd been waiting for. 

Throughout this time, well-meaning people would say things like, "You can always adopt." Yes, we want to adopt, but adoption doesn't change a woman's desire to carry a child in her womb. Corey and I have planned to adopt since before we were married, since before we ever knew we had an issue with infertility. Our idea has always been to have several biological children of our own and then adopt a couple of children once our kids were a bit older. Another statement I heard often was, "Don't worry - it'll happen!" To which I would reply, "How do you know?" There are many women who have lived their whole lives, longing to birth a child of their own. Plenty of women have lived and died and never had that desire fulfilled. Some individuals will declare, "You just need to have more faith." Is that what you would say to the Apostle Paul, who pleaded with God three times that He would remove the thorn from his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:8)? Did Paul not have enough faith? Is that why his prayers weren't answered? And still others would say something like, "You need a vacation. Go on a nice, long trip, and just relax. Don't focus on trying to get pregnant." Oh, how I wish it were that easy! My friend who struggled with infertility for a couple years used to poke fun at all of this advice and say, "You know, just stand on your head, stick out your tongue, and touch your nose. That's what you need to do!" I know these people meant well with their suggestions, but I can tell you that a simple answer is usually best. All a person needs to say is a kind and sincere, "That must be so difficult. I'm praying for you."

During this emotional time God was gracious to bring some wonderful women into my life who had experienced or were experiencing infertility, as well. I have one sweet friend who, at that time, I called my "infertile friend." We were on this journey together. She and her husband had started trying to conceive around the same time as us. I'll never forget the day she sat me down and told me she was pregnant. Somehow I already knew that was why she had asked me to meet. God's grace again. It was such a bittersweet time for me. What joy for her and her husband! I was so happy for her. Yet it was a reminder to me that I still wasn't pregnant. 

Corey and I plodded on, walking the road of infertility. In January of 2013 we had reached the two-year mark. It was now time to schedule our appointment with a fertility specialist. But we couldn't do it. Making that appointment would mean acknowledging that something was really wrong; or could be. What would the doctor find? How could two seemingly healthy people like us have a problem trying to conceive? Would I never be able to get pregnant? Would I never carry a child in my womb?

It wasn't until September of that year that we finally made the appointment. "No Children Allowed" it said on the door to the doctor's office. They wanted to be sensitive to their patients, knowing that the presence of children could cause a downward spiral of emotions for some people. We checked in with the front desk and waited anxiously for our names to be called. E! News was playing on the television in the waiting room, and a mounted waterfall flowed down the wall behind a table of magazines. We sat in silence, nervous about what was to come. Finally, it was our turn. We met the doctor, a very nice woman. She performed an ultra-sound, and I breathed a sigh of relief when the exam showed that nothing looked out of sorts. She laid a calendar on the desk in front of her and told us, "You need to have relations here, here, and here," as she marked X's on specific days. In that moment, something beautiful and personal had become methodical and forced. She wanted us to perform a task at a specific time in order to bring about a desired result.

She sent us for more tests. When we nervously met with her again after she'd obtained the results she told us "Everything looks normal, but I'd suggest you go ahead and do IVF (in vitro fertilization)." She said it was better to do it now while we were both young. "If you wait five years and then come back, you won't have as much chance for success," she said. Then she sent in a nurse to discuss the different options and the prices for each. Not only were these treatments insanely expensive, but we didn't really know if we needed them. Everything looked "normal" after all. Corey and I decided to wait. We'd already tried many natural supplements and cleanses, but we didn't feel like we'd exhausted all of our options.

In October 2013 I started a new vitamin and mineral supplement, which was recommended to me by a local chiropractor. She told me she'd seen many couples who were successful in getting pregnant after taking the supplement only a few months; couples who had been trying to conceive for five years or more. "It's worth a shot," I thought, though by this time I'd heard similar stories and was reluctant to believe this would be any different. In addition to the supplement, I took a fertility cleanse in December of 2013. (Links to both the supplement and the cleanse are at the bottom of this post, in case you're interested.)

I'll never forget the day we found out we were expecting. It was early in the morning on March 3, 2014, just over three years since we first started trying to get pregnant. I sobbed uncontrollably when the "+" appeared on that pregnancy test, thanking God for this answer to prayer. I tear up even now as I recall the emotions of that moment. 

And suddenly I was completely humbled. All at once, I realized there had been a part of me that felt God owed me this, that I had earned a baby after all this time. Our prosperous, American way of thinking leads us to determine that God owes us things, that because other people have something, we should have it too. In her book, Openness Unhindered, Rosaria Butterfield points out that it is difficult for American Christians to see that God gives some people one cross to bear, while others carry a different cross, or even what would seem to be an unfair load of many crosses. "Indeed, this violates our sense of fairness and justice. But we don't get to choose the portion that God gives to us." God's Word says in Romans 9:20, "Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?'" Did I have any right to question God? Had I really earned a baby after all that time? Did I really deserve a child? Absolutely not.  The only thing I truly deserve is death and hell because of my sin toward a holy God. All I could do in that moment was drop to my knees and praise the Creator, the Giver of Life! 

And here I am again, desiring a baby but knowing that another pregnancy may not be in God's plan for my life. I may get pregnant next month, next year, or never again. All I can do is trust God, knowing that He is good. Some people may say, "How can you complain about infertility? You've had a baby." And how do I know they might say that? Because that's what I used to say before I got pregnant the first time. I would think, "What is she whining about? She already has a child of her own." And now I'm experiencing it myself. Many people told me that after I got pregnant once it would happen much easier the next time. For me, it hasn't happened that way. It's something called secondary infertility. I won't go into it in detail, but if you're interested you can read more about it here.

So, yes, I'm still facing the same fears, the same unknowns, and the same feelings of loneliness and helplessness, but I have learned a few things along my journey. I've learned that one in eight married couples in the United States has trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy (www.resolve.org). That means it is very likely that someone you know is struggling with this disease. Infertility occurs in both seemingly healthy and unhealthy people; those who exercise, and those who don't; those who eat well, and those who don't. There are supplements, cleanses, and medical treatments available, but nothing is guaranteed to work. Just when I was confident that I'd found my "magic answer," I did the same cleanse and took the same supplements again, but this time they haven't worked. God has been gracious to provide humankind with natural supplements, and He's also given people the ability to discover reproductive technologies that have changed the world of infertility, but our hope and trust cannot be in these methods. Our hope is in Christ. He owes us nothing, yet He gives us everything. Jesus gives us abundant life (John 10:10); it's not found in the job we work, in the stuff we own, or in the number of babies we have, but only in Christ alone. 

And, there you have it: our journey with infertility. As I said, our experience is by no means the worst of the worst. I asked my husband if I should even share our story. I told him it isn't nearly as dramatic or heartbreaking as the stories of some people we know. He said, "Share it. You can't worry about that. Someone, somewhere will always have it worse than you." That was a humbling statement in itself. But he's right. Compared to others our story is easy, simple, short. But I'm hoping that maybe it will open people's eyes to this silent battle fought by many couples throughout our world. If God can use our story to encourage or inform even one person, it's worth it to tell.

Love, 

Kristen

Links:

Vitamins

Minerals

Fertility Cleanse

www.resolve.org

King Jesus: Our Eternal Treasure

The day after Game 7 of the NBA Finals is joy to some and misery to others.  Whether they be players or fans, many are striving to win, striving to be first.  But at what cost?  Have you ever thought about the cost associated with giving your all in order to be first?  I’m all for good competition, and I’m all for winning, but not at the peril of one’s soul.  

Jesus says in Mark 10:31, “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” This saying comes on the heels of Jesus’s interaction with the rich, young ruler who refused to let go of that which he loved more than God.  The rich, young ruler was sold out to his possessions and was unwilling to let go; therefore, he was not worthy of eternal life.  The rich young ruler believed the lie that earthly things will be bring lasting enjoyment and that earthly possessions with truly satisfy.  The trouble with worldly things is that these things are not permanent.  These worldly accolades, these worldly pleasures, will all one day fade away.  Everything on this earth decays and rots, but that which is of true value lasts forever.  Championships, money, and earthly possessions will soon be forgotten, but that which is of everlasting value will remain throughout eternity.  In the presence of God there is fullness of joy, and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16:11). 

So will we forfeit all for the sake of following Christ?  Will we let go of this world and save our lives?  Jesus says in Mark 10:29-30, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”

You see, Jesus is worth it.  Only in Him will we find lasting value and lasting pleasure.  When we look to the world we only want more.  God’s Word tells us “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity” (Ecc. 5:10).  And this can be applied to more than money: When we seek the accolades of man, these things will pass away.  When we seek to be first, we will seek to be first in that which is fading away. But when we seek to be last, deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus Christ, only then will we receive an eternal crown.  So, take heart in this life whenever you lose or are trampled upon.  “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:35-36)

In conclusion, let me encourage you to look to Christ, who did not seek to be first, who did not sacrifice all in order to win, in order to glorify Himself, but He truly won by laying down His life, sacrificing all for the glory of His Heavenly Father and for the good of His people.  “Whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:44). 

Jesus Christ is the true role model.  Let us look to Him rather than earthly kings who are self-serving and self-exalting. 

~Corey

Christian Apologetics: Gentleness and Respect

In our world today, most of us probably know of at least one person who denies the existence of God, the saving power of God, or the reality of heaven and hell; or maybe they deny all three of these points. Some people couldn't care less about the things of God, some will ask questions, and others will initiate arguments in order to prove wrong those who do believe. As followers of Christ, what is the correct response in situations like these?

Recently, our church started a study on Christian Apologetics. I'll steal my husband's words from his first lesson on this topic to tell you that, although it may seem like it would, the word "apologetics" actually has nothing to do with apologizing for something you've done wrong. Instead, the word comes from the Greek word apologia and refers to defending our faith in God. We find the word apologia in 1 Peter 3:14b-15: "Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense (apologia) to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." Did you catch that? With gentleness and respect. 

It should come as no surprise to us as believers that we need to know God's Word in order to defend our belief in it. But I don't want to focus so much on the "what" but on the "how." Gently and respectfully.

When we have an opportunity to share God's glorious gospel, let us always strive to lift Him up; to adorn Him; to make Him look attractive. Our goal should not be to win an argument or to make ourselves look smart. Our objective should always be to bring glory to our King.  Does bickering with an unbeliever over Facebook regarding the reliability of Scripture bring glory to the Father? Let's take it a step further: How about getting into a screaming match with an unsaved friend or family member about the sanctity of life, gun control, bathroom ordinances, or other major issues of our day? Does that make God look attractive? The answer to all of those questions is a resounding no. Don't get me wrong - these are important issues. But we cannot expect those who don't know the Lord to live as if they do. As Christians, we have a tendency to be disgusted with people who don't hold to Christian values. What else should we expect from people who deny Jesus as Lord, don't believe the Bible is God's Word, and haven't been changed by God's amazing grace? 1 Corinthians 1:18 reads, "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." There's a line in a Casting Crowns song that often echoes within my mind: "God's gotta change her heart before he changes her shirt." May we always approach people with the gospel in a gentle and respectful way. For it is the gospel that is the power of God unto salvation. Yes, unbelievers will be offended by God's Word; but let's let Christ's gospel be the offense - not us, not our words.

Love,

Kristen

Busyness

This past Sunday I preached from Luke 10:38-42, where we find that Martha was distracted with much serving; she was troubled and anxious about many things.  There was a meal to be prepared, and Martha felt the burden of all the service that had to take place.  She was distracted by these many tasks, and Jesus rebukes her for this. 

So, what is the real issue here?  Is Martha’s busyness the issue, or is it something else?  Is she doing too much or is she not doing enough? 

Well, Jesus does not rebuke Martha for her service.  He actually rebukes her for being anxious and troubled by many things, while neglecting Him.  Martha’s heart was focused upon worldly concerns, while Jesus Christ himself was right there in her house.  She has welcomed Jesus into her house, and now she is neglecting Him for the sake of service to Him.

What does this mean for us?  Do we need to stop being so busy?  Maybe, especially if our busyness is self-seeking and self-serving.  But the problem with focusing solely on what we need to stop doing is that we neglect the issues of the heart.  If I find myself busy with social media and decide to fast from it for a time, there is a very good possibility that I will just replace this type of busyness with something else, especially if I don’t address the heart issue.  This is why it is typically easy to address external issues; we know that we can just replace those external issues with something else, but when we address issues of the heart, it is war.  The heart is deceitful (Jer. 17:9), and when we fight against its lusts and passions, it will fight back.  So, if we begin with the issue of busyness we will only tackle the fruit of the problem instead of the root of the problem.  The problem isn’t that we are busy; the problem is that we love ourselves, and we love the things of this world.  Therefore, if we want to sever the sin from our lives, we must look to Jesus, and sit as His feet like Mary did (Luke 10:39).

When we are frantic and troubled by all that needs to be done, the best thing we can possibly do is sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to His Words.  Worship is at the heart of all we do, and if we want to offer up a life of worship, then we must feast upon the Word of God, both intellectually and devotionally. 

This isn’t optional for the Christian life.  In fact, we are treading upon dangerous ground when we neglect Christ to do other things, whether in service to Christ or in service to ourselves.  If we neglect Christ and get caught up with the cares of this world, we run the risk of being choked out by thorns. Luke 8:14 reads, “And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.” Thankfully, in contrast, verse 15 reads, “As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” If we run to Christ and abide in Him, we will bear the fruit that leads to eternal life.

~Corey

A great book about busyness: Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung

Arms, Legs, Pinky Toes, and Armpits: We Are the Body of Christ

Recently I learned a difficult but necessary lesson regarding service to others, both inside and outside the church. God used a particular situation in my life to open my eyes to the massive structure that makes up the body of Christ - each member performing and accomplishing different tasks with one sole purpose in mind: to bring glory to our sovereign and holy God. 

I want to preface my story by saying that my family is blessed to be part of a local church that is made up of some of the most giving, caring, servant-minded people you will ever meet. All the members serve the body in some way, shape, or form - some more than others, depending on each person's season of life. But everyone willingly and gladly serves. Having said that, I'm going to explain the situation that God used to teach me this very important lesson. 

For several years I was in charge of updating the weekly prayer sheet at our church. There came a point, however, when I needed to transition out of that job so that I could start serving in another capacity - updating the church calendar. My first mistake during this transitional phase was assuming there would be several people eager to take over as the "prayer sheet updater." I expected that I would simply make an announcement regarding the need for this change and that the position would be filled quickly and seamlessly. That was not the case. While searching for someone who was willing and able to take over this job, I became very disheartened, and one day I brought up the subject to a much wiser woman than myself. She told me, "One thing I have learned - among many things - is that most likely no one will share the same burdens and love for a particular task than you do." And she is absolutely right, which leads me to point out my second mistake: I thought that my task, my particular ministry to the church, should have been just as important to everyone else as it was to me. Never mind that everyone else was already serving the church in another way, in the way God has gifted them. Why weren't they all jumping on this opportunity to serve in a way I thought was important? Yikes. I had a major case of tunnel vision. Talk about unfair expectations. 

This situation reminds me of the fact that each believer makes up a different part of the body of Christ (Romans 12:4-5). There are arms, legs, hands, feet, eyes, pinky toes, and armpits.

Each and every person is important. Every single believer should serve the church, but each person is not called to serve in the same way. Not everyone is gifted to teach or preach, serve as a deacon, play the piano, or update the prayer sheet. This idea extends even beyond the immediate needs within the worship services themselves. What about ministering outside the walls of the church building - street counseling outside the abortion clinic, or adopting or fostering a child, or doing home/building repairs for those affected by a recent storm? Are all these things good? Yes. Should we pray for all these wonderful ministries that take place both inside and outside of our churches? Without fail. Are all these things the right things for everyone to be doing? No. If everyone is an arm, who would be the leg? Or if everyone is a hand, who would be the foot (1 Corinthians 12:15-26)? We cannot expect everyone to be as passionate about a particular ministry as we are, nor can we assume that people will jump at what we believe is a wonderful opportunity. We all need to serve in the way in which God has equipped us. Praise God that He has made us all unique; therefore we can all uniquely serve the church!

And if you're wondering about the ending to my story - a gentleman did eventually step up to take on the role of updating the weekly prayer sheet, and, if I'm honest, he's much better at it than I ever was.

Love,

Kristen

Hosea: Sin, Judgment, and Prevailing Love

My friend and I recently finished a bible study on the book of Hosea. We have studied several books of the bible together and are usually able to finish any given book within a few months. This one, however, took a year! We didn’t intend on the study taking so long, but once we started digging into the book, we discovered that it was much more complex than we ever could have imagined.


The book of Hosea drips with figurative language, which sometimes can be interpreted in several different ways. Throughout our study, we sought help from numerous trusted commentaries and did our best to choose the most accurate understanding of each verse. (Side note: Boy, am I glad I don’t have my husband’s job! Unpacking the scriptures verse by verse, though of utmost importance, is extremely hard work. See more on expository preaching here.)


I now have a large stack of pages that make up my notes from the study, and I wish I could share all of it with you, but since that would make for an extremely lengthy blog post, I at least wanted to give you a little taste of what I gleaned from the study.

• At the beginning of the book, the Lord tells Hosea to take “a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord” (Hosea 1:2). Hosea takes a wife named Gomer, and their marriage offers the metaphor that explains the overarching topics of the book: sin, judgment, and ultimately, forgiving love. Throughout the book, Hosea’s marriage relationship to Gomer is likened to God’s covenant relationship to Israel. (I want to add that some commentators believe the marriage was not literal but only figurative. Either way, the main focus is not Hosea/Gomer but God/Israel.)

• The theme, according to John MacArthur’s Study Bible, is “God’s loyal love for his covenant people in spite of their idolatry.” The mercy God shows to Israel throughout the book can only be described as completely undeserved, just like a Christian’s salvation through Christ. It would be a scary day if God no longer had mercy upon mankind. I imagine we would be immediately consumed by fire, which is without doubt what we each deserve because of our sin. We are just like Israel in the days of Hosea – constantly straying from and rebelling against a holy God. Knowing that fact makes me so thankful for the never-ending grace of God toward those whose hope rests in Christ alone! If we aren’t trusting in the shed blood of Jesus Christ and his work upon the cross for our salvation, we are doomed to eternal punishment.

• Hosea 7:11-12 reads, “Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria. As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation.” God is portrayed here as a bird catcher throwing His net over Israel and pulling the people down for correction. My friend and I compared this scenario to a parent grounding their child. When a parent grounds a child to his or her room, the child has to stay inside the confines of that room. Does a parent discipline their child to be mean? Absolutely not. But is discipline necessary for the good of the child? Without question. And so it was with the discipline of Israel – necessary for their own good. “For the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:12

• While God does bring judgment upon the Israelites at the hand of the Assyrians, He never quit loving them. Hosea 14:4 says, “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.” This verse shows that God is not withholding His anger; He’s removing it completely! Israel has by no means earned God’s love – it is by God’s grace that He will love them freely. The Israelites, in their sinful state, could not turn back to God without a saving act from God Himself. God is the One who healed their apostasy (rebellion and faithlessness). Praise the Lord!

• The very last verse in the book of Hosea reads, “Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them." The main idea here isn’t that wise people inevitably will understand the book of Hosea, but that one must be wise in order to understand it. We should all pray for wisdom and discernment when reading this book because these sayings are difficult to comprehend. In addition, we can’t just assume that Israelite readers in the eighth century BC would have comprehended Hosea without struggle. A person must be “wise” in order to “understand” it and “discerning” in order to “know” it. Thus, the key to understanding is not intelligence but submission. “The righteous find life in these difficult words. To those who do not submit, they are rocks that give offense. Hosea’s final message is as if to say, ‘How do you read the words of this book? Do they enlighten or confuse? Are they life or death? Your response describes not so much the state of my book as the state of your soul.’” (Garrett, D.A. [1997], The New American Commentary)

Love,
Kristen