Our Fertile Faith

We began our effort to become parents more than five years ago. Along the way, there have been many ups and downs, but now we are about 14 weeks pregnant and looking forward to the birth of our first child this fall. To me, the story of our conception has reinforced my faith and it demonstrates that God is at work on the little miracle growing inside my wife's womb.

Our story also reminds that God acts in His own time according to His plan, not ours. If the world had been operating on our plan, we'd probably have a kindergartner by now, but that wasn't God's plan for us. Even though we may not have chosen this path for ourselves, we have benefited from the journey and are now much better prepared to become parents.

God did not choose to act when we first tried to conceive a child on our own. And He did not deliver the miracle of a new life when we first sought medical help. Instead we encountered setbacks, like anemia, that forced delays.

Later when we sought the help of specialists, we were initially turned away. Instead of receiving treatment, we were urged to lose weight _ something we'd wanted to do for years but never succeeded at before _ because it would improve our chances to conceive. So our fertile journey took yet another detour.

But while we rode this infertility roller coaster, Kelli and I continued to grow closer to each other as a couple even as we endured heartbreaking disappointments. Our love for each other deepened, and we strengthened our marriage. We also learned more about God through our small group and studies at church. And with the help of Weight Watchers we found weight-loss success and shed some 150 pounds between us.

When we returned for fertility treatments, we gradually moved up through stronger and stronger treatments. Months and months again passed by without success.

The Bible tells us that God often works through weakness, so it is abundantly clear to the world that God is behind the miracle. That is a large part of why I am so certain God is behind the miracle of our pregnancy.

Consider God’s choice of the nation of Israel to be His people. He picked one of the smallest groups of people on the planet to be His chosen people, so it would be clear Israel's accomplishments came from God.

Later, God helped a young shepherd boy named David slay a giant named Goliath with only a sling and a stone. It was clear God was at work when the giant fell.

In the New Testament, Paul writes about this concept in one of his letters to the Corinthians. Paul says he suffered from a physical ailment that God would not heal:

"Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.'” -- 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

For us, we reached a point after five years of off-and-on fertility treatments where we nearly gave up after pleading with the Lord for help so many times in prayer. Two rounds of in vitro fertilization had already failed, and we were starting to think seriously about whether we should pursue adoption or even whether God was trying to tell us that His plan for us was to be simply the best aunt and uncle we could be.

Then during our third cycle of in vitro fertilization even the doctors seemed pessimistic about our chances because Kelli didn't respond to the hormones quite as well as she had in previous cycles. But we made a leap of faith and decided to move forward anyway.

That is when God decided to act.

In our weakness, His power has been made perfect in the miracle of life. And we know He is with us and ready to hold us during whatever we face. I can’t know for sure the direction our path will follow from here, but I know that regardless of what challenges life presents God has a plan for us and He wants good things for us. I know that much because He told us so:

"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out-plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
"When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen.
"When you come looking for me, you'll find me. I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."-- Jeremiah 29:11-14

Please join us in praying that our little miracle will continue to grow and develop normally as part of a healthy pregnancy, and we will pray that all of you will one day receive your own little miracles in life however God chooses to grant them.

~ Josh & Kelli