Barren among the Fruitful

After wandering the house and trying to pray and no words coming.  Finally, ending up at our breakfast table – in the early morning light, I sat before my opened Bible.   My eyes landed on the following verses,

 
The words seemed to jump off the page – “…so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” He wanted “first place” in this journey of mine. I boldly prayed that if He wasn’t going to give me children that God would give me my community.  I asked Him to give me “spiritual” children.  There was wrestling in my spirit, many tears, then surrender! Over the next several years, I poured my life into the community.  I saw much fruit.  Our Church was breaking every record that had ever been set in the Church before.  All the while, women were having babies all around me.  I just kept serving, and then I went on a month-long mission trip.  While on the trip, I begin to feel sick and had the fleeting thought – I think I’m pregnant.I was pregnant!  We were ecstatic!  The Church celebrated with us for almost six months, and then one day, something wasn’t right.  I went in for a sonogram and vividly, I remember the eyes of the tech performing it.  Her smiling eyes turned cloudy with grief, and she quickly excused herself and returned immediately with the Doctor who confirmed what she had discovered.  She left the room, and he turned to me, I knew, I already knew. Hannah Grace had died.My journey had already included five failed adoptions and now this.  And yet, the cry of the Holy Spirit within my heart, “He must have first

place in every part of my life – even this painful part!”  There was hardship! There was heartache!  And as I trusted the Lord for the years, He has unfolded a plan that could have only been His story for my life.  There have been many joyful years since that time.

This Sunday there will be many sitting among us who have similar stories.  For some, they have experienced their stories in quiet agony while others have felt on display.  There are many women sitting in pews that would have loved to be a mom, and yet for reasons beyond them, it never happened.

How do we respond to a woman who has lost a child or who have had a desire to be a mother and hasn’t had that opportunity?

As the non-mother of this day – How do you engage and not become bitter, envious or jealous?

First, we love each other.  There is no competition here, and there shouldn’t be any comparison either.  We are women, and each of us has our story to live and our numbered days set aside by our Creator.  John 13:34-35

Live your life.  He knows the desires of your heart.  “Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 (NASB)

Cheer one another on in your journeys.  We can pray for the other, and we absolutely need each other!  James 5:16

Finally, listen to the Father’s heart for your journey!  There are options available that were not available to Christian women 20-30 years ago!  For example, I love that our newest ministry sponsor, One More Child’s Organization, Church Engagement Director, Sundy Goodnight.  She has fostered, is fostering and has now adopted a wee one!  Sundy is a single woman, who listened to the Father’s heart for her life and has followed His voice!  Love this.

Many, many children need homes today!  What is God’s plan for you?

Happy Mother’s Day! (Because all of us can have Spiritual Children!)

I love you dear ones.

Diane is the director and founder of Contagious Joy. She and her professor/pastor husband, Dr. Preston Nix, have served in ministry for 35 years.  She speaks and teaches whenever the Lord gives her the opportunity.

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