Transparency

Its time to be transparent. Its time for me to admit to my private struggles in order for Gods works in my life to truly shine. I have a theory that as we keep our battles, hurts, and fears private it tends to dampen how others see our God at work. Of course we praise God when the sun is shinning. But we also praise him during the rain...

This is the story of my current storm.

Daren and I have been talking baby names since our second date. We have been hoping to concieve that child to name for the last 7 months. Within these last months we have had one endometriosis diagnosis, one laparoscopy to remove the endometerosis and two ovarian cysts and two chemical pregancies ( i.e. very early miscarriages). We do not believe that we are infertile but we have come across some rough road bumps.

Daren and I went up to Presentation Sunday with my cousins Bill and Gina last weekend.

The service was wonderful. There was a really long time of worship and then the pastor spoke about the power of the word of God. Not the bible, but the power in words and in the words God speaks. After that two women stood up and gave their testimonies regarding how they grew their families. One woman could not carry a pregnancy and at 46 she got pregnant and felt God had touched her heart and she new she was having a girl and her name was to be Alicia. After a miraculous natural conception she miscarried again. After that on an act of faith she bought a cradle and put that cradle at the end of their bed trusting that God would fill it with their baby. They were too old toadopt and too old to conceive naturally. One day her husband heard Dr Dobson interviewing a woman about Embryonic Adoption and came home and told her that this is how they would get their baby. A matter of months later they were matched with embryos that had been stored andfrozen for 4 years. She had a daughter and her name is Alicia.

The Pastor took the mic around and couple after couple testified to the miracle that God had done at this service last year and in previous years. For one couple they were both considered infertile due to her endometriosis and him being treated for brain cancer as a teen. They stood up and held their baby who was born 9 months after being prayed for at this service last year.
Another couple stood and showed off their twin girls who were born Dec31st from IVF. They testified to the miracle birth of their children and reminded each couple to not underestimate the way in which God will make you parents.

Bill and Gina have friends who had been told that she had no eggs. No eggs! They now have 5 children as a direct result of being prayed for at this service. Each child was conceived naturally and is a productof being prayed for at Presentation Sunday and believing. I was so moved when Rich, the dad of this family, came up to meet us and told us that they have our names and pray for Daren and I as a family.

Then it was time to go to the front and kneel at the alter. The pastor prayed a prayer over all of us up front and invited other couples who have had the blessing of children to come and lay hands on us. Bill and Gina came forward and laid hands on Daren and I and prayed prayers of healing and of faith.

Two other pastors laid hands on us and prayed for the desires of our hearts to be granted and for our home to ring with the laughter ofchildren. At one point, Wyatt, the son of Rich, who must be around 7 years old stood before us and laid his young hands on our shoulders and prayed for us!

Stranger after stranger laid their hands on our shoulders and prayed and prayed and prayed. Prayed for a miracle, prayed for faith, prayed for healing, prayed for patience. Daren and I both cried the entire time while we were on our knees at the altar. At one point Daren reached over and I didn't know what he was doing until I realized thathe was actually reaching for my tear soaked snot covered Kleenex!

I have been praying for the last several weeks that the Lord would raise people up to pray for us and as we walked away from the alter a woman from the church gave me a necklace with the verse "Be still and know that I amGod" on it and a note attached that read "WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU".

When we were back at Bill and Gina's and packing up our things I mentioned to Daren how if he had gotten pregnant right away we never would have sought God like this. And he said to me "Its like we saved our own lives trying to create one" It was beautiful!

Bill and Gina gave us a Winnie the Pooh sleeper and hat baby outfit that is now out in our house as our act of faith that God will bless us with the baby to fill it.

This service has given me the courage to continue to hope and to be more transparent about this journey.

We now wait in expectation for our miracle in Gods time.