If trying to become a mommy is not working out as you had planned, at best, and has been downright heartbreaking because of pregnancy losses, at worst, it is difficult to not fix your eyes on the disappointments on your journey to motherhood and become incredibly discouraged. But if you are not ready to give up hope, consider looking past what it looks like and fight for your fertility, in faith.
Becoming a mom was seven years in the making for me. Before having my daughter, I suffered a stillbirth at 20 weeks, followed by several miscarriages. I don’t think I have ever cried so much in my life, except when my beautiful mom died almost two years before my husband and I began trying to have a baby. I mean my heart ached because I was already so in love with the little life inside of me the moment I knew I was pregnant! And falling into the category of what the medical profession calls advanced maternal age—35 or older—was another level of distress, making my desire to have a baby seem even more challenging and dubious. However, I would not accept that I could not have a baby. In my heart, I knew I was meant to be a mom and refused to allow my proverbial maternal clock, nearing what seemed like its last tick, and the emotional and physical toll of my journey render me hopeless. I had to look past what it looked like and fight for my fertility, in faith.
Now, trust me, I did not always “feel” like having faith. But I made the decision to do so. I began to inundate my heart and mind with some of the promises in the Bible. I claimed those promises. They helped me to see beyond what I had experienced and to believe, in faith, that God would answer my prayer to have a healthy baby even after I entered my forties. Yes, I turned the big
4-0 and was still longing to have a baby! That number sounds daunting. But choosing to look past what it looked like, I looked to the Bible for inspiration and strength. Considering my age, Hebrews 11:11 (NIV) was so encouraging to me:
“And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who made the promise.”
Did you get that?! Sarah was no spring chicken—she was “past childbearing age”. Yet, in faith, she believed God would answer her prayer.
I also found hope in 1 Samuel 1:27 (NIV):
“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.”
I know that pain and sense of desperation you feel when trying to have a baby and your womb is still empty. I know what it feels like to finally become pregnant only to lose that pregnancy through a miscarriage or heart-wrenching stillbirth. I also know that even when you feel like giving up, you can still choose to not give up and fight for your fertility, in faith. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV). Stay encouraged!
For hope and inspiration to fight for your fertility, in faith, read SEVEN YEARS TO SYMONE: Finding Faith to Overcome Infertility and Have a Baby After 40.
