As I observed this vacant scene on the shores of Lake Erie, I marveled at the wonder of God’s creation and how, every year, He allows nearly every sign of life to be obscured by ice, freezing temperatures and snow.
When we first started trying for a baby two and a half years ago, the early months held tendrils of hope. My mind swam with thoughts of our future family, not thinking for a moment of the difficulty we might face along the way.
It was 6AM, and my eyes were heavy as I tried to make sense of the Scripture passage laid out in front of me.
Infertility is a physical problem, but it has ramifications that go far beyond the physical. God gave us not just a body, but a mind, heart, and soul (Matthew 22:37).
Dear pastors, Thanks for all you do to shepherd our churches. We know it's not easy work, and we're grateful for the sacrifices you make to love and serve us. With Mother's Day coming, we want to share something you might not realize. Mother's Day Sunday is wonderful and important ... and incredibly painful. Here are some ideas and thoughts for those that are not mothers.
And maybe just when you thought you had grief in a manageable place...here come the holidays. And the wave crashes again. Especially Christmas. On paper, it’s the jolliest, merriest, and most festive holiday of the year. So what do you do?
Advent is about waiting. But really, just like our season of waiting, it’s also about the end, the prize, the Great Hope. Advent is about an arrival, the coming. What’s so incredibly hard about our waiting is that we have no such promise.
How to make it through the holiday of cute costumes & kiddos galore.
I wanted to be dressing up a cute baby or completely and utterly embarrassing my husband with my brilliantly matching family costumes. But NOPE. Not our reality. Our reality was that I was tearful and ended up hiding out as waves of families, kids, and Tinkerbells would not stop ringing the doorbell.
Relating Well with your friends (especially momma friends) through this difficult season can be one of the most challenging parts of your journey. Here are some things that may help our heart and our focus.
To our church families: You might not realize that Mother's Day Sunday is the hardest church service for us to attend. We love moms and want to honor them. But the very nature of the holiday reminds us of what we don't have. And sitting through a service that elevates motherhood to the neglect of those who aren't mothers is hard to bear.
We want to share some suggestions for how you can BOTH honor moms AND show love to those who are hurting…
