Excerpt of Encouragement

Back when we found out that our first attempt at IVF did not result in pregnancy, that our two embryos did not implant, we received many sympathetic calls and e-mails. One e-mail was one of the most encouraging notes I have ever received, and I wanted to share some excerpts of it here. Annika wrote of what she thought God would say to me if he were giving a Hebrews 11 type of testimony:

By faith Andrea believed in my goodness when time and again she felt all-consuming disappointment and sadness. By faith she remained focused on me, looking to the power of the cross rather than allowing herself to be surrounded and captivated by her grief, her anger, her perplextion, her jealousy, her self-pity. By faith she trusted me to carry these things, when she could have tried to carry them by herself and turned her back on me. By faith Andrea fought to hear my voice when the world said, "There must be something wrong with you. You must not be spiritual enough. You must not pray ferverently enough. The Lord must be trying to teach you something, or else you would be pregnant by now." She fought to hear my voice among the clatter, to remember my goodness to her in the sacrifice of my Son, to remember my love for her, to allow me to comfort her and soothe her, to fill her void. By faith Andrea did not waver in her belief in my ability to bring forth life, but rather trusted in my timing and my purposes, even when it seemed unfair and pointless. By faith she pressed on, rathen than sit down stubbornly and refuse to continue until she got what she wanted. By faith she matured and grew in her understanding of my sovereignty and love for her. Her faithfulness has brought me much delight; if only she knew what I good and wonderful things I have in store for her...

I believe He is boasting about You to those around Him, perhaps even to the little lives that are now with Him, saying, "Do you see her? That is your mommy! Isn't she so
amazing? Would that more of my children have her strength and perseverance! I love her so very much!"

Thanks, Annika, for such encouraging words and faithful friendship! It helps to have such a specific picture of how God is receiving glory from this trial of infertility.