Thanksgiving – Thankful for What?

Posted on by Evangeline

   Thanksgiving

It’s Thanksgiving Day here in America. It’s a time when we celebrate how God began to form a nation with very humble beginnings. It’s a time to be thankful for many blessings, especially the freedoms we enjoy here in America.

But, when you’re facing the difficult struggle of infertility, what is there to be thankful for?

It’s so easy to get caught up in all that’s going wrong, the disappointment that comes month after month, the emotional drain of it all, the possible health scares, the financial toll and the marital problems that tend to stealthily creep in. But this Thanksgiving Day, no matter where in the world you are, make a DECISION to look for the things in life you can be thankful for.

Start by remembering that God is with you. If you’ve asked Jesus into your heart, He has promised to never leave you and to always bless you with His unfailing grace. Continue to rest in knowing that God is for you and not against you (Romans 8:31). Be thankful that He has given so many examples of women who overcame infertility,   who stand as reminders of what His loving power can do in seemingly impossible situations. Be thankful that He’s also given you  promises in the Bible that relate to your fertility. Thank Him that you can count on Him to make good on those promises (Isaiah 55:11).

Even during the moments when you doubt  His ability, willingness, and timing, stand firm in being thankful that  He still loves you. Believe that He loves you unconditionally, just as much as He loves Jesus (John 17:23).

Be thankful that there is nothing too hard for God, especially infertility (Genesis 18:14)!

Think About What You’re Thinking About

Posted on by Evangeline

What are you thinking about at this very moment?

When we’re faced with a thought filled with doom and gloom, and it repeatedly comes to mind, it’s hard to maintain a hope-filled focus. That’s exactly when we must remind ourselves that we can choose what we think about. We can dwell on the thought that brings us down and continue to ride that wave of despair, OR, we can switch gears and begin to think about the truth.

Truth always prevails. It is unshakable. It is unchangeable. Truth is the foundation upon which we can build a thought-life that brings waves of joy and not sorrow, hope and not despair.

David knew the power of truth and he used it to his advantage:

“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6

When everyone else around him could would not help him at a time when he was grieving, David chose to think about the truth that he knew — the always-there, never-failing, goodness of God. He looked to Him and David found strength to go on.

The only truth I know is the Word of God. It is absolute,  filled with hope and  love, showing us how good God is. Read it today and let it shape your thoughts, acting as the agent to encourage and strengthen you.

 

Thinking about things

Thank You Veterans!

Posted on by Evangeline

Veterans Day

 Thank you to the more than 48 million veterans who have served and sacrificed for our country’s freedom and peace! You are a blessing to us!

 

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD. Psalm 33:12

Monday’s Marinade-Thankfulness

Posted on by Evangeline

Monday’s Marinade is provided to you as a means of “soaking yourself” in the hope-filled Word of God at the beginning of your week. Start your week by meditating on this Word (think about it and mutter it to yourself).  

Thankfulness is powerful! Marinate and season your week with the power of saying “Thank You” to God.

Here’s your spiritual marinade for thankfulness this week:

Monday's Marinade-Psalm 100

 

Sticky Note Thought #3

Posted on by Evangeline

Sticky Note Thoughts are from my collection of sticky notes that I’ve quickly scribbled over the last few months. They are some of my personal thoughts and revelations. 

As quick sources of insight, I hope you’ll find them encouraging, challenging, funny, uplifting, etc. –just what you need at the moment you read it.

Are you a fellow shopper who can relate to this sticky note thought?

sticky note- bargains

Sarah’s DUI

Posted on by Evangeline

Sarah's DUI

Did you know that Sarah had a DUI thousands of years ago?  Her DUI was, of course, not driving while intoxicated/under the influence; it was “Deciding Under the Influence” – of doubt. Sarah made some life-changing, not-so-good decisions under the influence of doubt. Her strong incredulity about God’s promise of a son came back to bite her. Because it was taking so long for her to see the manifestation of the son God had promised them, doubt started to cloud her judgment. She made a doubt-influenced decision to help God keep His promise.

The details of Sarah’s DUI and the consequences of it were not pretty. You can read her story in Genesis 16. Doubting God’s goodness and His faithfulness to keep His word influenced her to offer her Egyptian slave, Hagar, to Abraham. Sarah decided to have her husband to take Hagar as a wife and have sex with her so that the slave could produce the heir that Abraham so desperately wanted. And of course, Abraham gladly cooperated! He probably thought that he was winning all the way around—sex with a “pretty young thing” AND producing the son he always wanted. But that was not God’s plan. As a result of this DUI, Sarah did not experience God’s promised gift as quickly as she thought.

God’s plan was for Sarah to birth a son. A surrogate was not going to bring forth the child of promise that He had planned for Sarah and Abraham. Even though it looked impossible, even though it took a long time, God’s plan was still the best plan and He did not need Sarah to run interference and attempt to force His plan to come to fruition.

Have you ever had a DUI like Sarah’s? Are there times when you struggle because you’re making a decision under the influence of doubt?

Decide to rest in God’s promise. Decide to be still and know Him as God of your circumstances. Your best efforts can never measure up to what He can do to bring good things your way!

 

 

Image from Springfield News Sun

Monday’s Marinade – Good Health Checklist

Posted on by Evangeline

I love checklists!

Lists can be powerfully helpful and satisfying. Making a list helps me to stay focused. It increases the chances that I will get things done. Can you relate to this?

God is a list-maker too. In the Bible, He gives us lists of things to do to Help us live a life filled with the good things He planned for us. Here’s one of His lists. It’s a good health checklist. Marinate your week with thoughts about your entire body being healthy by using God’s Word!

Health checklist - Proverbs 4

 

Sticky Note Thought #2

Posted on by Evangeline

Sticky Note Thoughts are from a collection of sticky notes of my personal thoughts and revelations.

As quick sources of insight, I hope you’ll find them encouraging, challenging, funny, uplifting, etc. –just what you need at the moment you read it.

sticky note #2

 


Original background image by Boykung \ Freedigitalphotos.net

Focus Friday – Love in Marriage

Posted on by Evangeline

Maintaining a successful marriage takes work under “normal” circumstances. It is especially important to work at maintaining a strong, hope-filled, and love-based marriage during the stressful circumstances added by a season of infertility.

Here are important some keys about love, as God intended it to be experienced between husband and wife. Focus on how love REALLY is and not as it’s portrayed on television, in romance novels, and online. Focus on God’s love for you and how He wants you to love your spouse.

Get more tips and encouragement in my ebook, Infertility Sucks! How to Maintain Hope in Your Marriage During Infertility.

 

Love and Marriage

 

Monday’s Marinade :: Your True Source

Posted on by Evangeline

We all tend to look in a lot of different directions for the source of something good we’d like to have.

Today, start your week by meditating about how God is the unfailing Source of everything that is good.

Monday’s Marinade is provided to you as a means of “soaking yourself” in the hope-filled Word of God at the beginning of your week.  Repeatedly think about this and quietly say it to yourself.  Marinate and season your week with hope and a confident expectation of good things happening!

Here’s your spiritual marinade to remember your true source:

Monday's Marinade Ps 37-7