Tag: Infertility

Trash Talking

Posted on by Evangeline

Athletes do it all the time.

They talk trash to and about the opposing team in order to consistently gain a mental edge over their opponents. It can be fun to watch them as they get into each other’s head. Larry Bird has been crowned the #1 trash talker in the NBA in this report. I would not have expected him or Reggie Miller to be in the top five of NBA trash talkers.

Are you a trash talker? It can be fun to talk trash to friends & co-workers just out get a rise out of them!

But we have an opponent in life that actually gets us to talk trash to ourselves. It’s an insidious method the devil uses to get in our heads. He uses it to gain a mental edge over us by distracting us from the One who loves us most. He gets us to focus on ourselves and our shortcomings instead of focusing on Jesus and all He’s done for us. The devil gets us to consistently put ourselves down in various situations:

  • “I can’t even do the simple things right.”
  • “I always get sick from allergies this time of year.”
  • “My boss never gives me a break.”
  • “My body just doesn’t cooperate in getting pregnant.”
  • “All the men/women in my family get this disease. I guess I’ll get it too.”
  • Blah blah blah blah…

All of this putting down of self makes life a drag, filled with pity parties, bouts of anxiety, and excessive self-condemnation. It’s time for a change! Instead of agreeing with what the devil says about you in your thoughts and then activating those thoughts by saying them, choose to agree with God and speak His Word. If there’s trash that you’ve been talking to yourself about a particular situation in your life, it’s time to throw out the trash! Find a scripture that promises the opposite of the negativity you’ve been saying about yourself. Find a verse that clarifies how valuable you are in God’s eyes and then begin to say that to yourself.

Why waste time talking trash to yourself, putting yourself down with your own words? Allow yourself the freedom to speak peace and blessing to yourself so you can enjoy life more!

Evangeline Colbert

Monday’s Marinade

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. Repeatedly think about 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 for this week:

Monday's Marinade www.EvangelineColbert.com

Focus Friday

Posted on by Evangeline

John 3:17 EvangelineColbert.comFocus on this scripture throughout the day. It’s God’s Word and it’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Use it as an affirmation. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!

 

Roller Coaster

Posted on by Evangeline

roller coaster by ponsulakEveryone on a roller coaster is going to the same destination. However, not everyone will get off the ride with smiles on their faces. Everyone won’t  have the same experience.

Some will become afraid as soon as they sit down in the seat. The safety bar being latched in place doesn’t make them feel any better. Their fear keeps them from enjoying the ride. They never want to try it again.

Others will sit relaxed, with great anticipation of an exhilarating ride. They likely will do this many times.

Life is a lot like that.

We all are going to the same destination. We can choose to enjoy getting there by resting in Jesus’ love and His power and enjoy life knowing that we’re in His care, or we can choose to be fearful of the dips and peaks ahead and live a life filled with worry and anxiety.

Which do you choose?

 

Tired of the roller coaster of infertility? "Rest and Receive" at The Retreat.

 

Image courtesy of Ponsulak | Free Digital Photos

 

Fertility Retreat – You’re Invited!

Posted on by Evangeline

Infertility Retreat

Focus Friday

Posted on by Evangeline

Focus on the following scripture throughout the day. It’s God’s Word and it’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Use it as an affirmation. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!

Focus Friday

YouVersion Infertility Reading Plan

Posted on by Evangeline

YouVersion_logoREV

Last year I announced that my submission for an infertility reading plan on the YouVersion website had been approved. Here’s a snippet from that post:

Recently, I received a request from a reader to write a Bible study plan that specifically addresses infertility and post it on the YouVersion Bible website. [According to their website, “YouVersion is a simple, ad-free Bible that brings God’s Word into your daily life,” via your phone, tablet or computer.]

Because I know how much enlightenment comes from reading the Bible, I thought it was a wonderful idea and followed up on that suggestion.

I’m glad to say that I submitted a proposal to YouVersion and they have approved it!

To say the least, I am very excited about providing this resource to bring hope to those in the midst of infertility and to encourage people around the world that infertility is not too hard for the Lord! (Genesis 8:14)

 

YouVersion Plan
Image courtesy of Vectorgirl | Fotolia

Well, I’m THRILLED to tell you that the plan will go live on the YouVersion site on Thursday, April 10, 2014! Woo Hoo!! Presently, it will be the ONLY reading plan on that site that addresses infertility. Thanks so much to the reader who suggested I provide the plan [you know who you are :)].

I hope this plan is only the first of many that I’ll be able to provide through this wonderful Bible app.

If you haven’t already downloaded the YouVersion app, get it now. I’ll update you soon with more details.

A Seed of Hope

Posted on by Evangeline

Two years ago this month, I released my first “real” book, A Seed of Hope: God’s Promises of Fertility, a devotional that encourages women and gives tips about how to have hope during infertility. 

Paperback Edition
Paperback Edition

I was totally new to being an author. Writing it was a labor of love. It was a result of a long incubation period, repeatedly mulling over what I should say in it. Releasing it was a birthing process filled with anxiety, stress, and self-doubt. And yet, when I finally let it go into the digital meatgrinder of Smashwords.com and into the mouth of the online behemoth Amazon, I felt so relieved!

Here’s what a reader/fellow blogger thinks about A Seed of Hope:

“Thank you so much for your encouragement! I could send you a thank you card every day of the week for how much your testimony and faith has helped me.” 

[ Elisha at www.waitingforbabybird ]

April 21-26, 2014 will be National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), sponsored by RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association.I’d like to celebrate my book release anniversary and NIAW by sending you a signed copy of A Seed of Hope. You can order it via PayPal–click here. A portion of the proceeds from your purchase will be donated to RESOLVE., an organization that educates and advocates on behalf of those struggling with infertility.

If you’ve read the book, I’d love to hear your thoughts about it. Feel free to leave your comment below or on Amazon.

 

Focus Friday

Posted on by Evangeline

Image courtesy of criminalatt / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Focus on the following scripture throughout the day. It’s God’s Word and it’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Use it as an affirmation. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!

“Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who did bless us in every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3 (YLT)

 

Image courtesy of criminalatt / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Choosing Hope

Posted on by Evangeline

Today’s post is courtesy of Lisa, a blogger who has a personal connection to the stress and strain of infertility. She gives us an honest look at choosing to have and maintain hope. Be encouraged as she shares from her heart. Thank you Lisa for being my guest!

I don’t “do” hope very well.

Intellectually and academically, I believe God has His perfect plan for me, He desires to bless me, and He has impeccable timing.

But if I’m honest with myself, my heart doesn’t really absorb it all.  Most of time I don’t feel hopeful expectation; I feel resignation. Fear of disappointment and fear of pain holds me back from experiencing true hope.

After I became aware of this, God has two different sources to send me little nuggets of encouragement and truth to counteract my fear.

The first nugget came from a book I recently reviewed (http://amateurnester.blogspot.com/2014/02/book-review-sweet-side-of-suffering.html) called The Sweet Side of Suffering by M. Esther Lovejoy.  The book focuses on the blessings that come out of suffering, and she touches on the topics of fear and resignation. She says:

“At times of suffering we have three choices: We can rebel against what has happened to us and become angry and bitter.  We can resign ourselves to the inevitable with a sense of helplessness.  Or we can yield to the purposes of a loving heavenly Father and discover the sweetness in that surrender.”

As I read that quote, I knew the Lord was speaking directly to me.  I had been choosing resignation.

The second nugget came when a friend suggested that I don’t need to force myself to feel hopeful every day, all day.  Rather, I can think of hope as an article I can put on and take off at-will.  The idea is to practice putting on hope daily, even if it’s just for a few moments.  She even encouraged me to buy a special sweater, scarf, or pair of socks and literally put it on for a few minutes every day while I practice “putting on” hope.

When I told the same friend that I avoid the baby section in Target because it feels so foreign and makes me cry, she encouraged me to practice putting on hope while walking through the racks of tiny clothes and cute socks.  I am not a failure if the tears come.  I’m merely fighting for hope.  I tried this the other day, and the tears came indeed, but I felt powerful because I knew I had chosen the experience.

I guess what I’m learning is that I can choose to be hopeful.  I can choose to expect God’s blessings. It may feel awkward or unnatural sometimes, but hope is not a feeling that randomly falls upon certain people and ignores others.

It is something we must work towards and choose.

Lisa Newton Headshot  Lisa writes about her infertility journey and shares encouraging stories at http://AmateurNester.blogspot.com.