“Praying for you,” is one of the most common comments I receive during this season.
I know often people want to have a more lengthy response full of wisdom to sort of “fix” my situation, but honestly “I’m praying for you” goes such a long way.
To be prayed for is to be loved and I cherish those prayers and that love more than I can explain.
As you have probably gathered from posts like THIS one, I have a huge burden for others in this valley. There are so many longing wombs out there. Probably more in your life than you realize.
So whether you yourself are struggling with infertility or someone you love is, here are 5 specific ways I pray for those struggling to conceive.
1. For them to be drawn to Christ through this situation.
I have found some of my greatest joy, intimacy, and peace during this season and I pray these couples will too. We see all throughout Scripture that God desires to grow us during suffering so I pray that for their lives. For couples who don’t know Christ as Savior, pray that God will use this season to pull on their hearts and reveal Himself in irresistible ways.
2. For them to be filled with peace, hope, faith and joy.
There are many times I'll be having a tough day and God pours these out on me. It's in those moments that I know someone somewhere is praying for me. Some days faith is hard to come by and hope has to be picked up over and over again. Pray that the Lord who IS all of these will fill their hearts.
3. For their marriages to be strengthened and protected.
We know good and well that Satan will use whatever he can to destroy marriage. This sorrow and longing brings out so many emotions and tough conversations. I'm praying specifically for these families that Satan will have no place in their trials, that intimacy will grow not dwindle, and the journey will strengthen the bond they have.
4. For understanding friends and families.
I am SO blessed by a WONDERFUL support group. I have many women around me who are open with me and are there for me by prayer and encouragement. It' so nice to have friends that understand the exact hurt I'm feeling without thinking I'm crazy, selfish, mean, depressed, ungrateful, or hopeless. MANY of these couples have no such group. I pray God sends people into their life to be that. I also pray that those around them who simply can’t understand from experience will be filled with compassion and discernment in tough situations.
5. For them to have a baby!
Of course this is the obvious one. I used to pray this for couples trying to have babies long before I was ever married. I put it last thought because in the last year I've learned how important it is to pray those other 4 points along with the conception prayer.
"He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children, Praise the Lord!” Psalm 113:9
I pray that verse over our family and the many others I know believing that God is powerful and sovereign!
This list could go on and on… and it will. A huge prayer project with A Sweet Aroma is in the works but this is a great list to start out with.
A friend of mine wrote “There is no mental mud like that of an empty womb. It simply oozes and drips on and clouds every other thing you do and think about. It is not a separate part of your life, it is your whole life and it affects all other things in your life. There is no separating it. ”
(Read her story here.)
It’s so true. There are so many aspects of infertility I never saw until I was in it.
For those of you who’ve never experienced it but still care to pray and encourage and read, THANK YOU. You are such a huge blessing to my life.
For those of you who are going through it right now or may have in the past, would you please share this with those around you?
I would love to hear from you, pray for you, mourn with you, and rejoice with you!
Email: brandymillerwriting@gmail.com
It's always such an encoouragement to have people pray for us in this infertility journey. It's such a rollercoaster. The points that you mentioned are great. Praying for the marriage is a very important one as infertility is such as stressful thing for a couple to have to face. This would be a great post to show to those wondering what to pray for. you're right, the getting pregnant part is the obvious, but in the meantime, we need other prayer support too.
ReplyDeleteI love this. We're all bad about saying we're praying when we really aren't. I have a few people who genuinely pray for us. I love these tips for our friends and family. Thanks! I shared on Twitter and my tumblr: http://brightside-babs.tumblr.com
ReplyDeleteI like these thoughts! I think most people just think to pray for the baby, or to pray for God's will or something, but some of these others are great as well! :)
ReplyDeleteI just loved this! Thank you for sharing!! xo
ReplyDeleteThis is so great, Brandy. So thoughtful and so true! Thanks for linking it up on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI am so burdened for marriages in infertility. So many friends of mine have nearly lost their marriages over it and it breaks my heart :(
ReplyDeleteThank you Monica! I loved your post about what long-term infertility feels like. It's so true. I tell people that I feel like every month my baby dies.... over and over. I wanted to comment but couldn't figure out how... I'm tumblr-dumb ha. I know nothing about it lol.
ReplyDeleteAmen Ally! It's so true! I can see so easily how bitterness, hatred, and depression come out of infertility. I feel the tension between my flesh and spirit fighting over those paths!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa! :) I'm so glad I found your Tuesday Link Up! I love that!
ReplyDeleteThank you Brandy! I think ill move on to WordPress soon but for now tumblr is letting me get my thoughts out! I think you have to be on tumblr to comment but I still wanted to share. Hugs to you!
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I think you have to be on tumblr to comment. I plan to move on to WordPress soon but tumblr lets me get my thoughts our for now. Are you on Twitter? I'd love to follow you. I have all of like 5 followers but I'm active lol
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing these great ideas!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! My teaching assistant is in this boat herself but just found out that they are expecting! I will be using these for sure!
ReplyDeleteThank you for putting this together, Brandy. Even while I go through this journey it is good to have a prayer guide for other couples.
ReplyDeleteThat's great! Thanks Ashley!
ReplyDeleteYeah totally makes sense! I've heard great things about it! I do it's just @asweetaroma :) I'll be looking out so I can follow you back!
ReplyDelete:) i've found that it even helps myself to pray for others. It reminds me I'm not alone and their are others dealing with this same hurt. As I remember that God is faithful to them, it reminds me that He is faithful to me.
ReplyDeleteI found you! I'm @brightside-babs. 😊
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