Women Teaching Women

The Bible does not address infertile women directly; rather, as we have seen, there are general truths that apply to any believer in any hardship. But there are examples of would-be parents scattered throughout the Bible’s pages, and from these beautiful women of faith, we can learn much of how to respond to the difficulty of childlessness. I encourage you to spend time this week reading these passages from God’s Word and considering these lessons. 1. Hannah: A Prayer with Pure Motives  (1 Samuel 1-2) Of all the examples of infertility, Hannah stands out with godliness at every turn. Like us, Hannah received no promise or prophecy of a child, and thus had no room to assume that God would provide her a child. Let’s learn what we can from her. Hannah had a hard life; whatever the social stigma of barrenness, she had a deeper thorn in her flesh than that. In her own home, where many can hope to find comfort, Hannah received provocation, irritation, and affliction from her husband’s ot...

There is no question about it: the woman that is struggling with infertility is a woman in waiting . She waits for the foreshadowing symptoms of pregnancy. She waits for answers to her many medical questions. She waits for many things, but there is something beautiful in the waiting that God has designed for her; I pray that she would not miss it. Wasting the Wait “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 Many Biblical characters were grown into great men and women of faith through their waiting experiences: Abraham, Moses, David, John the Baptist, Paul, and many others stand out as those who waited in the wilderness. If you are in your own kind of fertility wilderness, God has led you here to grow your faith in Him; that is a fact. The problem is not with God—it is with us; if we are focused on ourselves, we will...

Ever since I was a little girl watching "Fiddler on the Roof", I have loved Hodel, the middle daughter, and her devoted spirit. Her key song, "Far from the Home I Love", has always given me tears, but now that I am married, it means much more to me than an emotional movie plot element. The lyrics paint a genuine picture of what God wrote in Genesis 2:24: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. So, what wisdom does Hodel share about "leaving and cleaving"?  1. It's unforeseen "Who could see that a man would come who would change the course of my dreams?" We don't know the future, but we know a God who does. Whether I feel that I've missed the boat or jumped on the wrong one, accept that His timing is right. 2. It's life-changing "A man... who would change the course of my dreams.... Other dreams grow dim." Whatever I was...

This Saturday, perhaps you are getting out the decor and contacting your guests with details about the big day! One big thing you should not leave out of your planning for Thanksgiving is this.... Make it thankful!  Remember that Thanksgiving is not about eating food and hanging with family; it’s about giving thanks to God for the food and family. Here are ideas for you to help your whole family (including you) express thankfulness, other than going around the table and saying one thing you’re thankful for: Have each family member choose a Bible verse about thankfulness to memorize, and on Thanksgiving Day, have each person quote a verse at intervals throughout the meal. Tell your invited friends to memorize a verse, as well! Place a bowl of papers at the dining room door, each paper having something different on it (Examples: Family, health, house, food; or put each guest’s name on a paper). Have everyone take one paper and thank God and pray for what or whom...