Morning Prayer – Stopping Fertility Treatments
The end of 2015 is approaching and for some of you this has been a rough year. Perhaps you’ve tried everything you can do medically to conceive, including extensive fertility treatments, yet still no baby.
If so, I feel for you. I was once in that place too.
The load of fertility meds, an exhaustive appointment schedule, the sticks from blood work, being prodded with ultrasound wands and the invasion of pelvic exams left me emotionally and physically drained. It was appearing to us the season of conceiving through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) was ending. We were standing at a fork in the road; to continue treatments or to stop fertility treatments?
A difficult decision to make.
Thankfully, during this season of fertility treatments my husband and I were on the same page. When faced with the doctor’s suggestions for more extensive costly, fertility treatments — we both agreed to stopping fertility treatments. But we didn’t just quickly make a decision. We thought it through, discussed it extensively and prayed about it.
Did I battle in my mind thinking I was giving up? Absolutely! I wrestled with that. But in time I realized the doctors and the fertility treatments were not the end-all-be-all to the chance of us conceiving a child. Ultimately it is the sovereign hand of God.
Maybe you’re in the same place as we were. Perhaps you’re standing at that fork in the road too and wondering what do I do? Can I offer some suggestions?
- Pray together.
- Give it some time.
- Don’t be pressured into a decision.
- Ask yourselves these questions: What do I have peace about? To continue with treatments? Or to take a break from treatments? Or to stop treatments altogether? What is best for us as a husband and wife? What is best for our future? Financially? Emotionally?
What’s the key to knowing you have peace? You won’t push your decision on your spouse. You BOTH will feel good about, and actually somewhat relieved which will bring unity between the two of you.
I hope sharing a bit of my story and some tidbits will help you.
If you are at the place of stopping fertility treatments will you consider leaving your prayer request on our Prayer Wall? Click here to add your request. We’d love to pray for you.
I’ve written a prayer including scripture reflections for Stopping Fertility Treatments. This and other prayers are found in my book Dancing Upon Barren Land – Prayer, Scripture Reflection and Hope for Infertility. Id you’s like, you can purchase it here. (Thanks for supporting the ministry).
I want you to know I’m praying for you, especially in this holiday season.
Sending much love from our home to yours. Merry Christmas!
Lesli
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STOPPING FERTILITY TREATMENTS
by Lesli A. Westfall
Heavenly Father, as a couple we feel we should discontinue fertility treatments due to or because of _____________. We beiove when we married, You placed the desire in our hearts to have a family. We purpose to see and eight in You and thank You as You bring about the desires of our hearts. Stopping treatment is hard and feels like failure and feels as if here is no plan or next step in sight, but we ask You to fill us with confidence and complete trust in You. We believe You’ll bless and order our steps competing what You began in us — the desire of children. In Jesus name, Amen.
Scripture Reflections
Jeremiah 17:7, Psalm 37:23, KJV, Proverbs 3:5-6, Phlippians 1:6