This Box
Do you recognize this box?
It’s an empty fertility meds box.
Why would I post a picture of this?
This box once held thousands of dollars of self-injectable fertility medicine. Now, it’s trash, destined for the recycle bin.
This box once hid amongst my pots and pans in my kitchen island. Why? A logical reason. It was the nearest to the refrigerator where the fertility meds were stored. I kept it hidden, too embarrassed at the thought of anyone knowing.
This box now resides amongst a pile of shoes in the laundry room.
This box has a date on it. A past reminder of what could have been, a present reminder to keep holding on. A dream I can’t bare to throw away.
You might ask, “Why do you even keep that box?”
My reply, “When I see it, I think of…
~ A gracious husband who worked hard giving thousands of dollars towards a dream.
~ A time when the pain was as deep as the longing.
~ A time when the depth of God’s love reached down to the depth of my pain.
~ A time to pray. A time to pray for you, dear reader.
Yes, as odd as it sounds, when I see the box (and that is often) I think of and pray for you. My heart is full of God’s compassion for you.
As lonely as it feels, you are not alone.
As forgotten as you think you are, you are forever on His mind.
I pray you’ll keep that close to your heart today.
Lesli
P.S. I married a giant. He wears big shoes.
___
For today’s Monday Morning Prayer I’m including two different prayers; a prayer for Wholeness and Completeness, which we all could use, and a new one, Stopping Fertility Treatments which will be published in my upcoming book, Dancing Upon Barren Land – Prayer, Scripture Reflections & Hope for Infertility.
WHOLENESS / COMPLETENESS
“Heavenly Father, in your Word you said when you made creation, man and woman, you looked upon them and saw that ‘it was very good.’ Father, my empty womb has caused me to feel bad, like less of a woman, incomplete. Father in heaven, as Your Word says, through faith in You, help me to endure this fertility journey. I thank You that I am complete in spirit, soul and body, lacking in nothing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Genesis 1:31, Colossians 2:10, James 1:4
STOPPING FERTILITY TREATMENTS
“Heavenly Father, as a couple we feel we should discontinue fertility treatments due to or because of __________________. We believe when we married, You placed the desire in our hearts to have a family. We purpose to seek and delight 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 there 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 completing what You began in us—the desire for children. In Jesus name, amen.”