Fertility...Not so cut and dry

My second son turned nine this month and while celebrating his birthday I was reminded of the story of his conception.

After Jeff and I had been married for five years, we decided to start trying for children.  I had always heard it might take awhile to get pregnant.  A friend at work gave me a gestational wheel that showed ovulation dates and the best times to conceive. (Jeff said it sounded like a game show!)  Well, I followed it precisely and got pregnant the first month we tried! Easy peasy...

After a few years we desired to try for another child.  I always wanted a girl and had read a book about choosing the sex of your child by timing relations during certain parts of your ovulation cycle.  I tried it for a few months, but I didn't get pregnant.  So, I threw out the book idea and went back to the wheel.  Still nothing. I began charting my cycle, counting the days, CM, the whole thing, yet still nothing.

I was beginning to feel my body had betrayed me.  I had gotten pregnant before, why not now?  My emotions were all over the map.  One month, I was so confident that everything had been timed correctly and I was late.  I just knew I was pregnant.  I was about to leave to attend a bible study at church when I started my cycle.  I broke down and cried.  Jeff tried to comfort me, but I just sobbed as I got in the car to head to the church.

I was just driving and thinking when, out of the blue, I heard a voice on the inside that said, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."  It hit me like a rock.  I was consumed with "my plan" and "my charts" and wasn't relying on the Lord.  I clicked on the CD player and put on worship music.  I made a choice to praise him through my disappointment and tears.  I didn't feel like it, but I did it and it completely changed my outlook.

Guess what?  I got pregnant that very next month, about a year after first trying!

God is faithful to us when we ask him for help and make a decision to delight ourself in Him.

Here's my blessing.  He is one of the kindest, most joyful, silly boys I know.  Love him to pieces!

I love the Amplified version of Psalms 37:4,  "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart."