Yesterday, September 9, marked Springs in the Desert’s seventh year of accompanying those struggling with infertility by offering a place of respite and solidarity where they can know God’s love for them and discover His unique call to fruitfulness. When Kimberly and Ann founded Springs, they had no idea the beautiful and surprising places that God would take this work. From the humble beginnings of our sparse website to offering a weekly podcast, small group studies, and in-person retreats, we are so grateful for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and blessing over the years. It is a gift to be able to continue to connect and walk with others who find themselves on this path of infertility and/or loss and offer them expanding opportunities for community, support, and resources. 

As we celebrate another year of the mission, we wanted to highlight some ways we are striving to fulfill that call in ever more meaningful and impactful ways. While this mission of accompaniment unfolds in countless ways, everything we do ultimately fits into one of three aspects of that mission – encounter, empower, or equip.  

encounter 

One of the primary goals at Springs in the Desert is meeting people where they are in order to provide accompaniment, community, spiritual support, and resources, so that those carrying the cross of infertility and loss encounter both Christ and others who are walking a similar path. The resources, materials, and offerings available here that facilitate an encounter with Christ are robust and continue to grow! 

One of the very first offerings of Springs in the Desert — our blog — continues to be a place of respite, solidarity, prayer, and consolation and now features weekly posts from numerous, regular Contributors and one-time submissions from community members.  Another early offering which started with occasional publishing and now has become a weekly encounter with what one listener called “a friend in their back pocket,” is our podcast! The blog and podcast are where we can host and dive deeper into important conversations that accompany and encourage those on the path of infertility. 

In between weekly discussions on the blog and podcast, we are active on social media, including Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, where we have a public and private page for community members. Our social media is a great place to find a community of those walking a similar path and stay up to date on upcoming events and new resource releases.

Another important offering that helps facilitate an encounter with the Lord includes carefully curated materials and resources to assist those in this community to frequent the sacraments and cultivate conversation in their marriage. The Springs in the Desert Shop offers items for purchase that can become reminders that you are not alone and have an entire community walking with you. We also have free resources available for sacramental support like our Examination of Conscience, and a growing number of these resources are being made available in Spanish! Finally, to support you locally, we have a Links Page with resources approved by our team – including mental health professionals, virtual retreats, guest appearances on podcasts, articles, suggested books, and so much more! 

In a season where encountering Christ might feel especially difficult, it always has been and will continue to be a priority for our team to provide a variety of opportunities for this community to encounter the Lord and draw into a deeper intimacy with Him. 

empower

A natural fruit of intimacy with the Lord is identifying His purpose for our lives and for our marriages. At Springs in the Desert, we recognize that after facilitating encounters with the Lord during an especially difficult season, it is important for us to help couples discover that their identity and fruitfulness are not defined by infertility, and empower them to embrace the unique mission of their marriage.

At Springs, we have created opportunities to assist with discernment and discover God’s unique call for fruitfulness within your marriage that can be done in community, in a small group, with your spouse, or during your own personal prayer time.

We offer in-person events and opportunities for women and couples, including several retreat options and a robust small group program that receives ongoing support and materials from the Springs in the Desert Team. For personal prayer, conversations with your spouse, or even small group settings, we have beautifully and professionally made resources our team is especially proud of, including our Saints and Scripture Series and Novena hosted on the Ascension App and our Carried Lent Devotional. 

And for those who desire to give of their time, talents, or treasure, we have volunteer opportunities available and a monthly giving program, the Fifth Station Society, where members of this community can help us grow the mission and become a Simon for others on the path of infertility.

equip

While our mission will always be to provide resources and opportunities for couples on the path of infertility, it is equally necessary that we provide support and education to equip others who are ministering to those on this path. Providing clergy, ministry leaders, professionals, and the faithful with the awareness, formation, and practical tools needed to accompany couples experiencing infertility and loss with compassion and pastoral sensitivity is an important part of the work at Springs in the Desert. 

Our team is equipped to meet with diocesan and parish leaders, clergy, other pastoral ministers, and health care professionals in-person and virtually to offer suggestions on ways to support the 1 in 5 in their diocese, parish, or ministry who are experiencing infertility. We offer educational webinars and resources with practical and easily implementable suggestions. Our Pastoral Guide, made by our team to equip those in ministry, is available for purchase and would be an excellent resource to start with for those ministering in any way to those in a season of infertility or loss. Our website also has many resources on our links page and brochures available for purchase to have on-site. Our Infertility Awareness Page includes helpful language considerations, liturgical suggestions, email templates, education on infertility statistics and facts, and so much more. We also have a ready-to-use Diocesan/Parish Webpage Guide and a Digital Infertility Toolkit for parish staff and clergy, which includes intention suggestions for the Prayers of the Faithful throughout the year and especially tender times, bulletin announcements, helpful considerations for Mothers/Fathers Day and Reconciliation, social media assets, and more!

Whether you have been part of this community since the beginning, just started looking for infertility or pregnancy loss support, or are searching for ways to be more pastoral to those on this path, we’re so glad that you found us, and we hope that you will find encouragement from our blog posts, podcast episodes, resources, and virtual and in-person events. It is our honor to walk with you! And remember: God loves you so much, and so do we!

-Written by the Springs in the Desert Team