Recently I was listening to the Women at the Well book club discussing The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur, and while I admittedly haven’t finished the book (yet!) it is clear that the life and witness of this holy woman can have a practical impact on all of us – no matter what our state … More Infertility, parenthood and suffering
The everlasting God has, in his wisdom, foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart. This cross he now sends you, He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His loving mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with His loving arms, and weighed … More Picking up the Cross of Infertility
Today is Day 2 of National Infertility Awareness Week. You are not alone! #NIAW2020 #infertility Infertility Fact:Experiencing infertility is experiencing grief. Grief is not only for death, but also is the response to other forms of loss. Infertility often involves the loss of dreams, plans, goals, life experiences, community, and a sense of belonging. Infertility Awareness:Couples suffering … More National Infertility Awareness Week – Day 2
My wife and I don’t have a TV. It seems like this is increasingly common among millennials: rather than spending money for cable or satellite, we’re more apt to sign up for online streaming services. I generally don’t want to spend money on those either, but I still manage to spend more hours watching various … More Skolops and Sainthood
Note: I find that there are “easier” days, and “harder” days while struggling with the cross of infertility. This reflection is one I wrote on one of the more difficult days. My intent is simply to express some of the emotions of celebrating my birthday, without offering a solution or “quick fix.” I pray that … More On Birthdays and Infertility
He wept. It was the sobbing-kind of weeping where you can’t control what is happening to you. My husband, Phil, is not the kind of person to cry over his own life situations. Sure, he gets a little teary-eyed when he sees something sad, but now four years into our marriage, I had never seen … More Finding Fatherhood in Infertility
I was diagnosed with endometriosis back in 2013 after a laparotomy surgery. I had been charting my signs of fertility with Natural Family Planning and was able to help diagnose it. The doctor found that my endo was Stage 3 (out of 4), and thankfully was able to remove it all. This helped me to … More Finding Purpose in Infertility
I’ve been particularly drawn to the Passion of our Lord Jesus since infertility has colored my life. I especially love praying and reflecting on the mystery of Jesus’ Crowning with Thorns, which has providentially received a lot of media attention during this Holy Week due to the devastating fire at the Cathedral of Notre Dame. … More Infertility: A Holy Week Reflection
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how the experience of infertility has shaped my understanding of who I am and who Christ is. In my last entry, I wrote at length about how tenderly and literally the Lord emphasized His abiding presence with me at a particularly trying stage in this always trying journey. … More A God at Hand: Part II
Note: This is a journal-style reflection that I wrote during a difficult moment during my journey of infertility. While it was written a few years ago, I think (I hope) that it can still speak to the hearts of those carrying the cross of infertility, and in particular childlessness (no living children) – a cross … More On Feeling Invisible
