Tag: God

Infertility Retreat Update

Posted on by Evangeline

joyoftheLord jpg

 

 

 

To give you the best experience possible, the infertility retreat has been rescheduled for the Spring of 2014.

 

 

Why you need to be there:

  • Gather with a small group of women who are also struggling with infertility but are looking for ways to avoid the pit of despair and some practical applications of HOPE.
  • Enjoy a weekend in an intimate setting at a beautiful location in Arizona.
  • Participate in no-pressure workshops that help you address the spiritual aspect of infertility and develop/maintain a hope-filled focus.
  • Take part in activities that will increase your joy.
  • Spend time being refreshed by God’s love.
  • Take advantage of a low registration fee. The cost of workshop materials, activities and 5 meals would be covered in your registration fee.

This is just the thing you need.

Fill out the form below and we’ll keep you posted with new details.

Ridiculous Hope

Posted on by Evangeline

Romans 4:18 (NLT) tells us how Abraham had ridiculous hope—“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations.”

Abraham believed God’s promise. Even when there was no reason to hope— Sarah had been barren for decades and he was nearly 100 years old—Abraham kept believing that they would have a child. Their predicament made hope seem nonsensical, even laughable. But Abraham kept hoping.

This wasn’t the first time Abraham had experienced and maintained ridiculous hope. God told him to leave his extended family (very unusual in that culture) and go to a different land, promising him that he would be blessed and become great.  Abraham made a decision to step out and find out. The promises came true as Abraham trusted God.

I think Abraham was an outstanding example of how to have ridiculous hope in the midst of infertility. He opened himself to hear from God. He trusted what God said. So much so, that he changed his name from Abram, which means “exalted father”  , to Abraham, which means “father of many nations.” Imagine hearing other people call him father of multitudes when he and Sarah didn’t even have one child!  Think of the ridicule he must have experienced.  That required having faith in what God had said, trusting that what God had promised would indeed come to pass.

Repeatedly hearing that description of himself , through others calling his name, surely must have built Abraham’s faith (faith comes by hearing–Romans 10:17). There was another factor that increased Abraham’s hope for a child and faith in God’s promise. We learn in Romans 4:20  (YLT) that he “was strengthened in faith, having given glory to God.” The act of praising God, acknowledging His majesty and honoring Him by the words that Abraham spoke, helped to build up his faith.

He had ridiculous hope in God, viewing Him as the only One who could give him all that he desired.

What will it take for you to have ridiculous hope?

Original Image courtesy of Michal Marcol/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Original Image courtesy of Michal Marcol/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

5 More Bible Verses Every Infertile Woman Needs to Know

Posted on by Evangeline

I paused as I wrote the title of this blog, wondering if I should give it a different title. As a big proponent of making sure that the words you speak about yourself are positive, typing “Infertile Woman” in my title made me a bit uneasy. The Bible tells us that the words we speak (and the labels we attach to ourselves) carry the power of life or death (Proverbs 18:21).

If you are struggling with infertility, do you label yourself as “an infertile woman?” I think we need to come up with some other label that designates you as a someone who is filled with hope for becoming a mother, not someone who dooms herself to endure barrenness.  Got any suggestions? I’d love to hear about them. Please put them in the comments section below.

Back to the Bible verses.

I wrote a post in February listing five verses that would be helpful in developing or maintaining hope for having a child. Here are five more:

Sunset CloudsJohn 17:23 (NLT)- “…you love them as much as you love me [Jesus]”

Lamentations 3:26 (NKJV)- “It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.”

Hebrews 13: 5 (NLT)- “For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

1 John 5:4 (NLT)- “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.”

1 John 5:14, 15 (NIV)- “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

 

What other bible verses do you depend on to give you hope?

I Need Your Input

Posted on by Evangeline

I am planning a retreat for women who desire some additional encouragement in the midst of infertility.

Your input would be much appreciated if you complete the poll below.  You will be helping me to craft a retreat that better meets your needs.

Please let me know if a time to get away and receive encouragement sounds like something you’d be interested in attending.

Here’s a synopsis of what that time might look like and other details you should know:

  • Gather with a small group of women who are also struggling with infertility but are looking for ways to avoid the pit of despair
  • Enjoy a weekend in an intimate setting at a beautiful natural retreat center in Arizona (tentatively scheduled for September 27-29, 2013)
  • Participate in no-pressure workshops that help you address the spiritual aspect of infertility and develop/maintain a hope-filled focus
  • Take part in activities that will increase your joy, and, most importantly, allow you to spend time alone with God the Father
  • Take advantage of a low registration fee. The cost of workshop materials, activities and 5 meals would be covered in the registration fee of $279.00.

Please note, you would be responsible for your transportation to and from Payson, Arizona.

If you have questions or suggestions, please comment below OR you can email them to info@evangelinecolbert.com

Thank you for your input!

Don’t Ignore This During Infertility

Posted on by Evangeline
Image courtesy of markuso/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of Markuso/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This is a reprint of a post I shared in 2012. I wanted to share it again because if you’re struggling with infertility, it may prompt you to consider infertility from a different aspect and develop a greater hope.

Don’t ignore the spiritual aspect of infertility.

It is so easy to lose focus on the spiritual nature of infertility when the physical aspect overtakes your daily life. You and your spouse can become so obsessed with finding the cause and the cure for you situation that it can rob you of your peace. When you’re not experiencing peace, you’re likely to ignore the one thing that can bring about the solution you’re looking for.

It is important to strengthen yourself spiritually while dealing with infertility. Acknowledge the need to ask God for wisdom when faced with overcoming the enemy called “Infertility.” It may seem like a Goliath-sized enemy to you, but for God, “Infertility” is already a defeated foe. It is not too hard for Him. God said so when he defeated infertility in Sarah’s life (see Genesis 18:14).

Luke 18:27 states, “And he [Jesus] said, The things which are impossible with men are possible WITH (in close proximity to) God”{emphasis mine}. Join yourself WITH Him by asking for wisdom in the decisions you make, by reading His Word, and by speaking and meditating His Word.

Trust that God’s Word is true for you. It will bring you guidance, comfort, and ultimately, greater peace.

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!” ~ Isaiah 26:3 NLT

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” ~ John 14:27

A Blessed Nation

Posted on by Evangeline

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD! ~ Psalm 33:12

Original image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Original image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

A Prayer for You

Posted on by Evangeline

Did today have a good start for you? I hope so.

If it did not, do not fret or be stressed. Put your trust for the rest of the day in the One whose truth can change your facts, making this day, and every day, blessed.

“Father, You are our refuge and  fortress; our safe place. Thank you for Your Word, the Bible, and that every solution we need in life can be found in it. Help us to have faith in Your Word as it works in our lives. You have made the way for us to be empowered in every area of our lives through Jesus. Help us to look to Him in every situation without being distracted by our circumstances. Thank you for always loving us and being with us. Help us to accept Your love and receive all that Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross. We plead the blood of Jesus over ourselves and our family. Thank you that your grace overflows to us. Help us to believe BIG today and to live with a hope-filled focus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” 

Image courtesy of Janet Drez
Image courtesy of Janet Drez

Focus Friday

Posted on by Evangeline

 

Focus on the following scripture throughout the day. It’s God’s Word and it’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!

“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.” ~ Jeremiah 17:7 [NLT]

Original Image courtesy of artur84/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Original Image courtesy of artur84/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My Teleconference and Free ebook

Posted on by Evangeline

Find the Fire poster jpgThis Saturday, 6/22/13, I am honored to be speaking at the Find the Fire Tele-Retreat. My workshop is titled,”Infertility Sucks! Will our Marriage Last?”

Are you looking for hope? Is infertility draining you of hope and your marriage of joy? This workshop is based on my personal experience with OVERCOMING infertility and will encourage you as I share spiritual strategies and solutions for everyday living. They will empower you to discard despair and move on to achieve a hope-filled focus in life. Join me from wherever you are, via the convenience of your phone, at the Find the Fire Retreat teleconference. Mark your calendar NOW for June 22, 2013 at 1:30 EDT. 

 I’d love it if you’d call in and join me! Here’s the link to register: www.inspiredconferences.com.

To celebrate leading a workshop at Find the Fire, and as a means of encouraging you to continually have hope, I am pleased to offer to you or your friends/family the opportunity to get my ebook, “A Seed of Hope: God’s Promises of Fertility”  for FREE during this Saturday and Sunday only, 6/22-23/13.

A Seed of Hope---God's Promises of FertilityAlso, consider using this offer as an opportunity to give the ebook as a gift to someone you know who is struggling with infertility. Even if they don’t have an e-reader, they can download it and read it on their computer. Look for the Gift button on the right side of the Amazon sale page.

This offer for the FREE ebook is good only THIS weekend, 6/22-23/13. The regular price is $6.99 so click here to see your FREE copy of “A Seed of Hope: God’s Promises of Fertility”.

Focus Friday

Posted on by Evangeline

Focus on the following scripture throughout the day. It’s God’s Word and it’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!

“But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.” ~Psalm 71:14  [AMP]

Image courtesy of Marcus/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of Marcus/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net