I knew that it was time. For a couple of years, whenever I considered starting an “infertility support group” I felt too overwhelmed. First of all, I don’t want to qualify for an infertility support group! (It’s the club nobody wants to be in.) Secondly, my time and energy are limited, so I must be intentional with both. However, it seemed that God was connecting me with people who could benefit from such a group, so I suggested it, and things started rolling.

We met one Saturday a month as a group of Christian wives asking God for babies. We represent various stages of infertility, and we bring a variety of medical diagnoses and infertility experience to the table.

One morning while preparing for our first meeting, God impressed these words on my heart:

Worth the Wait

God knows I had been eyeing infant onesies with “Worth the Wait” imprinted across the chest – especially the ones that say “Worth the Wait and Wait and Wait.”

Regardless of how long our waits are, the waiting is hard. God whispered some things to me. We’re calling this group Worth the Wait as a proclamation:

Jesus is worth it all. We are knowing Him more through our pain and suffering: He’s worth it!

Our children will be worth the wait. God knows the exact times for each of them to be born.

Our worth is not found in our ability to have children. Maybe I don’t feel like I fit into certain groups because I’m not a mom, but I am not worth any less because I don’t have children.

These are the things that He whispered to me about Worth the Wait. He’s worth it. They’re worth it. And I have worth, even without children.

We are a group of wives, growing in relationship with God, planning to celebrate our children when they do come (and we’ll hold onto hope until that day), and we will find our value in Christ.

UPDATE SEVERAL YEARS LATER: 

Worth the Wait was a wonderful way to connect and pray with other women. When I moved out of the Washington D.C. area, the group came to an end. However, in the few years since the group began, we have welcomed quite a few babies into our families by birth, foster care, and adoption. I continue to pray for the women in this group. I would encourage anyone experience infertility to connect with others who are struggling – it’s vital!

Have you thought about starting your own faith-based infertility support group? Here are tips from the experts:

Lisa from Amateur Nester interviews Lesli Westfall from Dancing Upon Barren Land: www.amateurnester.com/2015/05/infertility-support-group-church.html

Elisha from Waiting for Baby Bird leads an in-person group in southern Illinois, and shares about how to start a group: waitingforbabybird.com/how-to-start-a-faith-based-infertility-support-group-tips-tricks-and-mistakes-to-avoid/.

Caroline from In Due Time runs an online support group called Moms in the Making, if you’re interested in connecting online.

There are many other in-person and online support groups out there! I encourage you to join one or start one of your own. Contact me if I can be of assistance.