21 Days of Hope

          Sometimes you need a friend with faith to help you get your hope back. For me, it was an unexpected friend at a time in my life when I had given up hope on having another baby. You see, my husband and I had a beautiful daughter after two miscarriages. Then over the next six years we experienced five more losses. My last miscarriage resulted in a need for surgery.  I will never forget the day my doctor came back to pre-op to say hi before going back to the operating room. I told her I was done trying to have another baby and she said, "No you're not." I replied, "Yes I am." She once again stated firmly, "No you are not. You don't get to make those decisions right now." With that,  she moved on to the subject of surgery and that was that. She made me mad. Who did she think she was? Does she have something to prove? These thoughts bugged me after surgery and I decided to ask her at my post-op appointment.

          At the appointment we talked about how I was feeling and discussed my health. I then said, "Doctor, you know my history. Why won't you let me say I'm done?" She pulled the stool she was sitting on a little closer to me and said, "Autumn, I know you. You are a person of faith and so am I. I'm praying for you." 

          My mind began to race as she made her declaration to me. We then discussed what the plan would be IF I got pregnant. I walked out of that appointment reeling. I had given up and here is someone telling me: IT'S NOT OVER YET! "Dang it!" I thought, "Now I have to pray about this again."(Insert pouting) I really didn't want to but felt I had to if my own doctor was praying! 

          Not long after that appointment I came across a biblical painting of Jacob blessing Joseph’s sons Manassah and Ephraim. I was then compelled to study that passage of scripture wondering what was so special about Ephraim. Sitting on the floor of my closet I read how Joseph had two sons in Egypt after becoming second in command. The first son he named Manasseh meaning “God helps me forget all my troubles.” The second son he named Ephraim saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” Just as I read that verse I heard the Lord whisper “I want this for you.” I sat there in silence for quite some time letting the weight of those words sink into my heart. Just a few short months later we found out we were expecting again. This time I had a protocol to follow from the doctor and a promise from God. Our son Jack was born almost exactly a year after God whispered those words to me. 

          Whatever you have given up hope on I'm praying you receive renewed hope. I'm also praying you find the courage to bring it back up to God. Whatever it is - Dreams, desires, your marriage, your life, salvation for someone you love, healing, freedom from addictions, you name it...IT'S TIME TO HOPE AGAIN! IT'S NOT OVER YET!

           Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said,

     “God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my 

         father’s family.” Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for 

           he said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.” 

                                                 Genesis 41:51-52 NLT