Hannah's Heart

When you’re trying to have a baby, it’s easy to let your heart get carried away daydreaming of the “one days” and thinking of future baby names. But infertility is cruel and living in a fallen, broken world constantly reminds us that nothing— not even having children is for certain.

But one thing in this world is constant. You can take it to the bank. God is faithful, loving, merciful and just and His character and nature will not change. In this episode, Anne and Kendra start a new series exploring the Hebrew names of God and the powerful eternal truth wrapped up in each name/title. Truths that can carry you through any disappointment or season of life.

Show notes: https://www.amazon.com/gp/buy/thankyou/handlers/display.html?purchaseId=106-8148531-0687469&ref_=chk_typ_browserRefresh&isRefresh=1

The amazing ladies from Foreknown Ministries are back again to share a powerful new resource. This 30 day guide through grief and loss is perfect for any woman who has suffered miscarriage or infant loss and it’s written by women who have been there and get it. There is joy after loss!

In the middle of a long and painful journey with infertility, it’s easy to get stuck feeling sorry for yourself all the time. Many couples find it helpful to stop and recognize another person's pain and suffering and look for ways to serve them. In this episode, Hannah Meador discusses the evil world of sex trafficking and how Christians should get involved in this fight for freedom.

Mary Matt was thrilled to find out she was expecting twins! But unfortunately, one of her precious babies passed away mid pregnancy. This episode discusses the mixture of joy and grief and the power of God to sustain a momma through every high and low. Mary is filled with compassion and encouragement for other momma’s of sunrise/sunset twins or mamas facing any kind of infant loss.

Many guests on our show share about their long and difficult journeys with infertility and the various creative ways God ends up building their family. But sometimes it’s nice to hear from someone who is still in the middle of their story. Lauren Watson is a returning guest here to share an update on the long and tedious season of testing as she waits on the Lord every step of the way.

No matter how old your baby is when you lose them, it’s excruciating. Joy Lucius shares about losing her adult son Chris after a long battle with cancer, and Anne discusses the similarities and differences of losing an infant son. But the answer to finding hope to push through the grief is the same: Jesus.

Julia Crouch never became a mom and to be honest, the ache of wanting a child never fully went away. But God showed up in her life in an incredible way giving her true joy and purpose to help her walk through the grief and learn to depend on Him fully to sustain her weary soul.

Tamah and her family were excited to welcome their second baby girl! Everything felt completely “fine” until sweet Amelia came into the world. Tamah’s doctor, who was also her best friend, was scared to tell Tamah, “your baby girl has Down syndrome.” However, when she did, Tamah didn’t let worry steal her JOY from her perfectly made baby girl! This is their little story of a little girl with a very big, happy heart!

Infertility typically adds so much stress to a marriage. And sadly many marriages do not survive after the tragedy of miscarriage or child loss. BUT GOD is rich in mercy and more than able to use these challenges to strengthen your relationship with Him and each other. It IS possible to not only get through these difficulties but also to find joy in the midst of your sorrow and the strength to serve each other through tough times.

It’s tough watching your friends get married and have children while you are still waiting for God to bring your spouse into the picture. And Valentine's day can be extra brutal when people keep asking “have you found someone yet?” In this episode, Anne’s sister Sarah shares from her personal experience trusting the Lord and looking forward to the day she will be “wife and mother.”

Kara Jones joins Anne and Jade as she shares about the devastating infertility diagnosis she received at such an early age. Being told she would not be able to carry children was hard news to receive as a teenager, but Kara learned to trust God with the story He had for her. Little did she know, God would grow her family in ways she never imagined.

After losing her precious baby less than an hour after she was born, Emily went on to have multiple, multiple miscarriages. The journey moving forward felt cruel and pointless at times. And the desire to be a momma never went away. But through God’s grace, Emily learned to love children that were not her own and pour all her energy into the kingdom of God.

No one expected Poppy to live through delivery. But she did. A few minutes after she was born, her family sang “Revelation Song” as they passed her around and soaked up every precious moment of her life. “I like to think she heard us singing and then when she died she immediately heard Heaven singing the same song to the Lord in the throne room,” says Poppy’s mom. Don’t miss this powerful story of life, loss and enduring love!

Is IVF my only option? Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART) is not for everyone. Many Christians have ethical, financial, emotional or physical concerns with procedures like IVF or IUI. Fortunately, there is an exciting new option many couples have never heard about! It’s called Natural Procreative Technology (NaPro Technology). Join Dr. Naomi Whittaker as she talks about the latest research, medicine, and surgery options available to help women wishing to achieve pregnancy in accordance with their natural fertility.

In the middle of infertility or miscarriage, it's hard to find the strength to hope again. Anna and Kendra talk about how to go into the new year focused on Christ, so that others will see your testimony and be drawn to Jesus.

Does it make you angry how much IVF costs? What about the price of adoption? As Christians, how do we trust God to provide for us on our journey to build our families? And what practical things can we do to manage our finances and build character along the way?

After years of infertility, Tara was ready to be done. She was mad at God and becoming more and more bitter each day. Little did she know, God was about to use this time in her life to forever strengthen her faith and her marriage.

Will and Anne share the tragic story of losing their baby John-Micah  and the supernatural grace that God poured out on their lives in the midst of so much pain.

After realizing that biological children would not be a part of their story, the Brooks family applied for adoption and waited three years to get “the call.” During the painful wait, Emily clung to Isaiah 49:16 which says, “I will not forget you, see I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” And sure enough…God had not forgotten them.

Emily hasn’t gone a day in her life without pain. Even as a little girl, her severe rheumatoid arthritis had her wheelchair bound and constantly missing out on normal childhood activities. The idea that her condition might one day keep her from bearing children didn’t really start to sink in until college.  But thankfully, Emily was raised in a God-fearing Christian family who taught her the importance of choosing joy and leaning on the faithfulness of God– two lessons that would stick with her through a lifetime of challenges.