Anyone who has walked through the dark valley of infertility, miscarriage, or inability to have children, has most likely found themselves clinging to the story of Hannah and her desire for a child in 1 Samuel 1. During our years of praying for a child, I found myself turning towards Hannah’s cry for a child over and over and over…
Hannah’s story is our story. It’s a story of faith. It’s a story of honest pain. It’s a story of pleading with God for the thing your heart desires most. We’ve said “look with compassion on our suffering…give a [child] to [us], then [we] will dedicate him [or her] to the Lord all the days of his [or her] life” (verse 11). When Hannah prayed this prayer, she was in Shiloh, Israel, which carries significant meaning to us.
Brad and Lindsey in Shiloh, Israel – May/June 2008
Right after Brad finished his Th.M. at Dallas Theological Seminary, we had the opportunity to complete his last class as a study trip to Israel for 3 weeks in May/June 2008. While we were thrilled about the completion of his degree, we were also in the thick of infertility treatments and beginning the road of shots, monitoring, hormones, and a lot of emotional transition.Our class soon became aware of this heaviness in our hearts. Many women empathized with Lindsey over the pain and a delayed desire. Men walked alongside of Brad — comforting him as well.When we got to Shiloh, we learned that this was the location where Hannah prayed. It had never clicked that Hannah stood in Shiloh and asked God for Samuel. When we were in Shiloh, the group stood around us, prayed for us (see above picture), as we continued our journey in trying to have children. We continued praying — knowing that we would one day have an answer one way or another.
1 Samuel 1:27
Hannah’s story ended with the birth of Samuel. Her prayer was answered. Our infertility story ended with an ovarian tumor, then the birth of our baby girl — Shiloh Lucia. Our prayers were answered. Your prayers were answered. The Lord is good all the time.It’s amazing to see the amount of people that have prayed for Shiloh — before her life began, as soon as we were pregnant, during the pregnancy, and now at her birth. Your involvement in our lives is evidence of the ways that the Lord uses people all around the world to encourage, support, and impact us. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for being a part of one of the biggest and most precious parts of our lives. We look forward to you helping us continue to story…
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