It’s in a way like a secret club that nobody seeks to be part of – but neither can they escape. On this latest Connecting Faith, we’re talking about infertility with Matt Appling. He and his wife Cheri dealt with this burden for years, and they’ve chronicled the lessons they learned in their book . As we discuss this widespread issue, we find renewed hope and dignity for suffering couples – and wisdom for those who want to love and care for them better. Here’s where that conversation takes us:

Matt tells of how he and Cheri tried to have children throughout a 5 year season, during which they discovered others in their community were also going through this struggle. He says that his message isn’t just about he and his wife’s story, but the story of other couples as well.

We gain background on the issue as Matt notes that this is very widespread scenario. Today, 1 in 8 couples is going to struggle to conceive. Beyond the numbers themselves, there is collateral damage caused by infertility. That can come in forms emotional, spiritual, and physical.

Financial costs can be a major setback as a result of medical steps taken to combat infertility. The frustrating reality in the midst of that, is that there really are no guarantees that a given step taken in that sphere will be successful. It’s a game of sorts, trying to eliminate certain factors to focus in on the potential solution.

Matt says that, in the midst of this path of infertility, couples can be left in a very broken place. In his own journey, he came to a place where he found himself asking, “Why us?” Yet now he reflects on that question and believes his prayers were centered on giving them what they wanted. He declares that God does not punish his people with infertility. Matt believes God didn’t “owe them” a baby. They began to put their faith in God no matter what happened. God is always in control.

As a friend or loved one of those walking the path of infertility, being sensitive to what others are going through it is important. And offering encouraging words can be powerful.

Highlight: Changing questions

Finding hope through infertility

You can read further on this important topic at Matt’s website here. You can also follow his blog here.

Featured scripture: Psalm 139