My husband and I have struggled with infertility and miscarriage for 3 years now, and only wish I had found Sheltering Tree from the start. The group has been a lifesaver for me, I have been comforted, prayed for, befriended and allowed to share with women who are going through the same thing I am. They truly understand how I feel! I have also learned biblical truths and infertility information that has helped my husband and I with our seemingly never ending battle with infertility. This is a path that no one needs to go down alone.

-Susan

Since I became a member of the Sheltering Tree group in October 2001, the group has been a tremendous blessing to me. It's wonderful to be involved in a group of Christian women who understand what you're going through. Sometimes it's hard to talk to friends and even family about infertility problems. Even if your husband wants a child as badly as you do, he can't understand fully the desire of a woman to be a mother. At first, I didn't know if I could share such a sensitive topic with strangers, but I don't think I could have survived the last few months without their prayers and support. Knowing that I don't have to bear the burden alone and that I have someone to talk to makes all the difference. We've been trying to conceive for 5 years and have been through many ups and downs with tests, fertility drugs, and surgery. We've made a tough decision to stop fertility treatments and leave it in God's hands. I know that God has a plan for my life. The support and fellowship of the Sheltering Tree and the prayers of its members will continue to help me in my struggle with infertility.

-Michelle

I had it all planned. I would fall in love, get married, save and buy a house, and of course have 2.3 children. So, as soon as my husband and I bought our first home in January of 2000, it was time to start working on having a family. Being 30, I already felt as though I was behind. My best friend already had a one year old. And all I had was a couple of dogs.

After a few months of trying, I was convinced something was wrong. However, after only 6 months of actively trying, I became pregnant. It was undescribable joy. It was joy that came to an abrupt ending. After only 2 weeks, I began to lose the baby. It had never occurred to me that something I had prayed so hard for would be taken away from me. What had I done wrong?

Following my first miscarriage, I began to see a fertility specialist. Within 4 months, he diagnosed me with having stage 2 endometreosis , a septum shaped uterus, and low progesterone. All these problems were taken care of through surgery and medication.

Within a couple of months following the surgery, my husband and I were given the "green light". We had progressed in our fertility to taking chlomid which caused us to have to do inseminations. After a couple of inseminations, I became pregnant for the second time. How incredible!!! What could go wrong? The doctors were watching my levels. And my endometreosis was gone.

But something did go wrong. My projesterone was great, but my HCG was going up at a very slow rate. And after only 2 weeks, I began to lose my second child. Although the second miscarriage began at the same time during my pregancy as the first, the second was physically much different. However, the same thing was left behind.............a broken heart, confusion, and a great deal of anger.

I have now recovered physically from my second miscarriage. And my husband and I have began once again to try and have a family. The fear is still there. The fear of getting pregnant. The fear of losing another child. But through these last two years, the women of Sheltering Tree have become my family. They are composed of women with similiar feelings, disappointments, and fears as me and you. But most importantly they are a group of women that continually look to God for strength. They are a group that lift me to God in prayer every day. It is through their prayers alone that I am able to forgive God and myself for my miscarriages. And it is with their prayers that God has given me the strength to try again and not let fear control my decisions.

-Josie