Waiting In Hope: 31 Reflections for Walking with God Through Infertility

by Kelley Ramsey, Jenn Hesse

Waiting in Hope gives women an uplifting, accessible resource to comfort, guide, and strengthen them through the journey of infertility. Featuring 31 reflections that address specific aspects of waiting and hoping, each chapter weaves personal narrative, Scripture, and prayers to encourage women longing for a child.?

Weary moms have their pick of hundreds of Christian devotionals and books offering encouragement for the trials of motherhood. Women who suffer miscarriage can also choose from a handful of resources, thanks to an industry trend making space for books on grief. But what about the one in eight women who face the heartache of infertility? Where can they turn for comfort and guidance while grieving their dreams and grappling with unfulfilled longing?

Waiting in Hope fills the gap for a biblically grounded, gospel-driven resource that specifically addresses the unique struggles of infertility. Offering 31 reflections filled with biblical wisdom, testimonies, and personal narrative, Waiting in Hope helps women work through their complex emotions, grow in their faith, restore strained relationships, and move forward in their journeys with perseverance and confidence in the Lord.?


Much needed Christian resource for the nearly 10 percent of women who face infertility, childlessness, and extended waiting for a child
Compassionate, biblically rich devotional that doesn't give false hope or platitudes
Provides an infertility-specific, journal-like companion to use continuously throughout your journey
As seasoned infertility ministry leaders, Jenn Hesse and Kelley Ramsey have committed to help women turn to Jesus as their hope in sorrow. This book is the resource they wish they'd had ten years ago in the middle of their infertility grief. Women need to hear the good news that Jesus is with them in their wait, and that they can live a life of purpose regardless of how their wait ends.

Genres: Christian, Spirituality, Self Help

272 pages, Hardcover

Published April 11, 2023

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a devotional I’ll be returning to in this season. It was spot on with almost every thought and feeling (both good and bad) and reminded me that I’m not alone! Infertility is one of the hardest trials I’ve faced, but I have seen immense growth in my own spiritual walk as well as Josh’s. We have also grown closer to one another in our marriage!

Hebrews 4:15-16
[15] “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

“Suffering is an irreplaceable medium through which I learned an indispensable truth.” - Elisabeth Elliot

As much as I wish this journey through infertility would end, I’ve been encouraged to ask the Lord to help me through the storm, not out of it. For outside the storm I wouldn’t feel so near to Christ or be stretched in ways that will make me more like him.

5/5: Would recommend to anyone suffering through infertility or even to close friends and family who want to understand the journey we’re on. Praise God for community and Christian fellowship!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The section on Shame was especially poignant. Jenn managed to put into words exactly how I felt. She connected shame, and infertility to the cross and in doing so brought me so much relief and comfort. It is definitely a chapter I bookmarked and will come back to again.

The whole book has been such a comfort to read and to hear how I've felt put into words. I would have loved to have this book 7 years ago when our infertility journey started. I love the practicality of the book as well, being given the 'Act' section at the end of each chapter helped me feel like I can accomplish something, and that I have ideas and suggestions on how to respond and handle infertility better.

I also love the theology in the book. It isn't the 'let go and let God' type of advice that sounds great but isn't particularly helpful. It is filled with bible verses, and examples of how our favorite people from the Bible responded to situations.

This book ties the reality and hurt of infertility to the biblical hope that we have in Christ in such an amazing way. Without minimizing the pain of infertility or the power of the Cross.

[Emily Lewallen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have or are experiencing infertility, I HIGHLY recommend this devotional. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and it’s been such a good read in this season. If I’d had it at the beginning of my journey, it would’ve been life-altering.
Jenn and Kelley have done a fabulous job addressing the most hurtful parts of infertility, while also pointing the reader to crucial biblical truths.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walking through infertility can feel isolating and full of grief. Kelley and Jenn have created 31 beautiful reflections pointing back to God and the Word. The reflections are full of hope and tender care, each ending with a section to reflect, pray, and act. They also encourage readers to reach out to their own community, including family and friends, giving practical advice on how to talk through issues that those close to them may be completely unfamiliar with. Having gone through parts of this journey myself, I appreciated the variety and depth. I'm not a bible scholar, so I can't point out biblical interpretation, but they include several references for those who wish to dive deeper.

4.5 stars (round up)

I received a free copy of this book as part of the launch team in exchange for an honest review. I am also friends with one of the authors, having attended a local infertility support group. I have also purchased my own copy and am happy to recommend this book to others.

[Samantha Skulski · Rating 5 out of 5]

How amazing that this was my 100th book of the year.

I knew September would be hard so I saved this devotional until now. I was struggling with the idea that I was suppose to have a baby this month and instead I’m working. This devotional was amazing and gave me a fresh perspective.

[Kimberly Patton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waiting in Hope is the most beautiful book for those struggling with an ugly reality. The journey of trying to conceive, wondering where children will come from, and making difficult decisions while wading through complex emotions is long and hard.

This book is a gift. It’s a balm to our souls and I will forever be recommending it to women struggling through infertility. It has everything they need; short chapters, hope and truth, encouragement without being too cheery, real-life stories of hardship and triumph, and best of all: the miracle of changed hearts. Whether or not the babies come, God is sovereign and this book helps us get to a place of peace in the most gentle of ways.

I could have used this book while struggling for four years with unexplained infertility. What would have been most helpful to me would have been the advice in how to process others announcing pregnancies, (which was always so painful), and also learning how to grieve through loss. I wish I would have been able to journal and cry and pray with this beautiful book by my side.

Waiting in Hope ministry is not just a resource but also compassion embodied. It is the gospel.

[Margaret Closs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone who is a person of faith who is struggling with infertility and/or miscarriage. This book was written with compassion, hope and understanding. I would recommend this as a gift if someone in your life is struggling with miscarriage and infertility. It is written in a way that I would consider Christian/non-denominational. Different religious beliefs vary on fertility treatments and this issue is handled tactfully and without judgement in this book. This is a helpful book of insights, questions, and suggestions for healing. Overall, this book has been a blessing and I'm grateful to have read it.

[Tiffany K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wholeheartedly recommend this hope-filled blessing of a book! The two authors did an incredible job describing all of the intimate, honest, and raw thoughts and emotions that one can experience on the infertility journey to help you feel seen and less alone. The way they acknowledged the rollercoaster of emotions and different situations you can experience day-to-day was comforting for me. More than that, they provided encouraging ways to help you meditate on God’s Word, and to focus on and trust in His goodness, love, and faithfulness. They gently and lovingly guided you to focus on who you are in Jesus with biblical truths. I appreciated the heartfelt prayers, practical activities, and thoughtful refection questions at the end of each chapter. This book has helped give me hope in my own waiting. There are additional short sections at the end written for husbands, friends and family members, and church family members in case you want to share with them to help give them insight to your journey and to offer ways they can support you through it, because sometimes people want to help but aren’t sure how. I was thankful for the reminder that God has a purpose in the waiting and as I wait in hope I will be rereading this over and over.

[Megan Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

the process of slowly reading this book has been absolutely transformational. I was truly skeptical and bitter beginning it, but I ended it with hope and healing. God's Spirit used this book in a powerful way for me.

[Allison Vallee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not the same person before reading this book. If you are religious and in your waiting season, you need to read this. My perspective of my waiting season has changed so much now and I’ve found so much more contentment in my current life than I ever had.

[Betty Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a facilitator of a Christian infertility support group, I HIGHLY recommend this book as it was well written and covered all the necessary (and sometimes difficult) topics of infertility and loss. Kelley and Jen wrote this in a raw, honest way supported with biblical truths and backed by their own experiences. The message of hope is apparent throughout the entire book which is what these women and couples need to hear. I especially loved the journal section at the end of each chapter. I would highly recommend this book to anyone on the hard journey of infertility and it would make an excellent gift to a family member or friend experiencing infertility and I would also suggest they read it also to understand what their family member or friend is going through. I definitely plan to use this with my support group.

[Emma Lönnqvist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Den här betydde mycket för mig ❤️‍🩹

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poignant, thoughtful book shares biblical wisdom for Christian women suffering from infertility and child loss. The coauthors share their personal stories throughout, and they delve into how the Bible addresses different aspects of the infertility journey, from experiences of questioning God's goodness during suffering to dealing with shame and a sense of social exclusion.

Although many books with short devotional readings tend to be fluffy and sentimental, these readings are very serious and deep. At the same time, they are still brief and easy to process. Each reading begins with a Bible verse and a personal story, either from one of the coauthors or from someone they know, and then they delve into tough questions and important concepts.

The authors share wisdom from the Bible about each of these issues, digging deep into what we know from God's revelation in Scripture while also leaving room for mystery around things that remain uncertain. Each reading concludes with reflection questions and lined journaling spaces, an example prayer, and an application idea. This book can be helpful for women in many various stages of their infertility journeys, and the authors make an effort to speak to many different situations.

However, this is definitely directed to women who are currently married and trying to have a baby. A woman who is reeling from a fertility-related diagnosis but isn't yet married or trying to get pregnant could still benefit from this book, but I would recommend Longing for Motherhood: Holding On to Hope in the Midst of Childlessness by Chelsea Patterson Sobolik as a better fit.

Overall, this book offers deep theology and meaningful comfort, and the authors' vulnerability will help women feel seen in the midst of circumstances that are very private and often difficult to discuss with others. They also reflect some about their support group organization, and they share resources in the back about how to connect.

There are only a few things that I wished were different. One is that I wished the authors had mentioned the anger and sadness that many women experience when learning about their condition and realizing how greatly infertility rates have risen because of toxic, endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are everywhere in society. Not everyone is going to take a deep dive into learning about the environmental chemicals causing reproductive harm, but some do. At least a passing mention could be helpful for women dealing with anger about this as part of the emotional roller coaster of infertility.

Also, even though the authors acknowledge husbands' emotional struggles from time to time and include a reflection for fathers from Kelley's husband, I wish that they had shared wisdom for women whose husbands are depressed or traumatized from their infertility journey. The book's overall framework assumes that the wife is suffering the most, while the husband is doing his best to comfort her and wishes he could fix everything.

That is an extremely common dynamic, but it's not always the wife who takes things the hardest, and sometimes men experience profound grief and shame over infertility, especially if they feel responsible for it. I wish the authors had given this more than just a passing mention, especially since they frequently encouraged women to seek emotional counseling if necessary and could have included the husbands in this too.

I am very impressed with this book as a whole. It is theologically deep, emotionally vulnerable, and filled with wisdom and encouragement for Christian women who are struggling with infertility and child loss. I echo many others in saying that I wish this book had existed sooner, and it will be a wonderful blessing to many people.

I received a free copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle Tolbird · Rating 4 out of 5]

There seemed to be a million and one devotionals for motherhood, but not a single one for lack of motherhood. I scoured the internet and came up short. It felt like yet another slap in the face, another visible-only-to-me “not welcome here” sign in church, another exclusion to female space. All the other women in church are given praise for their sacrifices. All the other women in church can openly share their prayer requests for sleep training and potty training and going back to work and staying at home and finding and losing their sense of self. All the church events are created by mothers and for mothers. And now here, seeking solace in quiet time, I find there is still no room for me in even the publishing world of devotionals. Praise be to God that this book was published the very month I hit my lowest low. I purchased it immediately when I saw the chapter titles: “Why Her and Not Me?” “Outside the Mommy Club.” “Friends Again.” “Praise Him Anyway.”

Ouch. Right to the heart of it.

It took me much longer than 31 days to get through these 31 devotionals. It’s not fun to cry and I cried over about a fourth of the chapters. Sometimes I cried in deep grief, other times I cried in joyous prayer. The chapters are tender and compassionate in the beginning, dealing with *all* the hard feelings of infertility, like grief, jealousy, loneliness, exclusion. They grow in depth over the pages, challenging the reader to turn inward and upward and outward, to acknowledge the pain, to cling to hope, and to make daily choices to show the love of Jesus not in spite of her situation, but because of her situation. My faith has deepened over this journey. I’ve had more spiritual conversations in one season than I have had perhaps in my entire walk. I also learned I still have serious spiritual work to do in forgiveness of rejection and exclusion, and in uprooting the bitterness that follows an unforgiving heart (see the first paragraph: it’s an honest look at my perspective. I confess it is not holy.).

What would have brought this up to five stars: a third perspective of an author who never conceived. The two authors of this book are doing the Lord’s work, sharing the wisdom that comes with distance from a painful season to the women walking right in the midst of it. They are following their call and should be honored for it! I certainly learned a lot from them and they do include snippets from women in their community who have never had biological children, but I also would have appreciated a third voice of another woman who never birthed biological children woven throughout the entirety of the book.

I would also love a companion devotional for the husband. This was the only female devotional I could find regarding infertility. I could not find *any at all* for men.

Overall, a must-read for any woman going through infertility. Even if you think you’re “fine” (ie: me every other day), I promise you you’ll benefit from at least one chapter of this book. My favorite quote:

“Once God saw the universe he made, with man and woman as the crowning glory of his creation, he called it ‘very good.’ Notice that he said this before Eve got pregnant. In God’s eyes, a husband and a wife are a family whether or not they have children.”

Genesis was once flippantly thrown around to me as a command to have children (“be fruitful and multiply”) and it stabbed my heart even when I knew it wasn’t theologically sound. Kelley and Jenn, thank you so much for your beautiful words to finally help soothe that deep wound. Thank you for reminding me that God sees beauty in my family of two. Thank you for your ministry. I loved this book and hope it is the first of many more books in the Christian publishing world to grow people’s faith while they walk through infertility.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chances are, if you are reading this review, you have found yourself on this road of infertility (or you love someone who is). I've been on this road awhile myself - about 8 years now, though we were blessed with a little girl through IVF about 2 years ago. You are looking for a book that will give you encouragement and hope - words to soothe your aching heart. You're looking for Jesus in the midst of all this pain. Or maybe you love someone who is going through this and you are looking for a gift to give them some encouragement, to let them know that you care. This is the book.

There are a lot of things about this season that I wish that I could go back and tell myself as I was starting out the first time. To take myself by the hand and put a name to/validate all the things that I was feeling. To remind myself of the truths of Scripture that I so desperately needed - is God still good? What does it mean to wait well? To recognize and heal things that were going on in my marriage and in my relationships because of infertility. Practical, scriptural advice on making the tough decisions that you have to make. THIS BOOK is everything that I would say to the me from 8 years ago. It feels like sitting down with a girlfriend and just letting her speak truth into your life, truth that you desperately need in this dry, painful season. Truth that I know that I needed to be reminded of again as we started the process to try for number 2 - and the reflection questions/guided prayers/action steps at the end of the each chapter are just so, so good.

[Alissa Dedic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend anyone experiencing infertility reads this book! I wish I had it 10 years ago. This is a journaling book, so each chapter ends with a reflection, prayer, and action section. It is written in a conversational style, so it is like having coffee with the author. This book offers encouragement, guidance, and a sense of community. I am so grateful for this book and the Waiting in Hope ministry. I hope they write more books on this topic.

[Hope Kantola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book. The Waiting in Hope organization. The people behind it. The heart of finding hope in Jesus even in hard circumstances.

I have nothing but praises for Waiting in Hope. In a world full of a kingdom of ME mentality, Waiting in Hope brings the truth of the Kingdom of GOD, points people to Jesus, and offers much needed encouragement to a very difficult heartache to walk through.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WiH is a blessing of encouragement to me through not only my infertility journey to grow my family but in my faith and relationship with Jesus as well. WOuld recommend to anyone who is struggling with waiting for anything this life has. Thank you Kelley/Jenn for this God given blessing! 🙏🏻💛

[Mary Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best spiritually focused infertility resource I have read. I have been and will continue to recommend this to anyone I know who bears the cross of infertility.

[Emily Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book with an appropriate alignment to scripture. I loved it!

[Bridget Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautifully written book and a MUST read for those going through any stage of infertility. It offers 31 devotions that wonderfully point back to God through all the emotions infertility brings. I received this book as an ARC from netgalley and after reading the first chapter I knew I would be buying a copy for myself as well as for a gift to others

[Sarah Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent and hits the nail on the head with so many of the struggles and fears experienced when walking through infertility. It gently brings Biblical truth to painful and tender areas of the heart. This is a great resource for anyone struggling to conceive.