Joy in the midst of trials

James 1:2-3

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

It dawned upon me the other day that just because people may not be dealing with the same trial as I am right now, we all face trials of many kinds daily, weekly, monthly, and/or yearly. The specific trial God has placed in our lives right now is that of waiting for a child. Our journey started back in September of 2008 and it continues today. Perseverance and patience have taken on a new meaning for me as we wait for the Lord to answer our prayers. There have been many ups and downs along the way, but Cole and I are thankful for the opportunity we have been given to grow closer together as a couple, and ultimately to grow closer in our relationship with the Lord. Despite the pain, doubts, and fear, I have tried to find joy in the midst of our trial. One thing that has stood out to me recently is the fact that God has given me Cole to walk this journey with.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

⁹ Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.

He has been my number one support and we truly have been cherishing this ‘alone’ time together before children do arrive. Maybe that is what the Lord has wanted us to figure out all along: that we have Him, we have each other, what more do we need?