Testimonies - Page 12 of 39 - Moms in the Making

My husband and I were walked through infertility for over 7 years with a diagnosis of uterine fibroids and low motility for my husband.

While waiting on our miracle baby, we fostered over 8 kids, and I attended Moms in the Making groups and saw a life coach. I had to get over my hurt and anger. Finally, I began taking all natural vitamins to prep for conception and then stepped out on faith by going to a healing service. While receiving a prayer, I could feel my stomach expanding and the lady praying for me said that she could feel it as well.

A few days later, I got my period during a family vacation. I was upset. My husband refused all alternative means of conception (including IUI, IVF, embryo adoption or surrogacy). I decided that I would give him a bit of time to change his mind but if not then I would leave him. I only had a glimmer of faith.

I asked him spur of the moment to attend a marriage class with me at the same church where I had the healing prayer. During this class, I was very transparent. I actually voiced my plan to leave due to infertility and my husband not being supportive of alternative ways to conceive.

A man approached me and said that God gave him a vision of fists joined together in my womb to signify a stronghold. He said in the vision that he prayed and the stronghold was broken and I conceived. He prayed for me that night in April 2022.

Fast forward to the next month… I am a missionary at church. In May 2022, I gave the sermon at my church on Mother’s Day and celebrated and acknowledged all women. My skirt was fitting tightly and my period was a few days late, so, I took a pregnancy test.

For the first time in 7 years, the test came back POSITIVE!!!!! I am miraculously pregnant.

I encourage all women to continue to seek God and in the meantime, do a work for Him. It could be fostering, adopting, working in the church or other helpful organizations. Live righteously and God will reward you.
In April of 2021 we moved to Houston after spending 3 years in Baton Rouge and Canada before that. Several months later, in July, we lost our daughter at 17 weeks.

It was during that same time that I started praying for a community who could encourage my growth in Christ, support my journey in motherhood, and become closer than sisters.

Just two months later I joined MOPS and a Bible study at my now home church. I also found Moms in the Making and A Cup Full of Hope Podcast in that time as well.

God has provided an amazing community of sisters who are moms. Some are fellow believers, some live in my neighborhood, some have kids in my sons classes at school but I met all of these incredible women through my church.

This was the first church that I stepped foot in in 20 years! I was a stranger in a strange land and God made it my home.
We moved into our townhouse in 2015 after we were married. We loved it, but we knew it wasn’t our forever home. We expected to bring home our first baby there, and began trying to conceive in 2017. In 2019, I had a dream of the room we had begun to call our nursery. I asked God what it meant, and He said we would “experience a miracle” in that room. My natural mind assumed that meant we would have our long awaited baby while in that home.

In 2020, the housing market made it very appealing to buy a new home because prices were low. This trend continued, but we still weren’t pregnant. I was discouraged, but my husband reminded me of what God had said. Neither of us had peace yet. Even with family and friends encouraging us to move, we held fast to God’s promise. In 2021, after over 3 years TTC naturally, we felt led to pursue fertility treatments. In preparation for our procedures, my husband administered all my shots and medications in our nursery. We bonded in that room: we laughed, we cried, we were afraid, we prayed together, and we took turns being strong for each other. In total, we had 3 failed IUIs and a failed IVF transfer all in 2021. But through that time, our nursery was the room in which we experienced so much of God’s goodness.

In January of 2022, we received the news that we were pregnant after an FET with our remaining embryos! God had worked a miracle in my body. Almost immediately after receiving this news, we both felt peace about selling our townhome. I asked God if we had experienced our miracle, or if we were supposed to bring our baby home to the townhouse, and He said we had experienced our miracle! Even though the market was terrible, with houses going fast and at high prices, God made a way for us. We sold our townhome in less than 24 hours for well over asking. Then we found our new house on our second time out looking at homes and our offer was accepted – even with other offers that had come in above ours. God is so good to provide for his children. He keeps his promises and he rewards our faithfulness!
We have been married for nine years. During that time, I experienced three ectopic pregnancies. My last ectopic was in November 2018, right when we were going to try our first IUI but I became pregnant naturally. We couldn’t resume fertility treatments until I was healed from the ectopic pregnancy. That took us into January 2019, however, my husband deployed and was not expected to come home for six months. We would then need to wait a few months later to ensure he was not exposed to Zika while deployed. I felt defeated and so angry.

In April 2019, I was sick and not getting better. I was diagnosed with a cancerous lung tumor. My husband was brought home immediately and I underwent a surgery to remove part of my lung. Thankfully, surgery was the only treatment I needed, but the healing time was six months. I felt even more defeated! Why are there so many obstacles in my way? In July 2019, I found a local Moms in the Making group. I was hesitant, but decided to try it out. Attending this group forever changed my life! I felt closer to God and felt more hopeful. I also made forever friendships.

After six months of healing, we resumed treatment. I had a minor fertility surgery to try and determine the cause of the ectopics. No cause found. We were told to try naturally for six months. After unsuccessfully trying, we opted for IVF. However, we were now in 2020. Due to COVID, our IVF was pushed out to the end of 2020. Right before starting, my husband received orders to move in early 2021. We decided we could not pursue IVF during a move. This was my breaking point. I was so angry and questioned God’s Word and promise.

We pursued IVF in July 2021, which was completely covered by donations and other financial means that we wouldn’t have had prior to moving. We became pregnant during the second attempt and our miracle baby was born in June 2022! Looking back at my journey, I now understand God’s timing for us! Without the waiting, I would not have grown closer to Him. I would not have developed the faith I now have. God will always fulfill His promise at the most perfect time, even when sometimes we can’t see it.
One year ago, we were at the condo with my husband’s family and I was about 8 weeks pregnant. It was the furthest I had ever made it in a pregnancy; the other 7 pregnancies I had miscarried by week 7. I was terrified, hopeful, scared, encouraged, worried, grateful and a whole mix of emotions.

This past weekend we were back at the condo and that tiny little guy in my belly in the first picture is now almost 6 months old. If you’re in the wait to be a mom, don’t give up. God has a plan. Trust Him and seek Him in every area of your life. Find support through family, friends, church or groups like Moms in the Making.
In August of 2019, I prepared my home for my first Moms in the Making meeting. I was officially co-leading a local in-person group in Green Bay, Wisconsin and was in desperate need for community. I knew two women planned to attend that first evening, but I recall feeling completely unqualified for this calling that the Lord had placed on my heart. Not to mention the fact that we were meeting on what had to be one of the hottest August days ever! Most of that first evening is a blur in my memory, but I remember praying that these ladies would return for our next meeting and they did!

Fast forward to March of 2020 when the pandemic began, our group began meeting virtually. I remember spending time asking the Lord about what this meant for our group but ultimately trusted His plans. Then the emails and messages started coming in. In the period of three weeks, we had doubled our membership! There were ladies in our area who needed a faith-filled community now more than ever. While the enemy intended for us to feel isolated and secluded during the pandemic, our group found great comfort in staying connected virtually.

It’s amazing to look back on that time in 2020 and feel so incredibly thankful. Fast forward to now, July of 2022. Since that first August evening in 2019, our group has been home to more than 15 members, 8 miracle babies (plus one on the way), as well as countless prayers, hugs, celebrations and tears. The ladies in this group have become some of my closest friends. They have contended with me, prayed with me and believed with me for my miracle over the years.

Our group recently celebrated my sweet miracle baby, whom we welcomed into our family in November 2021. My son has the sweetest, fiercest team of faith-filled aunties you have ever seen! All of this to say, if you have ever felt the calling on your heart to lead a Moms in the Making group in your community, lean in and trust that the Father will do amazing things with your quiet yes. My small yes has led to some of the biggest blessings in my life and I am forever grateful!
In 2018 my husband and I found out that a foster family program was about to start in our hometown and God moved our hearts to apply to foster a child. Later that year, we were welcoming a 2 year old into our home! It was love at first sight. The love and the bond with our child grew stronger. At the same time, we were increasingly worried because we knew since the beginning that eventually the day of separation would be imminent. The rules were very clear in Mexico that it is not possible to switch from foster family to adoption family.

The following year when the time of separation was really near and a feeling of sadness was all around us, God spoke to us through His Word saying that we must trust in Him and that He was going to be our helper. We decided to believe in His word even when all the odds were against us. God never gave up on us even when there were hard days when we didn’t feel like our faith and attitude were right. Then, in the next few days, we started to see a few signs of hope. We finally saw the fulfillment of the word God gave us. On May 10th, Mother’s Day in Mexico, we legally became a family forever.

Thanks to my Moms in the Making friends for praying and believing that the word that God gave us was going to be fulfilled. If you are in a similar situation, I know that God can do it again with you just like He did it with me!
My husband and I have been married 9 years. Before treatments, we had 2 miscarriages. We did 3 rounds of Femara & 3 IUIs with no baby. Then we decided to pursue IVF, but we only got 1 embryo. I got pregnant; however, I had another loss. This time it hit me hard, my heart was broken and my hopes of having a family were looking further away. I was 39 so the doctor kept saying your chances are low. But I continued to believe that God would have the last word.

I had faith, but I needed to heal. I was sad inside, feeling shame and embarrassed. I prayed for a support group. I didn’t want to feel alone anymore. In January 2021, I found Moms in the Making online. I was blessed to be placed in the Spanish speaking virtual group! From the very first session I felt the Holy Spirit saying you are not alone. All the ladies introduced themselves and shared their stories. I could identify myself with each one of them.

Each study God would heal different areas of my heart. I knew that I had to go through all my pain to find MITM. God made me whole. I was able to share my story with no pain, I did not feel less than anymore. God works with a purpose, so I decided to become a leader to help other women. I know the heart of God is in this ministry that focuses on Jesus and not on having a baby.

I continued the IVF route. I changed my diet and adjusted my lifestyle. I will be honest I became obsessed with the regimen to do everything to get more eggs. Yet on each egg retrieval I got the same outcome of only one embryo. I was frustrated, disappointed, and realized that I was trying to control something that only God could do. I truly surrendered and felt conviction in my spirit that there was nothing that I can humanly do. God is sovereign and the only creator of life. I had faith that God will do the miracle with the 2 embryos that we had. I kept waiting for my period to arrive to do the transfer. But God had other plans. My period never came because I got NATURALLY pregnant. I give Him all the glory. He did it in His perfect time. It was worth every tear to experience His LOVE. Our miracle baby was born on March 25th, 2022.
Matt and I met online in 2013! I just wanted dinner but God had bigger plans. We were married in 2015 and immediately tried to start a family. I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was in my early 20’s and Matt has a neurological condition called Neurofibromatosis. Given these diagnoses and our ages we weren’t given much hope. I let this consume me. We were doing all the things and yet nothing was happening.

By 2018 our marriage was consumed with blaming one another, hurt feelings, unnecessary and exorbitant spending by me trying to fill a hole that I knew could only be filled by God. I google searched for “a Christian Infertility Support Group” and found Moms in the Making (8 weeks before conference). I bought my ticket and was scared to death. I went without knowing anyone and had a life changing encounter with Holy Spirit! And while there I also found my people!

In 2022 we continued to pray and I felt God leading us to IVF. Dec. 2020 we had a failed IVF retrieval and then I got COVID. We were devastated. I felt maybe I misheard God and we began discussing adoption (again). We were connected with a friend who had a 13 month old grandchild she did not want to parent and was looking for an adoptive family. One week after deciding on adoption, our friend introduced us to Kaidyn’s family (it happened so fast). We met Kaidyn and started seeing him 2-3 times a week at his grandma’s house.

In Dec. 2021 Kaidyn moved in with us (2 days before Christmas) and in March 2021 we got full custody of him. DSS told us it would be at least a year before we could start the adoption process. Just last week, we met with our lawyer and she thinks this whole process should be finished by Dec. 2022. Kaidyn should officially be a Tuttle 15 months after we found out about him. God isn’t done yet, because we continue to have an awesome relationship with his birth family, especially his parents, and are trying to minister to them often with prayers that they can be free of addiction and love Jesus with all their heart!
As I’ve shared before, my job wasn’t a good fit when I transferred from Michigan to Florida; it was the same, but far too different. I was emotionally and physically burdened and, in December 2021 with support of my husband, I quit. I pulled my 401k to support the household until I found another job. When that was spent and I still hadn’t found a job, we borrowed from my husband’s IRA…and then that was gone, still with no job offers. In April, I got two job offers that greatly varied in annual income..an $18,000 difference. The higher paying job would get us fully out of debt, into a better home, AND easily get us started on our fertility journey (we haven’t been able to afford any treatment towards it). It would also move us out of the Miami area. It seemed like a “no-brainer.” But God’s peace was never in that choice and we couldn’t settle in it. So I took the other.

Why is it a testimony that, after months of being unemployed, I would take a job with lower income that doesn’t technically move us any closer to financial freedom and growing our family? Because God said so. We followed His lead and His peace. What we found with this direction was space and time: flexibility with my schedule, the ability to listen to the Word while I’m working, and because we didn’t move, we continue to walk in obedience with His instruction to come to Florida in the first place. We didn’t allow the promise of money to lead us away.

In following God’s leading, we are reaching a new level in our marriage and in our faith in ways we couldn’t have done had I taken that other position. The fertility journey is an expensive one and through this experience, we are learning how to actually trust and depend on Him. And it’s not that we don’t trust and lean into Him…but we had to learn just how deep that trust needs to be, especially for something as big as a miracle baby, right? And isn’t it beautiful how He loves us enough to grow us up enough to be able to withstand and receive those miracles? He can and will do every miraculous thing when we fully, truly, deeply learn to depend on Him.