Welcome To Joy Ministries
Welcome
Welcome to the Joy Ministries blog. Here we will share what God is doing in Joy Ministries and other things we feel that God has placed on our hearts to share with you.
Please enJOY these two testimonies from April & Nicole on what God has brought them through and how Joy Ministries came about.
April's Story...
Have you ever had a time in your life that was so full of Joy?
It wasn’t that there weren't problems in your personal life or the world, but the anticipation of the positive things that were happening in your life superseded any negativity in your life.
That’s how I felt in July of 2013, I was spending my days getting things decluttered and organized so that it would be ready for my baby girl’s arrival the next month. My sister-in-law and I went to Target to find the wooden organizer and had planned to use cute linen baskets for the baby’s endless outfits and shoes. We had even started decorating the nursery in lavender and light green!
The excitement was building up and my baby shower was just a week away! My mom was so full of Joy, my husband was so full of Joy, my church family, extended family, close friends, and immediate family all were so full of Joy!
Not because this was the only baby in their life, but many of them had been wondering when we were going to have a child. As a teacher I was around children Monday-Friday and then on Sundays as a Sunday School teacher; so I wasn’t in a rush. My husband had wanted to set some things up more financially so he wasn’t in a rush either. Lol!
I didn’t even have to think about being Joyous, despite what type of day I had at work, I still had Joy. I think becoming a first-time mother does that to you!
About three days before the baby shower I woke up not feeling right, realizing that I was never awakened the night before by the nightly kick-a-thon I would get around 4:00 each morning. For the first time in several months, I felt my Joy start to become interrupted when I realized that she could be in jeopardy. I wish I could say that I just had a scare and she was fine but that wasn’t the case. One of the next things I would hear would be the words from my OB doctor saying: Sorry April we don’t hear a heartbeat. My JOYous world felt like it was crashing down rapidly.
That statement would eventually be the catalyst to why Joy Ministries was formed: which is to help women navigate JOYously through life during difficult and challenging times. Although it was not an easy process, God gave me the strength to help regain my JOY and help other ladies get and keep theirs!
Nicole's Story...
When you look forward to having a baby, you get so much excitement and JOY. You start looking at baby items; cribs, strollers, car seats, and even then cute outfits that you plan to dress your little one in. This was no different for me. I had the crib that I wanted picked out and even the first outfit I was going to buy for either a boy or a girl.
When a year had passed, I felt that excitement start to diminish. But I still held onto that joy I had. Then another year went by and still no baby. After four years and still no baby, I questioned things. Maybe it was physical? Could it be fixed if it was? But I lost the excitement of having a baby and my joy slipped away with it. I could no longer walk past the baby section at Walmart or any other department store without feeling this sadness in my heart. The same sadness that many women feel when they long for a child but none comes.
After four years of being married and having no child, my world was turned upside down. My marriage came to a screeching halt. I clung onto God and rode on the waves of despair. I had only been in church for a couple years and was still learning how to have a relationship with God. But through this trial, God showed me how to trust Him.
During a Sunday night service, God had spoken to my heart and said that He had made me barren for a reason. When you hear the word "barren", no matter the reason, it takes you back a bit. I now understand why, but it still was hard for me to hear. But God also added, "I will heal you and give you the family you want."
Eight years later... I met the most amazing man I know, Terry Fitzpatrick. He swooped me off my feet and we got married. The possibility of having a baby started to bring back that excitement. The joy I was feeling was overwhelming. Then a year later and still no baby, the feeling of despair started coming back. We started to talk to a doctor about fertility options. Then after a couple months of trying fertility meds, we heard the word "No" to having a baby. We were devastated. My OB didn't give me hope of having a baby, but I was reminded of the promise God had given me. He WOULD heal me!! So, I stood on that and put all my trust in God. If He promised it, it would happen.
One more year later... I had an indication that there could be a possibility that I was pregnant. I didn't want to get my hopes up to have it crushed once again. But I did go and get a home pregnancy test.
It was Valentine's Day 2018. I took the test out, peed on the stick (TMI I know...lol), and put the test on the back of the toilet. Fulling expecting it to be negative, just like all the MANY other tests I have taken. Now this test wasn't one of those easy tests that say PREGNANT or NOT PREGNANT. It had the + or - signs. So, when I went back in the bathroom to check it, I was confused. I saw a PLUS sign. Now, this shouldn't surprise you, but when you fully expect a different result, your brain stops functioning. I look at the instructions, then looked back at the test... "Ok, '-' means no baby, and '+' means... baby... Is this right?" The tears were flowing while I tried to come to grips with what I was seeing. This had to be the best Valentine's Day gift EVER!! I wrapped the test in tissue paper, put it in a big bag, and put string confetti on top of it. I then gave the bag to my hubby as a Valentine's gift. His reaction was much like mine. "Does this mean what I think it means?" he said with tears in his eye. That October 13th, Hadassah Elizabeth Fitzpatrick was brought into this world. Our little miracle!! When the doctors say no, but God says YES!!
