And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

Luke 1:46-56

I remember the anxiety that overwhelmed me every moment of the first trimester of pregnancy. I spent so many days pleading with the Lord to bring to fruition the life he had birthed in my womb. The fear lessened only slightly after the first trimester was over.

For as little as it seems to be talked about, fertility is a common pain point in so many families. Over the last few months, I’ve probably had at least 8 different conversations with families struggling with various aspects of fertility. Fertility is a fragile thing. It is delicate and yet so personal. More than anything else in my life, it feels completely out of my control.

In Luke 1, an angel comes to Mary and tells her she is going to carry the Savior of the world. Her first response is a question anyone in her position would ask. “How can this be since I am a virgin?” Gabriel explains that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and notes that even her cousin Elizabeth, who was “unable” to conceive, will also bear a child. Mary’s next response seems confident. “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

As we keep reading, we see Mary write the Lord a song of thanks. “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.” She had no positive pregnancy test in hand. No ultrasound photos. No proof of heartbeat, and yet she glorified His name. She knew that His words would not fail her.

I don’t know that I could be that bold. Though she trusted, I can’t help but think there must’ve been quiet whispers of fear, as there are for all struggling with fertility. And yet, her response was to rejoice in her Savior.

“For the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.”  I wish I could say that the way this Christmas story unfolded was the way it would unfold for all of us. Though I don’t know what the Lord’s plan is for you and your future family, I will hold on to what I do know - that the Lord is good and faithful. Though I don’t know the pain you may feel in the waiting, I do know his mercy extends to you. I know that my spirit can rejoice in my Savior because I will one day see and understand the good things he has done for me. I know he is fighting for my family and yours.

Lillie Snell