It has been over a year since I quit spending wasting my money on Ovulation Prediction Kits. I didn’t see the point since I never saw a smiley face, a blinky face, or any other type of face besides my own pouty face after each test. However, four weeks ago while shopping in Target and feeling hopeful for my upcoming cycle, I decided to lift my boycott and give them another go around. I told myself (and the box) they had one last chance to flash me a smile.
Therefore, in the last 20 days my morning ritual has consisted of me staggering to the bathroom, fumbling with the foil wrapper, grumbling at the foil wrapper for not opening, eventually opening the incredibly thick foil wrapper, before finally dropping my undergarments and then peeing on the expensive stick (all while thinking to myself how silly it is for me to pee on something worth so much). Once the deed was done, I then returned to the bathroom five minutes later to see the same result I have seen for years…a circle. I sometimes also perform the same routine (minus the staggering part) later in the afternoon ‘just in case’ the smiley face has decided to show up fashionably late. Unfortunately, whether it’s 6am or 3pm, I have yet to see a smiley face.
That is until today…
Today, I changed up my morning ritual by adding an ‘extra step’. After staggering to the bathroom, fumbling with the foil wrapper, grumbling at the foil wrapper, and then finally opening the foil wrapper, I stopped. I stopped and I prayed. It was not a prayer of begging, but rather one in which I boldly approached my Poppa God and asked Him to do something only He could do and that was give me a smile.
Poppa God,
I come to you this morning and after 20 days of seeing nothing but a circle, I ask that you show yourself strong and bless me with a smiley face on this stupid test. Your word says in the book of Psalms that you hear my prayers and you will not reject my pleas; therefore, I am confident and hopeful to see my first smile today.
After the prayer, I continued my routine of dropping my undergarments, peeing on the expensive stick (while once again rolling my eyes at the foolishness of basically peeing on money), and then setting it on the counter before walking to my office. It was approximately ten minutes later when I heard my husband walk down the hallway and while standing in the doorway he said, “You got a smiley face.” I turned around and with a confused look on my face I said, “Uh?” He once again repeated, “You got a smiley face.” Still unsure as to what he was talking about, I responded with another (but more aggravated) “Uh?” However as he began to repeat, “You got a smiley face” for the third time, my hands flew over my mouth as I remembered the test, the prayer, and the smile I so desperately wanted to see. As tears began to quickly fill my eyes, all I could say was, “It did?! You can see a smile?” He nodded his head yes and I could hardly believe it!
As I ran to the bathroom to look at the smiley face with my own two eyes, I realized I had no idea what a smiley face meant, I just knew I wanted one. Therefore, after digging the box out of the bathroom cabinet, I began reading the instructions and discovered that since I had a circle (no chance of ovulation at this time) yesterday, I should have had a blinky smiley face (ovulation coming soon) today and then possibly a solid smiley face (get jiggy with it because ovulation is happening now) tomorrow; however, not me! I went straight from a circle yesterday to a solid smile today. I started to panic and get aggravated thinking maybe my body and hormones were still wacky, but then I remembered my prayer and started to laugh at myself. I should have been more specific because I did not ask God for a blinky smiley face, I simply asked Him for a smile and that’s exactly what He gave me.
It has been hours since I first saw my ‘smile’ and I still get chills thinking about the power of prayer. I also cannot stop thinking about James 4:2 which says, “You do not have because you do not ask.” I know it sounds simple, but we have to pray and ask for what we want or need. I don’t do that. I don’t pray. Do not get me wrong, I do pray and I pray a lot, but I do not pray for me. Instead, I am praying for my friends who are also waiting for their breakthrough, or the woman I heard who needs healing. I am praying for Goldilocks and her Mama or for those who have lost all hope and those who have never found it.
I am praying for others and seeing my prayers answered, which is great, but I am not praying for myself and as a result, my life is not changing. For months I have not prayed for my baby bird to make his appearance soon. I have quit praying for my cycles to become regular (or at the very least shorter than 70 days) and I cannot remember the last time I prayed for ovulation to start taking place. Many of you might be asking, “Well, why the heck not?!?” I too began asking myself that very same question today and the answer was very clear and simple. I do not pray for myself because sometimes I forget, but mostly because I feel as though if I have worked the situation over in my mind, talked about it long enough with others, complained about it with my husband, or even blogged about it for the world to read, then its the same thing as prayer. But thinking, hoping, and talking with others is not prayer, only talking with the Father is prayer.
So today, take a lesson from me and do not let your prayerlessness hinder God from working in your life. Boldly come to Him with your requests because He is waiting to also give you a smile today (and no I don’t mean the one on the ovulation prediction test, unless of course that’s what you need).
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 (NLT)
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Go you! Sending love!
Thanks sugars!!! xo
That is so exciting!! Congratulations :). And it’s very encouraging to me…I’m in a very similar boat, and as a control freak, I feel weak when I pray…like I’m giving up control. But how awesome is it to have God the Father care about all those little things?! Thank you for sharing your story and this encouragement!
Oh don’t feel weak when you pray! It’s just simply talking to the father like you would talk to me 😉 Keep it simple and rest in His love for you to give you the desires of your heart! xo
Yay Yay!!
yippeee skippeee!
That smiley face never gets old. Have fun makin a baby!
Thanks girlie 🙂
This actually brought tears to my eyes, because I forget too and I needed a reminder. I’m so happy you got your smiley face! I’m praying for YOU to have that baby bird and be filled with blessings.
awe thank you so much!! xo
SO EXCITED FOR YOU!! OMG!! Praying for wonderful news ahead. God is faithful!
Yes He is and thank you so much for your prayers girlie! xo
This is great news!!! So excited for you!
Thank you so much Amie!!
Oh my goodness! Better get jiggly with it. I personally would confirm with a different brand because I have had issues with the cb advanced, but I am so unbelievably happy for you!
oh no need to confirm. I asked for a smiley and God gave me one…I’m not worried about whether or not I actually ovulated. I am just thankful He heard my prayers and answered 🙂 that’s enough for me right now. I needed that confirmation.
🙂 Seems to me like you are about to ovulate though! God speaks in mysterious ways
I just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for Very Inspiring Blogger Award 🙂
awe that is so sweet of you! I’ll be checking it out! Thank you!! xo
How absolutely exciting!!!! I’m sending up a prayer that you’ll also get a positive pregnancy test soon! Thanks for linking up this answer to prayer with the Faith and Fellowship blog hop!
Susannah! Thank you so much for allowing me to link up! I just love going and reading the other blogs as well! I hope you have a great weekend! xo
It makes me happy to know a small prayer was answered and brought a smile to your face. Now here’s to praying for something a little bigger…that your baby bird is growing in your uterus.
yes, yes, yes! Thank you so much for your prayers Jessah! xo
Wow! This is amazing and a testament to the power of prayer. God just wants us to talk him and see him as the one in control. Blessings to you!
Thank you so much for reading and commenting! I hope you have a great weekend! 🙂
Wonderful news! The SAME thing happened to me on Tuesday this week. I started praying that morning on my way to work after getting yet another negative on day 23 of my cycle. I wanted to stop testing, but a friend encouraged me to keep testing so I took another test that evening and got my smiley!! I was so happy over it, it felt like a positive pregnancy test haha! I hope this is the cycle for both of us!! Love & prayers! <3
WOW! What an awesome answer to prayer! I love that the test gives a smiley face instead of just lines or a positive. Praying that means more smiley faces to come in the near future.
I can’t stand the line Ovulation Prediction tests…i can’t ever decide if the line is darker, lighter, or whatever. lol!
Reblogged this on Faith – Hope – Love – Serve.
Thanks for sharing such an encouraging story! Praying for you, your husband, and your baby bird! Your light is shining, my sister!
Thank you so much for your prayers and sweet compliment! xo
Oh my! I love this blog post. You have a sweet sweet heart – it just seeps through your words – and I DO pray for your baby bird! I am old and my infertility struggles are long over – now have 3 birdies and a new grand birdie just born – so I KNOW there is resolution around the corner for your heart’s desire! This is a profound truth you have offered to your readers and I thank you for it! “I do not pray for myself because sometimes I forget, but mostly because I feel as though if I have worked the situation over in my mind, talked about it long enough with others, complained about it with my husband, or even blogged about it for the world to read, then its the same thing as prayer. But thinking, hoping, and talking with others is not prayer, only talking with the Father is prayer. So today, take a lesson from me and do not let your prayerlessness hinder God from working in your life. Boldly come to Him with your requests….”
Thank you so much for your wonderful support and encouragement! It means so much to me! Thank you, thank you!
I thought god told you to stop counting, stop tracking, and leave it to faith?
He did…but I personally believe God will have you in a season for a bit to “cool ya down” and then take you onto a new path as He takes you into new seasons. I felt at peace when I bought the ovulation predication kit and it wasn’t about me trying to stay in “control” like before Before when I would track, count, etc. I would be obsessive over it and it controlled me. But in that time of “cooling down” and letting go of control, He has taught me so much and it no longer dictates me or controls me. I still don’t temp or mark on my calendar what day I am on. I actually don’t technically know what day I am on unless I go back and count. It’s easy for me to remember what day my cycle started this time around because it was on “Josiah Day” of last month. I hope that all makes sense 🙂 Next month, I may not feel at peace about peeing on those sticks and if I don’t, then I won’t for that cycle.
Love this. 🙂 God is wonderful!
Praying for you and your husband, that you will be blessed with your Josiah very soon.
Psalm 107:41-42 “He raises up the needy out of distress, and makes their families like flocks. The upright see it and are glad; and all wickedness stops its mouth.”
LOVIN this verse today! Thank you for being so encouraging!!!
I got my first smiley face this week too! Thanks for sharing your story!
Yay!!! Smileys all around 🙂
HalleluYAH! That’s so awesome. Will keep praying for you!
Thank you, thank you!!!!
Elisha, you have a beautiful heart. Please don’t stop writing, never ever stop. God (I believe) has anointed you with the gift of encouraging others.
Ah, thank you so much for your sweet words of encouragement! You are such a gem! Thank you! xo
I keep getting behind on my blog reading and then have so much excitement to catch up on. I just said a prayer for you. Love ya!
Thanks sugars…now you should skip to “The Two Week Wait is Over” LOL!
I “stummbled” (I’m pretty sure God showed me your blog address, and it was no mistake) across your blog tonight and can’t stop reading all of your entries. This one hit close to home as I prayed for a smiley face for 3 months after having nothing but circles. In September, my first smiley face was followed by a positive pregnancy test. However, 6 weeks later I had a miscarriage. I was having a rough day today until I read the scripture and story you posted. I prayed that I would see another smiley face soon as I face the future while living for God! Thank you for your wonderful site and encouraging words!!
Holly! I am so excited you “stumbled” upon this little ol space of mine 🙂 I also have no doubt that The Lord brought you here. I pray every morning that He send the people to this blog that need to hear anything that He has given me to write down. I believe the Lord is speaking to you right now through this post. Never stop praying sugars! Never stop believing! He has amazing things in store for your future and I can say this with confidence because His words says so and it’s truth. I too am not only praying for you to have a smiley face but two pink lines 🙂 I hope you stick around an continue to allow the Lord to speak to you through other posts. If you need ANYTHING please email me at 10hopeingod@gmail.com. I also have a waiting for baby bird Facebook page and I am constantly updating stuff there. Sending you hugs today and believing with you! xo