A Flock of Birds & A Plane Crash

Perhaps you saw the news about a US Airways flight that crashed in the frigid Hudson River. Miraculously, all five crew members and all 150 passengers were saved! Despite being terrified and some suffering from hypothermia, every single person who boarded the plane also exited the plane alive. What caused this huge, mechanical bird to meet its demise? Was it a massive failure in the engineering system? Domestic terrorism? No. This powerful Airbus A320 jet airplane was brought down by a bunch of ordinary birds that the world would hardly even notice!

You would think it would take something bigger, stronger, smarter than a bunch of quacking feather dusters to bring down the culmination of millions of dollars and the work of the best and brightest minds in the aeronautical sciences! Unless, of course, you’ve been brought to your knees by the whimper of a newborn, or other seemingly ordinary events the fertile world would hardly even notice. Something as mundane as a picture of sweet baby feet on the cover of a magazine may be all it takes to spotlight the baby-shaped void in your life. Your heart crashes into a river of tears much like that powerful jet crashed into the Hudson River.

There’s something different about the story of this plane crash. Everyone survived! How did such a miracle occur? There was an amazing pilot at the helm of the doomed vessel who knew what to do even when everything went wrong. Guess what, hurting friend! You’ll survive your struggle as well, because there is an amazing Pilot guiding you through your journey through infertility! When infertility has caused your life to feel totally out of control and you wonder if you will survive, remember that very familiar Scripture found in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” When infertility causes your life to feel as if it is spinning out of control the Lord knows just how to guide you to safety. He knows how to bring you through each emergency, each unexpected report, each terrifying moment when you don’t know what will happen.

Remember the ferry boats? They came alongside the downed jet and rescued the passengers and took them to safety. There are “ferry boats” in your life as well! Perhaps they don’t look like ferry boats, but they are there! One “ferry boat” may come in the form of a good friend who understands your struggle because she walks that road too. Another “ferry boat” may be the compassionate prayer of your Pastor that seems to speak right to the hurt your heart carries. What “ferry boats” have you found in Scripture? Oh they’re there! The stories of Abraham and Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth! They’re all “ferry boats” to rescue you from the devastation that infertility brings.

There is one more reason I believe this story is being dubbed such a miracle. In one news report, an incredibly grateful passenger said you could hear prayers being offered up all over the plane as it was going down. Never, ever forget there is power in prayer. It may seem that your prayers go unnoticed and unanswered. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hannah prayed and prayed and kept on praying for a child even when she was discouraged because her struggle lasted so long. Her prayers were heard and answered. Keep on praying. There is power in your prayer.