In this episode of The Hope + Help Project, Christine Chappell interviews author/writer Glenna Marshall on the topic of infertility, suffering, and her new book, The Promise is His Presence: Why God is Always Enough. During the conversation, Glenna shares about her personal experiences with infertility, church hurt, and chronic illness, unpacking the devastating heartbreak of deferred hope and the dangers of basing our beliefs about God's goodness on whether or not he will give us "good" things. Glenna shares how her struggle with infertility negatively impacted church fellowship and personal friendships, gives suggestions on how to respond to seasons of spiritual dryness, and soothes sufferers with words of comfort for when the grief of barrenness feels all-consuming.
I think my struggle came down to: I know that God is good, I'm just not sure he's good to me. And the problem with that is that I equated his goodness with what I decided was good. I didn't in any way believe that, No, you can't have children, could be good. That's difficult to swallow when you are struggling with infertility, and yet, God can do so much good with a No...he just can.
About the Podcast
The Hope + Help Project podcast offers compassionate biblical conversations about life's challenging problems. The purpose of the podcast is to share Christ-centered comfort and clarity for those seeking biblical solutions for the struggles they face. The podcast accomplishes this by offering a mix of interviews with seasoned biblical counseling professionals and ministry leaders on a variety of topics. Listeners can expect to receive biblical wisdom as well as practical steps for facing suffering, struggling and sin with courage and grace. Hosted by author/writer Christine M. Chappell.
About the Guest
Glenna Marshall is married to her pastor, William, and lives in rural southeast Missouri, where she tries to keep up with her two energetic sons. Glenna is the author of The Promise Is His Presence (P&R, 2019). You can connect with her at glennamarshall.com, where she writes about suffering, biblical literacy, and God’s faithfulness.
About the Book
The Promise is His Presence: Why God is Always Enough • What if you didn't have to go looking for God's presence? What if you could enjoy it all the time?
Glenna Marshall's awakening to God's presence began in the depths of winter. Rereading her journal, she realized that for six months she'd been cataloging all the ways God had abandoned her. What if that . . . wasn't true? Interweaving her own story of faith and doubt amid suffering, Glenna traces the theme of God's presence from Genesis to Revelation and shows what it means for us in our own daily joys and struggles.
God's presence among his people set him apart from the pagan gods of ancient times. His presence on earth as God Incarnate split history in two. And today his presence is one of the most significant means of his goodness to us.
Helpful Articles from Glenna
When God Calls You to Walk through Suffering’s Door
If God has ordained a door of suffering for you to walk through, you can trust he’s invested in both your perseverance and also your restoration (1 Pet. 5:10). You can step across the painful threshold knowing that the road beyond is incomparably short in light of the inheritance that has been bought and kept for you.
Look Up
Seasons of longing and waiting can bruise the soul, crack it open, and leave it exposed. Applying bitterness to the wound only causes it to fester. But applying belief in the Lord’s steady, faithful love is the only remedy that medicates the wound. When your circumstances blur your vision, look up. Look to the Lord and let Him tell you what is true.
About Your Host
Christine M. Chappell
Author/Writer/Speaker
Christine Chappell is the author of Clean Home, Messy Heart, Help! My Teen is Depressed (forthcoming with Shepherd Press in March 2020), and is the host of the Hope + Help Podcast. She is passionate about advocating for biblical one-another care and discipleship in the context of the local church. Her writing has been featured at Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, Risen Motherhood, Servants of Grace, and other Christian platforms. Christine blogs regularly at christinemchappell.com and lives in South Carolina with her husband and three children.
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