''Sing O` Barren Woman'': A Daily Devotional and Book of Encouragement… for Women Whose Wombs Are Barren…And for Those Who Love Them…

By Lemmonstine Poindexter

A daily devotional and book of
encouragement for women whose wombs
are barrenand for those who love them

With a special chapter dedicated to women who lost
their babies in the first few days of lifeas told
by the real life experience of Mrs. Bernice Smith-
Washington

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 22, 2010
• ISBN: 9781450041225

Lemmonstine Poindexter

Lemmonstine Poindexter ( “Lemon”) is the founder of “SingOBarrenWoman”, a group designed to encourage barren women. Over the last 23 years, she has faced many challenges, one of which was understanding and coming to terms with her own infertility (barrenness). After spending a period of intimate time with God, seeking His will for her life, she knew it was time to allow her hurts to be a source of healing for other women. One of her greatest desires is to encourage women to “dance in the rain” while healing from their hurts, challenging them to reciprocate that new found hope in others. Her love for writing will continue to serve as an outlet to minister to others. Lemon “lives” to sing, and is working on a music CD with songs destined to minister to the needs of those who are hurting and looking for hope. These songs exemplify the faith that has brought her “through”; knowing that calling people to sing in the midst of problems is a significant call for faith. Lemon is currently working on her MA (and Doctorate) in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. This is the first in a series of books that she plans to author. She is also the author and founder of www.singobarrenwomanlemon/blogspot , a daily blog designed to encourage barren women. She plans to one day establish a non-profit life-coaching center for women, helping them to discover and pursue their purposes in life. This desire was inspired after studying “Pathway to Purpose” by Dr. Katie Brazelton (the book that changed her life forever). Lemon currently resides in middle Tennessee and dreams each day of retiring in a warm, sunny climate, spending her days writing! Her challenge to women: “Dance and Sing!” (even in the rain)…

Book preview

Sing O’ Barren Woman

A daily devotional and book of

encouragement . . . for women whose

wombs are barren…and for those

who love them . . .

Lemmonstine Poindexter

With a special chapter dedicated to women who lost their babies in the first few days of life . . . as told by the real life experience of

Mrs. Bernice Smith-Washington

Copyright © 2010 by Lemmonstine Poindexter.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

68240

Contents

Special Thanks

Forewords

Introduction

Lemon’s Story I’ve Been Robbed

1.     Ways to Use This Book and Devotional

2.     Isaiah 54

3.     Sarah’s story

      Lord thank you for my Mariah

4.     Jan’s story

      I’m Still Holding On

5.     Lisa’s story

      One of the Elite

6.     Regina’s story

      Making A Difference in the Lives of Others

7.     Loretta’s story

      Barren, but Not Broken

8.     Felicia’s story

      His Word Gives Me Strength

9.     Bernice’s story

      Daddy’s Girl

10.    Your Story

Appendix

11.    The Barren Women of the Scriptures

12.    Barrenness and Adoption

13.    Barren: Waiting on my Knight In Shining Armor

14.    Forgive Them, For They Know Not What They Say

       (Hurtful and Helpful Statements)

15.    Final Words and Thoughts

I also encourage you to visit my blog

http://singobarrenwomanlemon.blogspot.com

and share your thoughts with me daily. This blog has been designed with you in mind.

Special Thanks to You:

To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, thank you for turning my mourning into dancing. You are the ONE I know I can always count on.

(And to Mr. Dana Reed, musician, songwriter, producer, poet, etc . . . haha . . . I can barely wait to hear that dancing put into words to bless others. You continue to bless me!)

To my praying mother, Mrs. Augustine Louise Poindexter (and my father, the late Mr. Tommie Poindexter). You have been the true example of loving parents.

To Tommie’s girls (Mary, Joyce, Mattie, Ida, Gwen, Carlisa and Nancy), thanks for your words of strength and encouragement, and for being the best sisters anyone could ever dream of having. And to my only brother, Kenedy, yes we are depending on you Buck!

To Karen, Alicia, and Sarah, thanks for always, always being there, and especially for the last 18 months. Not just friends, but true sisters who stick like glue (even when I tried to unglue you.) Yes Karen, you are the SVCA woman!

To all the beautiful barren women who opened the most intimate parts of their heart to me in this book. Take comfort in knowing that your story will help others who are facing the same longing.

To my Pastor, father, and mentor, the Rev. Gary D. Ellis Sr., and Mrs. Yvette Ellis, thank you for believing in me.

Thank you Pam for writing this beautiful poem just for me! May the blessings of God be upon you and your words of inspiration in all of your poetry.

Mattie, thank you for those days and nights you travailed in prayer for me. Yes, I felt it!

Thank you Ida and Nancy, my faithful proofreaders. Great choice on that cover page.

And to Dr. Katie Brazelton, Life Purpose Coaching Centers International (LPCCI), Kristi Brooks-Olson, True Life Beauty: Transformational Christian Life Coaching for Women (the best life coach in the world) and Mrs. Sylvia Page (ACTS Counseling Center), thank you. You three ladies came into my life at its most crucial time. Without you, I would still be living life as usual. You may never truly know how much your faith in me helped me to find my purpose.

Foreword

1 Samuel1:4-9

4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. 6 And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Elkanah her husband would say to her, Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?"

9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up."

In all my years of ministering to women, and coaching them through both joyful and difficult circumstances, one thing seems to remain true in the process of breakthrough. As women driven by faith and purpose, they all reach a point where something has to change. The tension is no longer bearable. There is a shift in the spirit realm, or a change of posture, and they no longer can remain silent. They stand up, as Hannah did so many years ago, enter the temple, and pour their souls out to the Lord.

Lemmonstine Poindexter is no different. She is a modern day example of Hannah, a woman who truly feels the pain of barrenness, sorrow, and unfulfilled dreams. Yet she unabashedly chooses to stand up and publicly walk through her pain, in hopes of comforting another. But make no mistake. Lemmonstine may be barren in the natural, but I believe with all my heart that God is unfolding a birthing of ministry and song in this mighty daughter of the King, who will touch the hearts of women around the world. Sing, my sister, O Barren Woman, weep no more, and receive your double portion of blessing!

Kristi Brooks Olson, Life Coach, Speaker, Writer, and Founder of True Life Beauty: Transformational Christian Life Coaching for Women

 Foreword

Sing O Barren Woman is born out of the trials of a woman who knows the emptiness of childlessness. This is not just another book! This book reveals how God’s love and power can transform a hurting heart into a compassionate voice for those who are also needing comfort.

Sing O Barren Woman sheds fresh light on the words of the Apostle Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 1:3 (TLB)

What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.

We are created for God’s pleasure and for His glory. There are many whom God has chosen to live and share a special message of comfort, but not from afar off. Therefore He will not always remove us from a painful, heartbreaking situation. He will comfort us in the midst of it. Why? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.

This is a work from the heart to the heart. I am certain that you will be blessed and enriched as you read. You may be in a season of weeping as a result of the reality that you may never bear a natural child, but God is about to plant a seed of healing and joy inside of you and soon you will Sing O Barren Woman!

Rev. Gary D. Ellis Sr

Pastor and Founder Abundant Life Outreach Center

Clarksville, Tennessee

I know what I’m doing, I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 MSG

The Untouched Room

By Pamela Phillips

(This poem was written for me by a dear friend in Nashville,

Tennessee who understands the barren womb)

From the day she was old enough to dream about her life,

She had thoughts about becoming a mother and a wife.

When she got her first baby doll she knew that everything would be alright,

All she had to do was trust in the Lord and follow his insight.

She goes through life living it the best way she knows how,

Having as much fun as her faith will allow.

Hoping and praying that maybe one day,

She will have a blessed event come her way.

In her latter teenage years she thinks she finds true love,

But just as she begins to think he’s the one sent from above,

He tries to make her give up herself and her dream of motherhood,

But she fights off all of his advances as only someone with an awesome faith could.

She goes through life living it the best way she knows how,

Having as much fun as her faith will allow.

Hoping and praying that maybe one day,

She will have a blessed event come her way.

By the age of thirty she finally meets her true love, her soul mate,

And they plan a life together based on love and trusting fate,

But as the years go by she begins to have a troublesome thought

Why has my inside room not had the privilege that it has sought.

She goes through life living it the best way she knows how,

Having as much fun as her faith will allow.

Hoping and praying that maybe one day,

She will have a blessed event come her way.

He tells her not to worry if there are no children of their own,

But he does not realize her heart could turn to stone.

For inside her empty inside room,

It echoes like a tomb.

He tries to make her see,

That giving birth to a baby is not the only way to conceive.

She goes through life living it the best way she knows how,

Having as much fun as her faith will allow.

Hoping and praying that maybe one day,

She will have a blessed event come her way.

Not everyone can understand that living with an untouched room,

Which can hold the promises of a baby’s plume

Can be more than a woman can stand,

Unless she is guided by the Almighty’s hand