Crystal LeMaster, Gerrardstown, W. Va.

From the May 2020 issue of Heartfelt Magazine.

My husband, Josh, and I went through three years of infertility and suffered a miscarriage, which was the hardest spiritual and emotional battle we’ve ever faced. However, in 2018 our faith increased through an awesome miracle from God—a beautiful baby girl.

We signed up for CHM in Nov. 2015. We chose CHM’s Gold level, plus Brother’s Keeper, because of Gold’s strong cost support for medical bills and because we knew we wanted to have more children.

Before joining CHM we had our first child, Caleb. He was a welcomed surprise. My pregnancy and delivery for him was uncomplicated and completely normal. However, I wasn’t prepared for the struggle we faced when we tried to have another child.

After three years of heartbreaking discouragement, God provided a miracle, on Dec. 4, 2018, when our daughter was born.

We chose to name our daughter Faith, due to the spiritual growth we experienced as God guided us through that difficult season of waiting.

We’re grateful our trust in the Lord grew, because to our surprise, we soon needed it. Just three weeks after Faith was born we noticed a cough, which grew worse and affected her breathing. The day after Christmas we took Faith to the pediatrician, who immediately admitted her to the hospital for observation.

After testing, Faith was diagnosed with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). The doctors treated her and released her with instructions that we were to return if her symptoms worsened.

Two days later, her symptoms still hadn’t improved, and she ended up coughing so badly her lips began turning blue. We took her to the ER and she was again admitted to the hospital—this time for three nights. She was placed on oxygen and closely monitored by nurses and doctors until she improved significantly.

Faith is now a happy, healthy one-year-old. At times she requires nebulizer treatments for her breathing, which our doctor said is a residual effect from RSV. We still pray and believe that she will be totally healed.

It was such a blessing to have our CHM family on our side through Faith’s birth and during her bout with RSV. Fellow members shared nearly $15,000, after discounts, for her birth and sickness. When I received the checks for our bills in the mail I immediately felt relieved and at peace.

I’m so thankful for this ministry and that we get to participate as CHM Gold members. We got to pick the hospital and doctors, and because our bills were over $500, we paid nothing out-of-pocket for my maternity bills or Faith’s RSV bills. Outside of CHM, that’s unheard of!

I love getting a copy of Heartfelt Magazine every month and seeing member testimonies about how God enables CHM members to be the hands and feet of His provision. Being a CHM member during the trial of infertility has played a part in increasing my faith.