Stacy Beebe had plans for her life—marriage and at least three children by the time she turned thirty. Marrying Dan while both were still young and in college was only the beginning. By the time they had graduated, started jobs, bought a house, and celebrated their first pregnancy three years later, it looked like they were well on their way to painting the wonderful life portrait Stacy had envisioned.

Then came the miscarriage. What followed was a journey familiar to anyone who has struggled with the heartache of infertility. It may be your story, too: endless doctor’s visits, a life dictated by the calendar, the strain on a marriage, disappointment after disappointment, the search for answers and solutions, and the awkwardness of friends and loved ones who aren’t sure what to say. And what was God’s role in this? Although she and Dan had always made Him the foundation of their marriage, Stacy even wondered if they were being punished for something.

Only when she decided to look for guidance rather than answers did Stacy begin to feel a sense of peace. Today, twenty-one years later, Stacy and Dan are the parents of two beautiful boys. Theirs is a story of hope and inspiration, but even more, it’s a story of the many gifts to be had when we surrender our own brushes and allow God to paint our life portraits.

Having spent her career in education, Stacy L. Beebe holds an EdD degree in curriculum and instructional leadership and teaches at Judson University. She and her husband, Dan, are the parents of two sons, Trey and Ty, and live in Elburn, Illinois.