He Really Does Have a Plan!

HE REALLY DOES HAVE A PLAN FOR YOU

FROM INFERTILITY TO A NEW FAMILY

God can heal your broken heart, give you the desires of your heart and do immeasurably more than you could ever ask or imagine! 

My husband and I struggled down a long road of infertility – six years of heartbreak. Six years of crying out to the Lord and not understanding why. Why was I not able to conceive a baby? The infertility was “unexplained,” just silence.  On the window sill of my kitchen sat a plaque with this verse from Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who can do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine according to the power that is within us.” I started praying this verse over my life DAILY.   While I waited and prayed for the Lord to give me an answer about my infertility, I focused on giving birth to a business, so to speak. In 1999 I started Optimal Mobility Solutions. I was an Occupational Therapist who specialized in teaching people with disabilities how to drive.  Two years into building that business, we got an unusual call from our church secretary, Lynn. We had been on our church’s prayer list for those six years that we were waiting for God to answer our prayers for children. Lynn found herself caring for a newborn baby because a young woman had given birth to a baby girl and was no longer willing to go through with her out-of-state adoption plans. Lynn asked the birth mom if she would be willing to meet us, and she said yes!  Within three days of meeting Madison, we became her parents. Five months into having this wonderful gift, we were given the opportunity to do in-vitro, which gave us Luke and Lindsey. We were then surprised a year later with the news of Abby. God absolutely did IMMEAUSURABLY MORE than I could have ever asked or imagined as a mom. He truly healed my broken heart and blessed me with the opportunity to experience motherhood as an adoptive mom, twin mom, and a single mom, as well as no birth, natural birth, and a C-section. He had the perfect plan!

FROM DEBT TO A NEW CAREER
When we adopted Madison, I was very blessed to find a buyer for my driver rehabilitation business. I thought selling the business along with my husband’s full-time job would get us through financially until the kids were at least school age. Unfortunately, after two short years, we were broke. Adoption is expensive, in-vitro is expensive and kids are expensive, so we went through the money from the sale of the business much faster than we ever expected. We found ourselves $1000 short on our bills every month, and we were buying things we didn’t have the money for with credit cards.  After several months of living this way, we found ourselves with credit card debt unlike ever before. I cried almost daily. I wanted to continue to be home with our kids. I had tried for a long time to have them, and I really wanted to be there with them. I knew I needed to find work that would allow me to have a flexible schedule, to earn at least $1000 a month to pay our bills, and to continue to stay home with the kids.  I prayed for an answer. Where could I work with my toddlers, have flexibility, and make at least $1000 a month? I clicked on an ad about moms working from home. I connected with another Christian mom, and she shared with me about the opportunity to work for a network marketing company. I found hope in what she shared, and I got started. I ended up building the largest business with that company in Illinois… helping moms like me be able to stay at home with their kids. With 5-year-old, 4-year-old twins and a 2-year-old, I made $118,000 working from home! God again absolutely did IMMEAUSURABLY MORE than I could have ever asked or imagined! He had the perfect plan!

Through my business experiences, I found my passion to coach other women to be successful in their businesses. Over the last decade, I have helped over a thousand women build their businesses, many of whom have earned over six figures. Some women have earned over a million dollars doing what they love. I find one of the biggest challenges women have in any business, whether traditional business or network marketing, is believing they can do it. My heart’s desire is to build the belief into women that they can do it and to teach them a six-figure business blueprint that anyone in business can duplicate. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”   I believe Proverbs 31 is God’s stamp of approval for women who desire to build a business or work a job to earn income and contribute to their households. Proverbs 31:10-31 describes an excellent or virtuous woman with many admirable qualities, who also happens to be a successful businesswoman. Proverbs 31:16 says, “She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.” Proverbs 31:18 says, “She sees that her trading is profitable and her lamp does not go out at night.” Proverbs 31:24 says, “She makes linen garments and sells them and supplies the merchants with sashes.” Proverbs 31:31 says, “Honor her for all that her hands have done and let her works bring her praise in the city gates.” The fact that the very last chapter of the book of Proverbs mentions her work in such details means her example is important, relevant, and possible for us to follow. And again I feel God had the perfect plan for me.

FROM GRIEF TO A NEW MINISTRY
Lastly, as difficult as it has been to live with, I know losing my mom, dad and my best friend was part of God’s plan. One day when I get to see them again and talk face to face with the Lord, I will learn why they went to heaven so young. The void I experience in my life with them being gone is enormous. Yes, I long for them to be here with me. Yes, I prayed faithfully and persistently for God to heal them. Yes, I prayed for miracles over and over again. Yes, there were many days I never thought I would feel real joy or fulfillment again.  However, God is faithful and He can heal our broken hearts. He can do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine and He can give us the desires of our heart. We need to trust He has a plan. This is where real faith shows up - trusting God with our brokenness and believing He LOVES us. He has a plan for us, a plan to prosper us and not to harm us.   The triumph God brought out of losing my three most important relationships is my ministry with Handing Hope. I started www.HandingHope.org with my friend, Kim, who is a cancer survivor. Initially, we launched Handing Hope for my healing. My mom, dad and best friend Jen, all LOVED children. I want to extend the legacy of their lives and bring joy to children battling cancer. We know there is a negative correlation between sugar and cancer, and so we are on a mission to provide naturally sugar-free lollipops to children’s cancer clinics throughout the nation. When kids have chemotherapy treatments, and they have a bad taste in their mouths, these lollipops bring them comfort and a smile. 

The lollipop tree project has been so well received by children and their families, we now have a waiting list of over 100 hospitals wanting these lollipops for their pediatric cancer units. We, like many non-profits, just need funding to make it happen. God is definitely using Handing Hope to heal my broken heart. I know He has a plan, and I trust that He will do immeasurably more than I can ever ask or imagine as I continue to bring the needs of the organization and my desires for it in prayer before Him. 

God always has a plan for us.
 

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JEN COFFEL

Jen is a successful Entrepreneur, Best-Selling Author of 4 books, International Speaker Trainer, and has generated over 25 million dollars in sales. She has been featured and recognized on ABC News and the Chicago Tribune for her work in helping others. She has also been quoted in Inc 500. But she is most proud of founding "Handing Hope" which brings comfort and smiles to children battling cancer around the world! She is a wife of 26 years, and mother to 4 incredible teenagers (including 17-year-old twins)!      

“Belief Inspiring Action” is at the foundation of all Jen does.

To find out more about Jen visit www.JenCoffel.com