The Springs in the Desert Podcast: Catholic Accompaniment Through Infertility

As we prepare to step into the New Year, Ann and Cassandra take a look back on our theme for 2025, “Your Marriage has a Mission,” and dig into our new theme for 2026, “Take It to Heart.”

We’ll talk about:

– the witness of our marriages on the path of infertility

– how we can embrace big missions, but also those smaller, everyday, but still beautiful missions in this season

– how we’re inviting this community to take God’s infinite love to heart in the New Year

Thank you so much for listening and for your continuing support. It is an honor to walk with you!

Links

Support Springs and this podcast!

Blessed Christmas Eve to all! As we await our Savior’s birth this Christmas, we’re welcoming Fr. Joseph Aytona, CPM of the Fathers of Mercy to the podcast.

Fr. Aytona shares about the Spiritual Motherhood Sodality and helps us to better understand a topic that, while so important, can also be hard to wrestle with on the path of infertility. 

We’ll talk to Fr. Aytona about:

• woman’s longing for her maternal mission, and how we are all called to help others grow in grace.

• how our Blessed Mother truly understands what we’re going through!

• the importance of praying for priests, and how it can be a beautiful expression of spiritual motherhood.

We hope you’ll find Fr. Aytona’s message of grace, hope and mercy to be a comfort to you this Christmas!

Links:

Fathers of Mercy

Spiritual Motherhood Sodality

How can we find fulfillment when we can’t conceive? Today we’re welcoming Leigh Snead, Fellow of the Catholic Association and co-host of Conversations with Consequences, back to the pod to preview her upcoming book, Infertile but Fruitful: Finding Fulfillment When You Can't Conceive (Sophia Institute Press, 2026).

We’ll talk with Leigh about:

– why it was important to include different infertility perspectives in her book.

– the continually changing infertility conversation.

– her advice for Catholic brides who are really struggling with the experience of infertility.

Links:

Infertile but Fruitful (Sophia Institute Press)

Have you ever felt tired of waiting in a season of infertility or loss?

Today we welcome our dear friend Lisa Martinez back to the podcast for an honest talk that is perfect for Advent. She shares from the heart about:

–How we should think about frustrations and obstacles on the path of infertility.

–The parallels we can draw between waiting for Christ's birth and waiting for a baby.

–Why we should make an offering to God of everything that we're going through.

This Advent, remember that God loves you so much, and so do we!

Links:

Little with Great Love

Seven Sorrows Chaplet Gift Set

Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence

At the Altar | Elevation Rhythm

How can we live this Advent with purpose so that God can bring about conversion and transformation in our lives? How is God asking us to say “yes” to Him today?

Today we’re welcoming Lindy Wynne from Mamas in Spirit to the podcast as we enter, as a Church, into the “season of waiting” of Advent. Lindy tells her story of marriage, adoption, and the ways she has been given the grace to say “yes” to God in different seasons.

We’ll talk about:

• Holding onto God because there’s nothing else to hold onto.
• Encouragement for when we feel like we want “more” than “just” spiritual motherhood and fatherhood.
• How God is redeeming the sense of emptiness that we may feel, especially around the holidays.

Links:

Mamas in Spirit

Sometimes in a season of infertility/loss, we find ourselves dealing with insensitive comments or needing to establish a boundary with family members or friends.

Balancing self-care and charity can be difficult, so we wanted to have this conversation with Edward before the holidays!

In this episode, we'll talk about:

• Advice for those on the receiving end of an insensitive comment or prying question.
• How we can draw boundaries and defend ourselves in these situations while also defusing the conflict.
• How couples can take steps to charitably address these issues so that relationships can be salvaged.

Remember, we are here with you this holiday season!

Links:

Blessed Are They Counseling

Why is it important for us to prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas? How can we experience the “fullness of time” of this season as we prepare for the incarnate Lord to come into the world?

In this episode, Ann speaks with Fr. Paul about the Psalms as we get ready to pray the Psalter together this Advent as a community. They’ll discuss:

• The origin of the Psalms and their spiritual importance.
• How the Psalms can be both personal and communal prayers.
• Why praying the Psalter can be so good for us on the path of infertility and loss.

Psalter Links:

Fr. Paul's pick: The Psalter (Pocket Edition)

Alissa's pick: A Psalter for Prayer

Ann's pick: Songs of Praise: A Psalter Devotional for Orthodox Women

Krissy Hamilton, director of Calvary Cemetery in Tulsa, OK, joins us on the podcast today to tell us about Calvary’s Infant Burial Ministry.

For couples in eastern Oklahoma, this beautiful ministry is able to donate the burial space and opening and closing the grave to grieving parents who are burying their child.

In this episode, Krissy gives us:

• advice for parents who need to find a place to bury their baby.
• reassurance that those working at Catholic cemeteries are there to help grieving parents.
• steps for cemetery directors to take to establish Infant Burial Ministries of their own.

As we remember the souls of the faithful departed this November, we are here with you.

Links:

Calvary Cemetery Infant Burial Ministry

How are you dealing with infertility grief? Have you been able to come to a place where that grief can be acknowledged?

In this episode, Ann and Cassandra explore the unique grief of infertility. We'll talk about:

• How emotions like jealousy and anger can come under the umbrella of grief
• The value of learning from other people's experiences of infertility, including primary/secondary infertility and miscarriage
• The beautiful fruit that can be drawn out of grief

Springs in the Desert offers peer-based support to those struggling with infertility and pregnancy loss. It does not provide medical services, psychological counseling, or therapy. This information should not replace professional medical and psychological services. Find trusted grief coaches, counselors, and spiritual directors on our website.

As we wrap up Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, we're bringing Margalita Poletunow, LPC on the podcast for an encouraging episode that will touch your heart.

No matter where you are on the path of infertility/loss, you'll take away from this episode:

• The difference between grief coaching and therapy
• The fact that "God sees you whole" – even when you're struggling with infertility/loss
• The message that you are a beloved daughter (or son!) of the Most High

Please share this episode with anyone who needs that reminder on the path of infertility!

Links:

Where Grief Meets Grace: Grief Coaching w/ Margalita Poletunow, LPC