Great post and I totally agree. Just remember that there are people out there who don't always choose to have the amount of children that they do. For instance...me. I only have two, and doubt that I will have any more. Why? Because I had a very hard time getting the two that I have. I am thankful everyday that they are in my life and consider them both a HUGE blessing from God. I wouldn't have them if it wasn't for Him. But sometimes people choose not to have more not because of money, but because of other reasons unknown to most. Honestly...I have four children, two here and two up in heaven. My children here are five years apart...not because I wanted it that way, but because thats the way God planned it to happen for me. There are many out there that would LOVE to have many more children than they do, but cannot for one reason or another...and I know for the majority, it has nothing to do with affordability.
I hope that I don't sound like I'm attacking, cause I definitely don't want to come across that way. I agree, if you can have many children, do, if that is what you feel the Lord is calling you to do. But for some, only one or two is all they will ever be able to have, and that is also the Lord's will...not always their own.
Hi tanya, Joe's post was talking about OUR personal walk with what God is teaching us. No, I don't feel attacked and I don't think you should either. God has different plans for each family and joe and I aren't be any means trying to judge each individual family, but exposing a blanket lie that the enemy is using in our society.
the issue of how many children to have, the stand of birth control....etc....is one that gets people offended easily. Our personal testimony is one like yours. You have 2 kids and may feel "judged" by those that have many. And I have many and very possibly will have more. I have a hard time not feeling "judged" by those that have few. The bottom line is that we are at peace with where God has called us. Like you said, God planned your 2 children 5 years apart and for some reason taken 2 precious ones home with him. God has planned mine differently and each family are like snow flakes. No two are alike.
The post that Joe shared was just sharing how God was strechting OUR faith. It is not related to anything other than God dismantling fear in our own lives. Thanks for sharing your heart with us. Joe and I reconize that God will call each family different ways. You have a great family and you can see God all through out!!! (in your blog and in your pics...)
I appreciate this kind of conversation. It's my heart to NOT divide in these types of issues, but give God glory through all. We are sisters in Christ. We are one. These little issues is for God to work out in each of us and it's important that we don't let ourselves get offended with differences. PEACE!
I really think this is something to get out in the open. There is alot of division out there on things that need to have peace. Being that we are sisters, I think it 's all good!
Blessings to your family that God is so graciously and generously provided for you!
Camille, tell me more on your thoughts on this if you feel led to share.....????
LOL, i went to read my comment over and saw that "firestarter" commented and got all excited!!!! Only to realize that it was my own comment using his user name and password!!!! so that previous comment was actually mine!
I can share a bit of my journey… Growing up, I never thought I would be married at 21 and there were times (when I was a teenager)that I didn’t think I would ever have kids. I was kind of in this anti-boys anti-conventional mindset. So it was weird when I got married and suddenly this was an option. Having kids! When we were first married (almost 3 years ago, now) I was so excited about having a baby. Unfortunately my dear hubby was just not at that point yet. I guess he just wasn’t ready for being a Dad yet. So, obviously we were on The Pill. The Pill suited our non-baby needs. It suited our “let’s get it on” lifestyle. But I couldn’t escape feeling like a machine, popping this magical pill every morning. Every time I was on a new pack, I felt groggy and gross, and then there’s the side effects. The libido went AWOL! I won’t go into more details, as this is a public blog! Anyways, this continued on, until two things happened. First, Fresh Flowers Lady lent me a book by Mary Pride (?) that challenged the modern myth of only having 1.5 kids. She made a ton of good points like: challenging the idea that having large families will overpopulate the next generation (when in reality, our population will actually decline after awhile- just compare our average family sizes to the sizes they were a century ago). Another point was that children are a BLESSING. This is articulated all throughout scripture. What was the absolute worst thing that could happen to a woman? Barrenness. It was tragic (and still is). There is a huge emphasis on keeping children down to a minimum, in our society. And, Firestarter, you are 100% correct. It truly does come down to money. I will wholeheartedly admit that that is probably my #1 or #2 reason for not producing offspring!! Secondly, my cousin introduced me to Serena, a non-profit organization who promote “Sympto-Thermal” method. This is using three methods (taking basal body temp., checking cervix and mucus) to predict ovulation. I won’t go on and on (cuz I could) but anyways, it’s been amazing. For so many reasons. One is that I feel like I am respecting and observing my fertility in a more God-honoring way. I felt that with the pill I was shutting the Lord out and stating that this was one area that He was not allowed total control. But the reality is that He has control over every area, it’s just that we don’t trust Him with everything. I want to chose to trust Him in every area. Finances, kids, jobs, careers, our future. So, yeah, basically I just want to say that I so totally agree with Firestarter’s post. I read through those 2 Psalms last night and was blessed by the words. Children are a reward from God. Wow! Funny how our society doesn’t necessarily view them that way. Thanks again, Fire guy. Those words encouraged me and reminded me of Truth.
I know what you mean about popping the pill everyday and not letting God be in control. Thats kind of how I felt, plus it made me feel awful. I was only on the pill for the first six months of our marriage and then went off. In twelve years of marriage we haven't used any means of birth control since...and only have two children! Well four (like I said in my first comment). We had to use fertility drugs for three of my four pregnancies. Now I know some may not like the fact that we did that...but that was the only way, because after my first loss, my body stopped ovulating. So we went the fertility method...and luckily it worked for us using a very mild drug. Plus I believe that God put doctors here for us to go to for not only our basic health, but for other things as well. Sometimes we just need that extra help to get the job done. But I know there are extremes out there when it comes to "baby making" and honestly I don't think I could have put myself through that.
So now we have two children with us here on earth, two blessing from God. We have decided to not go the fertility drug route again. Although it worked for us, it was STRESSFUL, and took all the fun out of "getting it on" so to speak. I felt like I was pregnant for the first eight years of our marriage...although I wasn't, but thats how long it took to have two children to share our lives with. We still don't use anything for birth control, and our youngest will be four in the fall. We feel like two is all we are suppose to have. But if God decides that we are to have more...bring them on!!!
I commend you for being so honest and for sharing your thoughts with us. Some people just don't understand why you aren't on the pill if you aren't ready to have kids. Its a personal choice between you, God and your husband, same with having kids.
I wish you many blessings as you grow in your marriage and your relationship with God, and when the time is right, not only for you, but for God, He will bless you with a child...if that is His will. Take care.
And Sarah, I knew it was you...I didn't think that Joe would be saying that we were "sister's in Christ" Ha Ha! Take care.
thanks for the awesome comments, tanya. they brought tears to my eyes. (and i rarely cry!) and carebear, i was pretty sure it was you when i read "sisters in Christ" but was just a little creeped out!! haha!
thanks for sharing everybody! i really like hearing all of the perspectives...
Wow way to go girls. You are all very honest and I enjoy reading your comments. It is wonderful to know women who aren't afraid of their bodies or afraid to talk about it. I know where to come when I need some advice.
10 comments:
Great post and I totally agree. Just remember that there are people out there who don't always choose to have the amount of children that they do. For instance...me. I only have two, and doubt that I will have any more. Why? Because I had a very hard time getting the two that I have. I am thankful everyday that they are in my life and consider them both a HUGE blessing from God. I wouldn't have them if it wasn't for Him. But sometimes people choose not to have more not because of money, but because of other reasons unknown to most. Honestly...I have four children, two here and two up in heaven. My children here are five years apart...not because I wanted it that way, but because thats the way God planned it to happen for me. There are many out there that would LOVE to have many more children than they do, but cannot for one reason or another...and I know for the majority, it has nothing to do with affordability.
I hope that I don't sound like I'm attacking, cause I definitely don't want to come across that way. I agree, if you can have many children, do, if that is what you feel the Lord is calling you to do. But for some, only one or two is all they will ever be able to have, and that is also the Lord's will...not always their own.
Hi tanya,
Joe's post was talking about OUR personal walk with what God is teaching us. No, I don't feel attacked and I don't think you should either. God has different plans for each family and joe and I aren't be any means trying to judge each individual family, but exposing a blanket lie that the enemy is using in our society.
the issue of how many children to have, the stand of birth control....etc....is one that gets people offended easily.
Our personal testimony is one like yours. You have 2 kids and may feel "judged" by those that have many. And I have many and very possibly will have more. I have a hard time not feeling "judged" by those that have few.
The bottom line is that we are at peace with where God has called us. Like you said, God planned your 2 children 5 years apart and for some reason taken 2 precious ones home with him.
God has planned mine differently and each family are like snow flakes. No two are alike.
The post that Joe shared was just sharing how God was strechting OUR faith. It is not related to anything other than God dismantling fear in our own lives.
Thanks for sharing your heart with us. Joe and I reconize that God will call each family different ways. You have a great family and you can see God all through out!!! (in your blog and in your pics...)
I appreciate this kind of conversation. It's my heart to NOT divide in these types of issues, but give God glory through all. We are sisters in Christ. We are one. These little issues is for God to work out in each of us and it's important that we don't let ourselves get offended with differences.
PEACE!
love ya carebear - i liked your response a LOT
and i so appreciated firestarter's post!! thank you thank you
it is a timely post methinks!
I guess I should have read it again to see that it was about the two of you and not just people in general...my apologies.
no problem tanya! peace!
I really think this is something to get out in the open. There is alot of division out there on things that need to have peace. Being that we are sisters, I think it 's all good!
Blessings to your family that God is so graciously and generously provided for you!
Camille, tell me more on your thoughts on this if you feel led to share.....????
LOL, i went to read my comment over and saw that "firestarter" commented and got all excited!!!!
Only to realize that it was my own comment using his user name and password!!!!
so that previous comment was actually mine!
I can share a bit of my journey…
Growing up, I never thought I would be married at 21 and there were times (when I was a teenager)that I didn’t think I would ever have kids. I was kind of in this anti-boys anti-conventional mindset. So it was weird when I got married and suddenly this was an option. Having kids! When we were first married (almost 3 years ago, now) I was so excited about having a baby. Unfortunately my dear hubby was just not at that point yet. I guess he just wasn’t ready for being a Dad yet. So, obviously we were on The Pill. The Pill suited our non-baby needs. It suited our “let’s get it on” lifestyle. But I couldn’t escape feeling like a machine, popping this magical pill every morning. Every time I was on a new pack, I felt groggy and gross, and then there’s the side effects. The libido went AWOL! I won’t go into more details, as this is a public blog! Anyways, this continued on, until two things happened. First, Fresh Flowers Lady lent me a book by Mary Pride (?) that challenged the modern myth of only having 1.5 kids. She made a ton of good points like: challenging the idea that having large families will overpopulate the next generation (when in reality, our population will actually decline after awhile- just compare our average family sizes to the sizes they were a century ago). Another point was that children are a BLESSING. This is articulated all throughout scripture. What was the absolute worst thing that could happen to a woman? Barrenness. It was tragic (and still is). There is a huge emphasis on keeping children down to a minimum, in our society. And, Firestarter, you are 100% correct. It truly does come down to money. I will wholeheartedly admit that that is probably my #1 or #2 reason for not producing offspring!!
Secondly, my cousin introduced me to Serena, a non-profit organization who promote “Sympto-Thermal” method. This is using three methods (taking basal body temp., checking cervix and mucus) to predict ovulation. I won’t go on and on (cuz I could) but anyways, it’s been amazing. For so many reasons. One is that I feel like I am respecting and observing my fertility in a more God-honoring way. I felt that with the pill I was shutting the Lord out and stating that this was one area that He was not allowed total control. But the reality is that He has control over every area, it’s just that we don’t trust Him with everything. I want to chose to trust Him in every area. Finances, kids, jobs, careers, our future.
So, yeah, basically I just want to say that I so totally agree with Firestarter’s post. I read through those 2 Psalms last night and was blessed by the words. Children are a reward from God. Wow! Funny how our society doesn’t necessarily view them that way.
Thanks again, Fire guy. Those words encouraged me and reminded me of Truth.
Hi Camille.
I know what you mean about popping the pill everyday and not letting God be in control. Thats kind of how I felt, plus it made me feel awful. I was only on the pill for the first six months of our marriage and then went off. In twelve years of marriage we haven't used any means of birth control since...and only have two children! Well four (like I said in my first comment). We had to use fertility drugs for three of my four pregnancies. Now I know some may not like the fact that we did that...but that was the only way, because after my first loss, my body stopped ovulating. So we went the fertility method...and luckily it worked for us using a very mild drug. Plus I believe that God put doctors here for us to go to for not only our basic health, but for other things as well. Sometimes we just need that extra help to get the job done. But I know there are extremes out there when it comes to "baby making" and honestly I don't think I could have put myself through that.
So now we have two children with us here on earth, two blessing from God. We have decided to not go the fertility drug route again. Although it worked for us, it was STRESSFUL, and took all the fun out of "getting it on" so to speak. I felt like I was pregnant for the first eight years of our marriage...although I wasn't, but thats how long it took to have two children to share our lives with. We still don't use anything for birth control, and our youngest will be four in the fall. We feel like two is all we are suppose to have. But if God decides that we are to have more...bring them on!!!
I commend you for being so honest and for sharing your thoughts with us. Some people just don't understand why you aren't on the pill if you aren't ready to have kids. Its a personal choice between you, God and your husband, same with having kids.
I wish you many blessings as you grow in your marriage and your relationship with God, and when the time is right, not only for you, but for God, He will bless you with a child...if that is His will. Take care.
And Sarah, I knew it was you...I didn't think that Joe would be saying that we were "sister's in Christ" Ha Ha! Take care.
thanks for the awesome comments, tanya. they brought tears to my eyes. (and i rarely cry!) and carebear, i was pretty sure it was you when i read "sisters in Christ" but was just a little creeped out!! haha!
thanks for sharing everybody! i really like hearing all of the perspectives...
sarah we should have another double date soon!
Wow way to go girls. You are all very honest and I enjoy reading your comments. It is wonderful to know women who aren't afraid of their bodies or afraid to talk about it. I know where to come when I need some advice.
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