Meaning is important
What does trusting God with your family size mean?
I believe there is a misconception around this mind set...
A lot of people I have known throughout my life (not any one person) with such mindsets don't necessarily trust God with their family size... more so trust God to give them a big family...
The flip side is also true where I have seen women fully giving their fertility to the Lord.
No strings attached and they have been blessed and filled.
I truly believe a desire for a big family is a beautiful thing.
But I also believe words have meaning... lol
Trusting God
My spouse and I practice trusting God with our family size.
We didn't "dedicate" our childbearing to the Lord as people we grew up with.
(which if that is your conviction you will hear no judgment from me.)
I was often told you are meant to "have as many children God will give you."
I fully agree with that statement but not the road this statement is meant to put us on.
When I was pregnant with our second me and my husband had decided she was our last. Two little girls were enough.The whole shabang was planned for Mr. M if you know what I mean. (TMI)
Both of us coming from large religious families that was
*gasp
unthinkable.
Nope, we were thrilled to be a girl family and be DONE. lol
When I had our second child two things switched within me:
1. I learned I have a condition that if I continue having children with my husbands blood type I will be holding still born after still born. If they lived that long.
AND
2. I wanted a large family.
When we decided our sweet Mercy was our last there was nothing wrong with that decision.
Also, changing our minds and desiring more children is not any more right than only having two.
I am not convicted against the use of birth control and feel no guilt in it.
(hormonal bith control is a whole other topic which as a pro life woman I do not support.)
We believe no matter what you do if God wants to bless you with a child you will have a child.
You may disagree that if contraception is part of the equation therefore we must not trust God with our family size.
*shrug
Can't please them all.
If you have one child or 20 both are beautiful blessings. Some of us can feel ridiculed and rebuked by women with more children than us.
I'm here to say, the amount of children one has does not take away or give to the blessing.
Children are a blessing, no matter the number.
A Biblical Conviction
I have read "trusting God with your family" literature.... and I wholeheartedly disagree.
The amount of verses taken out of context... the view of marriage being about having children and nothing more... name calling people who do not believe like them...
I see now the bitterness that can ensew with such unbiblical closminded thinking and it saddens me.
My mouth dropped when I realized people I love deeply have been living their adult lives believing such a scewed truth of the bible yet proclaiming it as if it was in there.
I'll also say, I believe one CAN have a biblical conviction about dedicating their fertility to the Lord without the unbiblical books leading them to such a decision.
And that's beautiful.
I will always rejoice with the expecting mother whether it be their first or tenth.
Our view on family size
To us we view each new baby as our last.
This could be confusing to people who talk with us IRL as I often talk of my desire for six or seven kids... but my desires are just that.
Mine.
In the end my full heartfilled desire is for God's will in my life and if three children is all that is three is what will fill my heart.
That's not to say we don't pray for more healthy children and joyfully tell people we will always be happy for another.... but I can say with all honesty I am satisfied.
How is that possible?? Does this not contradict itself??
NO.
Because it is a constant relinquishment to my maker.
In that relinquishment, I receive peace and satisfaction knowing all the blessings I have.
The children I have waiting for me on the other side and the children I hold in the now.
It doesn't make it easy and my hard days are HARD.
The Lord is good and always ready to take any fears and heartache and replace it with his spirit.
I need only let it go.
Trust
I fully understand my situation is not like most and for some that desire to have a large beautiful family of 6 or 7 maybe even 12 or 13 is obtainable! And trusting God throught it all is highly valuable. But trusting God with your family size does not necessarily mean the same as having a football field of kids.
To me, it simply means trusting God.
Simply said yet not easily done.
For trusting God did not end me with 12 children but I did get my 7.
I just get to hold 3 a little longer than the others.
For now.
"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Psalm 127:3-5
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