Trusting God

There has been a discussion lately on Christian Parents Forum that has turned into why some of us train our daughters to be keepers at home. When I mentioned that it was because it is Biblically mandated, it was said that times are different now than they were then so it wasn't relevant anymore. Here was my response:

Personally, I think that is a cop out. God knows everything. He knew what the world was going to be like today. The Bible is NOT outdated.

What did God tell the Israelites to do when they were in slavery? He told them to be fruitful and multiply. Are you saying that being in slavery is a better situation than our economic times?

As for "needing" a double income, I think that is falling into the world's definition of "need". If you have gotten yourself into a mountain of debt, then it might be something to consider, but still might not be necessary.

We are raising a family of 11 on my husband's minor income. We have been considered living below the poverty level since 2003, but we are much better off today than we were when we were both working. Do we drive brand new vehicles? No. Do we go on vacations every year? No. Do our children have all the latest and greatest "toys"? No. Do our children wear hand-me-downs and homemade clothes? Yes. We have chosen to follow God's standards instead of the world's and He is faithful and has taken care of us. And I know that many people think we take state aid just because we have a large family on one income, but we don't. In fact, since 2006, we have paid off over $16,000 in credit card debt, purchased three vehicles, added on to our home and went from having 26 years left to pay on our home down to only 9 years.

As for needed education, I don't think you need to go into debt for that either. In fact, my husband supports us with only having a high school education.

As for "religion" being progressive and changing with the times, that goes against the Bible as well. God NEVER changes and either do His standards. 

 I was then told that I needed to be prepared for taking care of my family in case anything ever happened to Chad. Here was my response:

First and foremost, if something happened to my husband, I know that God would provide. The way He would provide would be different for everyone, but for us I do have a degree and could get a job if needed and since my it is an English degree and I used to teach, I could easily keep busy with either substituting or renew my teaching license and get a full-time job. If he died, then I would actually receive more in social security than he brings home a week so that in addition to his life insurance policy, we would be good.

Just because someone is trained to be a keeper at home doesn't mean they don't have job skills. In fact, they would be able to find work cleaning houses, cooking, and possibly sewing/mending, tutoring, teaching a musical instrument or other skill, etc.

You are right that it is good to be prepared, but I am not convinced that going into debt to get a degree and both parents working and not being home with the children God has blessed them with is a way to be prepared. For me, I feel peace for how we are prepared and have even greater peace knowing the my God will continue to provide for my children and me as He does for my husband, my children and me.

 After posting that response, I was led to Psalm 11 in my daily reading.

In the Lord I put my trust;

How can you say to my soul,

"Flee as a bird to your mountain"?

For look! The wicked bend their bow,

They make ready their arrow on the string,

That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.

If the foundations are destroyed,

What can the righteous do?

The Lord is in His holy temple,

The Lord's throne is in heaven;

His eyes behold,

His eyelids test the sons of men.

The Lord tests the righteous,

But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.

Upon the wicked He will rain coals;

Fire and brimstone and a burning wind

Shall be the portion of their cup.

For the Lord is righteous,

He loves righteousness;

His countenance beholds the upright.

My faith and trust is in the God who created this world. He owns everything and will provide all my needs. Does that mean I will never have hard times? No, but it does mean that He will be right there beside me as I walk through those times. If Chad was injured and couldn't work or if he died, it won't be the easiest thing for me, but I know that God would provide for all the needs of my girls and myself. He is faithful and will uphold those who love, honor and serve Him!

Intelligent Design—The Resolution for Women

Ouch!

That is how I felt reading this chapter.

“I’ve often based my self-worth on some second-rate inconsequential detail or assumption—like the way I looked, or the clique I fit into, or the way I measured up to a culturally set standard—to determine the type of woman I should be, to dictate the kinds of things I spent most of my time thinking about and majoring on.”

I spent the majority of my life basing my self-worth on what others thought. I had low self-esteem because I was more worried about what others thought of me. I would even become anxious wondering what people I didn’t know thought of me. I made numerous poor choices because I was trying to please other people.

According to 1 Peter 2:9-10, I am chosen, royal, holy, and God’s special person. Why did I waste so much of my life worrying about what other people thought instead of living with what God thought of me?  Could it have been because I was not taught that God thought so highly of me? Was it because I was too busy basing my self-worth on what others thought that I did not hear God telling me these things? No matter what it was, it is time to change!

I commit to living my life as God calls me to live it. I know I will step on toes and be looked down upon by some people, but I’ve come to the place in my life where I am okay with that. I know that my life is more than what others say about me. I am special to God and that is what matters!

When Did Contraception Begin—A Look at Chapter 11 of Be Fruitful & Multiply

“It is hard to believe that we, the people of God who confess that we believe in His truth, have embraced a deceptive philosophy that was born in sin and seduction.”

Campbell gets right to the point at the start of this chapter! I have often wondered the same thing, although I did not know how contraception got its start. I knew that Margaret Sanger pushed for it, but that was all. I was surprised that the reason she pushed for hormonal birth control was because she longed to “create a race of thoroughbreds.” While she liked the idea that it allowed for sexual promiscuity, her goal was to purify the Aryan race and even called the poor, Jews, and African Americans “human weeds.”

Since the idea of contraception took root, three words are usually always used together—“contraception, sterilization, and abortion.” The purpose of all three of these is to eliminate children. What are children? They are warriors in God’s army. If they can defeat the warriors before they are even born, they are on their way to defeating Christianity.

For many years, the church still held onto the belief that contraception was wrong. However, in 1930, the Anglican church “endorsed “the careful and restrained use of contraceptives by married people,” at the same time admitting that “serious evils, such as extramarital sex relations, may be increased by general knowledge of contraceptives.’”

I remember growing up that the Catholic Church still held to the belief that contraception was wrong as well, but that has also changed. I know many “devout” Catholics who openly use birth control and plan on only having x amount of children. Just recently, it has been brought to national spotlight that the liberals are trying to force a Catholic university to provide free birth control for its students. I fear that there are so few people who would stand against this atrocity that it will be passed and then other religious freedoms will be taken away next.

Maybe the key to opening people’s eyes to horror that contraception is begins by making everyone aware of its beginnings. How many minorities and Christians would still use it if they knew that its original goal was to wipe them out?

Motherhood is Holy

"The work of motherhood is holy.  Not just the teaching and discipling our children, but also the doing dishes and wiping noses and picking up toys.  It is not holy because of the skill required to complete the task, but because of the humility required.  The more I have to lay down my pride, the more I have to become a servant, the more He sanctifies my work and me through it.

This work is important.  Through it, I become a servant, and that is exactly what He has called me to be.  Is it always noticed and appreciated by my family?  No.  Does it always make me feel fulfilled?  No.  But if I submit to His Spirit, he uses it to bring to completion this good work He has begun in me.  And that is what this life is all about." ~ Aubrie Drayer

Role Reversal—The Resolution for Women

On my own journey from feminism, I learned what Shirer wrote in this chapter.

“By walking within these divinely ordained roles of submission to legitimate authority, we place ourselves inside the protective covering of the Lord, experiencing the freedom that His truth—and His truth alone—is designed to offer.”

I can’t believe how much more freedom I discovered once I submitted to Chad’s authority. I did not have to worry about the fall-out of a bad decision. I shared my concerns, but the final decision was his; therefore, he was responsible.

Our society has been in a downward spiral of gender role reversals for such a long time. It has gotten to a point today where it is sickening to watch most television shows, commercials, and even see print advertisements and products.

The majority of sitcoms show the husband as a dufus and the wife always having to fix things. I have noticed that even commercials do the same. In a recent McDonald’s commercial you see a new bride commenting on how she married a child. It seems like media will do anything to devalue a man’s role in life. We wonder why there are so few real men, but we should not be surprised because we have created them by feminizing them and removing the differences between men and women.

I am of the firm belief that men will step up if we start treating them as men and stop demeaning them. It is our job to raise our sons to be men and not act like little boys in a man’s body. We need to give them responsibilities and allow them to deal with whatever consequences may come if they make poor choices. We also need to train our girls to submit to those in authority and to not demean boys themselves. Even something such as your daughter wearing a t-shirt that says, “Anything a boy can do, I can do better!” demeans manhood. We are made different and that is okay ("very good" according to God!) so let’s celebrate those differences instead of trying to make everyone the same.

This chapter marked the end of another section and had another resolution to sign. Again, Chad was my witness as I signed the resolution stating I will be and teach being purposefully feminine.

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The Blessed Seed—A Look at Chapter 10 of Be Fruitful & Multiply

I thought I would already know everything Campbell would discuss in this book because of agreeing with her on the big picture, but this chapter opened my eyes to something I never realized before. Either I chose not to see it, my eyes were spiritually shielded until now, or the use of scripture other than the King James Version kept it from me (Bible versions is another issue I’m currently struggling with, but that is for another post.), but I am thankful that after my own study, I now understand.

I was fascinated to learn that the same Hebrew and Greek word are used when talking about a child in the womb and an infant. This is just further evidence that life begins at conception.

Many people use the story of Onan (Genesis 38) to argue that he was killed because he wouldn’t impregnate his dead brother’s wife. I agreed with that, but I thought it was because of where his heart was, not that life was in the seed as Campbell argues. I discovered that the same Hebrew word is used for sperm (Genesis 38:9 and Leviticus 15:16) as for offspring (Genesis 46:6, Psalm 37:5, Psalm 112:1-2). This becomes clear if you read the King James Version.

With this new understanding, I am even more convinced that birth control should not be used. I was against hormonal birth control for years before we turned our childbearing over to the Lord because it creates a hostile environment if the egg is allowed to implant which could lead to the death of the life created, but spermicide is also the taking of a life in the context of this new understanding.

It is my opinion that put in the perspective of Onan’s death, all methods of stopping conception (including tubes tied and vasectomies) are wrong. I know there are many people who disagree with me and that is okay because they have to do what they feel God is calling them to do. I do not condemn others for their point of view, but it does not stop me from sharing my own either.

I would love to hear your comments on this issue. Please know that I will not allow comments that are crude or disrespectful to be posted. I will post comments that disagree with me as long as they are respectful.

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Pray for the Hurting

Today I found out that the 7 month old son of a friend of mine went to be with the Lord. My heart is just breaking for her and her family. I am also reminded of the many miscarriages I have been hearing about lately. Then my mind goes to those who long to have a child and haven't been able to conceive or sustain a pregnancy for many years. Then it goes to those who long to adopt but are still waiting after years for a child to wrap in their arms and even for those who are in the adoption process and are waiting for dates to get their child who is waiting for them.

I have no idea why these things happen, but I do know that I serve an awesome God who is in control of all things. He also grants peace and comfort to those who are hurting. Please join me today to say a prayer not only for my friend and her family, but for all those who are experiencing the loss of a child (whether currently or in years past) and for those who are waiting for the Lord to bless them through conception or adoption.

Dear Heavenly Father,

My prayers today are for all those who are dealing with the loss of a child. I pray first that they know You as their Lord and Savior and second that You would comfort them in their pain. I pray You would surround them with Your loving arms and the arms of those who care for them. I pray they feel the love of many praying for them. I also pray for those couples who are waiting to be blessed with a child to hold. I pray that they also know You as their Lord and Savior and that they would seek peace in the waiting from You. I pray that they would know the peace that passes all understanding that is only available from You.

Surround all these families with Your tender love and care and prompt those around them to show compassion and love to them as well. I pray that people are obedient to Your call to be Your hands and feet to these families.

In Christ's precious name, Amen.

Train Your Child for Heaven

“A true Christian must not be a slave to what’s currently ‘in-fashion,’ if he wants to train his child for heaven. He must not be content to teach them and instruct them in certain ways, merely because it is customary, or to allow them to read books of a questionable sort, merely because everybody else reads them, or to let them form bad habits, merely because they are the habits of the day. He must train with an eye to his children’s souls. He must not be ashamed to hear his training called odd and strange. What if it is? The time is short—the customs of this world are passing away. He that has trained his children for heaven, rather than for the earth—for God, rather than for man—he is the parent that will be called wise in the end.”

~ J.C. Ryle

I saw this quote on another blog and liked it so much I wanted to share it here as well.

It’s Good to Be a Girl—The Resolution for Women

As women we need to learn and teach our girls the importance of living to be the person God created us to be. We need to take honor in being a woman. We were created the way we were for a specific reason and God does not see anything wrong with how He created us.

“But you, sister, are not only an equal partner in the created order, you have been called “good” by god Himself—“very good,” in fact (v.31).

And not just good but necessary.”

After God finished creating on the sixth day, He said everything was “very good” and that includes how He created woman. He created us to be a helper because man needed a helper; he could not do all that God wanted him to do without someone to help him. We were created for a specific purpose and we were created differently because we need to do different things than man.

God created us in His image just like He created man in His image (Genesis 1:27). Who are we to say that God messed up when He created woman? Who are we to say that God’s image isn’t good enough for us?

Think of all the things we can do that men can’t do. We have the joy and privilege to carry and birth babies! We have the opportunity to experience a miracle happening right inside our own bodies. As my husband likes to point out, what man can bleed every month for days and not die? We can nourish babies with our bodies and not even have to do anything for that to happen; our bodies just know exactly what it needs to do to produce milk. Not only will it produce food for babies, but it creates the perfect food for babies.

Take a moment to relish in the fact that God created you a very special being. It is an honor to be different from man. It is an honor that God created us for a special purpose. God has done a good work in you!

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Pretty in Print?—The Resolution for Women

This chapter discussed a debate that has been going on for a couple of centuries—the debate between feminists and those who uphold Godly principles. The topic is very familiar to me since I used to be a feminist and am now someone who upholds Godly principles. Some people will say that those two standards can co-exist, but I’m here to say that in my experience, it isn’t possible.

Most people will say that feminism has done great things for women. It is because of feminism that we now have the right to vote, we receive equal pay for equal work, and we have the chance to further ourselves with education and to go after any job we want. While those things are good (or at least have good aspects to them), there is no definite proof that they wouldn’t have come about in a different way. It is my opinion that feminism has done great damage to not only women and girls, but also to men, boys, and families which in turn caused damage to our nation as a whole.

Women have accepted lie after lie about themselves, men, and how they relate. News flash—women are not the same as men! We can not, nor should we, do anything a man can do. We were taught to be ashamed of our differences instead of embracing them. Our differences make us special.

“You, God’s woman, are designed both strong and vulnerable. Powerful yet tender. More than able yet willing to yield. You are smart, wise, capable, equal in worth, and secure in yourself as you relate to others.”

God created us different and that is okay. While we are equal in our worth, we are not equal in our capabilities or strong suits.

At some point, I will share my story of how I became a feminist and then my journey to and through God opening my eyes and heart for His Truth for my life. Sign up to receive email updates or follow my blog to make sure you don’t miss the interesting story that was/is my life!