Pamela's Place - What does the Bible say?

Pamela's Place

Dec. 14, 2007

What does the Bible say?

I was recently reading an email from the Quiver-full digest. A family had posted their findings on what scripture says about birth control. I was very impressed with the way they laid it out. I haven't found anything quite like it on-line. What I have found has been mostly just in scripture and in books. If you're interested in a thought provoking article here's a link: www.joshscottfamily.com/birth_control.htm

I can say from our own experience that we've never had to think much about the issue. It's a non-issue for us. We consider it a trust issue and have had to think about it only when I had to consider a health issue this past year. It was not a peaceful time. Since the beginning of our marriage I have felt very free and that marriage was a holy union and that children weren't undesirable beings. It's is very freeing. I struggle with the whole NFP camp and of the knowledge that birth control actually causes abortion in a woman's body yet doctors don't tell women this because many of them don't even know that it is an abortifacient yet anyone can read the pamplet insert and read that it makes the lining of the uterus thin so that a *fertilized egg (baby) can't be implanted but shed with the monthly cycle. All throughout history for the Jew and later for the Christian, children were a desirable product of marriage as scripture shows us. There is no where in scripture where children are said to be undesirable.

I think what has changed has been our expectations of how we need to live our lives. We may feel that we need more comforts (bigger car, house, job, to be happier) before having another child. Then aren't we saying we don't trust that God will provide for us? People in Biblical times lived in tents, had animals living out back and had very little medical care at times. Yet the trusted the Lord and had a much slower pace of life. People took the time to train their children because that was how they were taught. I don't think these people always enjoyed their lives either, but rather seen it as a way of life? I think we've been sold a lie in our day.

I am not a relaxed mom and don't handle stress well. I also don't always like my job because it is hard for me to be a mom when trials come up. I don't feel that I have to be happy and enjoy myself all of the time like the world says moms need. But I do know that I wouldn't trade one of our children in for the pleasure of taking it easy or feeling "good" for the sake of being in comfort, going to work (which I loved because I felt busy and productive and was good at it) but that it's not always easy getting up at night, being a new mom again and taking several months to adjust to a new baby and schedule again. But one day I know that my children will look back and be thankful that they are HERE and not just a could have been. I know the importance of each child. My husband was the vessel who brought me to Christ and was baby #13 in a family who wasn't rich but struggled in more than one way yet he is here and is a blessing to me and a child of God, precious and valued.

“The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing.
But our culture applies for curses and rejects blessings.”- Doug Phillips

picture from gardenofpraise.com

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Comments

Dec. 14, 2007 - Hi

Posted by melissal89

This subject has always been such a difficult one for me. I'm one of those woman who have suffered immensely and faces serious health issues when pregnant. I'm certainly not the worst case, but there are high risks. Anyways, I've always struggled on how the Lord views this. I'll be interested to read the article you've linked. Thanks for sharing.

Melissa

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Dec. 15, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by stillearning

Hi Melissa,

I certainly do understand. I am not sure of your own situation but I have had my share of issues. Last December the Dr's thought I had inflammatory breast cancer and I had to wean our baby...they wanted us to wait to see prior to getting pregnancy. It was a very difficult time. Also, I tend to miscarry very easily and get very weak and ill for the first 12 weeks and I have a hard time cooking and eating much of anything. It's not easy. It helps to know other women who have gone through these issues as well and support one another.

I certainly don't mean this post as passing judgment on others ;) please know that I don't think badly of you or anyone who doesn't choose this lifestyle. I just feel for the most part that we (as a society and the church) have been influenced by people like Margaret Sanger and other well-meaning but often a non-Christian perspective on having or not having (too many) children. From witnessing the families in my husband's church, they have much more freedom in life from this and I have witnessed the blessings that come from being open to more children even after the difficult trials. I think the article talks about suffering a bit and I was greatly blessed by the perspective but I realize not everyone will agree with it. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the article and thanks for commenting. The Lord bless you! Pam

I guess the reason that

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Mar. 7, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by BeccaBeard

It IS hard to trust! Everytime my period starts again after we've had a baby, my husband and I go through a few days of hyperventilating and questioning. ;-) We have to tell ourselves that we have to put the rubber to the road on all we've discussed with each other and what we've told others. Hard!

Love,
Becca

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About Me

I'm a Christian home-school mom of five children ages 9 and under. I feel very blessed to have a wonderful husband and five beautiful children. For our 3rd and 4th graders I use Rod and Staff, Sequential Spelling, Saxon Math, and Math-U-See. For our Kindergartner we use My Father's World curricula.