Who's In Control?

This is from a Note that I wrote for Face Book last year. I thought I'd add it to my blog. Enjoy!

A friend recently asked what my position on birth control was. Below is my answer. I though I'd share it with whoever was interested.

Wellllll.... my position is to not judge anyone. What my husband and I practice is to not use ANY form of birth control. We completely allow the Father to open and close my womb. It's a very hard decision, especially now.Eight seems overwhelming right now, but Father continues to give me strength and endurance. Isn't that what we pray for, strength and endurance? Well, unless we have to endure and lift something heavy, how can we grow? Anyway, just preaching to myself : )

Scripture says children are gifts, reward, blessing, etc.... Our Greek mentality cannot grasp that. We consider wealth, homes, cars, vacations as blessings. All of that will pass away, but our children will live eternally, either in hell or in the Kingdom to come. It's a great responsibility. Also, in Scripture you see over and over Yahweh talking about opening and closing the womb. My stance is that pregnancy is not a mere biological function, but something mindfully controlled by the creator. Do I have all the answers? NO! But I can see the Father's hand in so many ways through pregnancy, birth, and the lives of my children.

I read an article about how Scripture says "and the woman will be saved through childbirth". Yes, this is an implication of the Messiah, but I've also seen how the Father has changed me more like Him through out the years and I believe that it has been through my children. I just told a friend embarking on marriage over Sukkot that I believe that I am a better mom now than I would have been had we stopped with just two children. I explain this in this way: I could have ran an immaculate house, seemed to have it all together, trained my children, had plenty of time and cushion to be a wife and mother, but through being maxed out I've been able to see what's truly in my heart. I've yelled and screamed, been impatient, been ugly, and on and on. All of this was in my heart then and even now, but it would have been easier to cover it up with less going on in my life. My children have brought out the ugliness in my heart so that I would have to deal with it and change. Just when I think I have overcome these things, along comes a pregnancy and out pops more. You see there is no refinement without pressure. My children are the pressure that the Father uses to refine me. Could He use other thing? Of course, but He is using blessings to refine me. After I'm through with the refinement I still have these wonderful blessings surrounding me. Did that make sense? I also HIGHLY recommend the book A Full Quiver. It is great. It answers all those questions you have and that others will have of you with Scripture and statistics.

Seven of my nine children.

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Shalom,

Julie