Perhaps I will use a future post to explain my own ideas and how I arrived at those conclusions. However, today I want to share what I have found to be a very inspiring story from my very first guest blogger, Tricia.
Tricia is a mom to 12 blessings and was so kind to grant my request that she share her reasons for allowing the Lord to control her family size as well as her experiences with motherhood as a result of that decision. I hope her story blesses you as much as it blessed me!
Tricia's Story
What exactly would motivate someone to have a dozen children? And what on earth would motivate someone to have even more if that were the Lord's will? The answer: I don't know!! It is true that I have 12 kids, and would love more but to put a direct answer on it is difficult to do. It all began so long ago~at least it seems long ago!
I married the guy I dated in high school. Let me tell you, he came from a very odd family. I thought so anyway, he had what seemed to me a million brothers and sisters! Only 9 though to be exact. Why is it that when you see a family of more than 4 or so kids it seems like a million?
So we got married and started our own family. What was really weird though is that HIS family was not finished having children. His mother and I began a journey together of having children. We had our first, in laws their 10th, me my second, and in laws their 11th. I remember thinking, boy howdy, what did I get myself into!
Well, we continued to have children; not at the time because we felt led by the Lord, (Although that was exactly what was happening) but because it just felt right. To me as a woman, and to my husband as a man. After all, the Lord did say to multiply and replenish the earth.
But what keeps one going through the pregnancies, the morning sickness, the mounds of dirty diapers, the empty pocketbook and so on? Doing the will of the Lord is what keeps you going. Not just in birthing babies but in everything. I remember so many times my in-laws telling us: "We don't know how we did it, the Lord just blessed us with each baby we had." I like the word "multiplied" because indeed that is what the Lord does when we serve Him and keep His commandments.
But what about all the Quiverfull talk nowadays? The~"Let the Lord Plan Your Family" talk? Does that apply to my decision? Yes, and no. Like I said, in the beginning it just felt like I was doing what a woman was created to do and it felt so natural and right that we kept going. After baby number 7 though I got a bit, um, wearied if you will. Suddenly, I felt much like a baby making machine and less of a mother. We prayed, fasted, even looked into BC methods. (I can't even say those words!) Obviously we never began using anything because while I was wearied I/we knew in our hearts it was not for us.
Looking back I see I was trying to keep up with the Jones' and having 7 children kept getting in the way. I wanted a perfect house, always clean, fashionable, organized, etc. and I wanted to "hide" all the evidence of children so my house too could look "IN."
Well, it was that time the Lord got hold of our hearts. And let me tell you, He has a sense of humor, a wonderful sense of humor although I didn't think so then. It wasn't long until we learned of baby number 8 one the way. Fast forward about 6 months and we find it isn't only baby number 8 on the way but baby 9 too!! The sense of humor I'm talking about!! From then on, we knew we wanted to do the Lord's will where babies were concerned.
It is true, that when you trust the Lord you are blessed in abundance. Children truly are an heritage of the Lord and happy is the man who's quiver is full of them. I would never change a thing. I have no regrets, nor do I feel I have neglected the ME in myself. Whosoever will find himself will lost it, and whosoever will lose himself shall find it. That's what I did. I put the ME away and tried with all my heart to do as the Lord bid. One thing I am learning as of late, is that not only are we to trust the Lord in blessing our womb, but we are also to trust in Him when He is NOT blessing our womb. When the babies don't come when we would like, or never come again, that too is trust.
My advice to anyone who reads this~Is trust in the Lord, be content where He has placed you and with what He has given you. He is perfect, His will is perfect, and we must accept His will in all things with gladness of heart.
Tricia blogs at: mommyx12 and smith cottage
