Anti-abortion does not equal pro-life!!!

So which one are you? Most people would say they are the same thing but really....they aren't. The world and the devil would like us to think that if we are anti-abortion then we must be pro-life but there is a huge chasm between the two.

We all know what it means to be anti-abortion....that once life has been formed, that new life should be continued. To be anti-abortion you consider tearing life from the womb to be murder....quite simply you believe abortion is wrong. Pretty easy to understand right? But what is the true, deeper meaning of being pro-life? The one way the two beliefs are the same is they both say that abortion is wrong....but that is about as far as the similarities go.

To be pro-life you must first realize that all life comes from God....He creates and sustains all life. Each individual life has been designed by God before the world began. It's hard to wrap our finite brains around but it is true none the less. God also says in His word that children are a blessing, therefore they should be viewed as such. They are NEVER to be seen as a burden or inconvenience. What that attitude must do to the heart of the Creator!

With those bases covered, let me just ask some questions and then you can decide which category you belong in : ) Do you look into the eyes of children and marvel at the unique creation of each one? Do you LOVE to be around children? Do you fervently desire more children of your own? Are you willing to accept MANY children if that is God's will for you? Or are you to busy with "life" to pour yourself out for God by nurturing and raising a houseful for His glory? Do you get excited for couples who already have a half dozen kids when they announce they are expecting another child? Or do you cringe and think they are adding more trouble to an overpopulated world? Do you count it a privilege to carry new life in your womb and then spend your time and energy teaching that new life about God for the next several years? Do you long to bring forth new life for as long as your body allows? Or do you long for your fertility to end (so you won't have to worry about birth control) and look forward to traveling the world and spending time on yourself? Which is more important and is done for His glory? The bottom line is that to be truly pro-life, you need to desire and welcome all new life.

I know it sounds harsh especially during this modern age of two incomes and feminist thinking. But God intended for us to love life the way He loves life.....to spend our time and lavish our affections on Him and the eternal blessings He sends us....not on the temporary worldly things surrounding us. I want to be sure that my heart is one that constantly says "Your will Lord, not mine"....a heart that says "send new life my way and with Your strength and help I will love them and raise them for Your glory".

"God wants us to use wisdom"

Honestly....I try to be kind to family, friends and even strangers who throw this comment my way about family size. But for some reason this really irks me....I mean really irks me. Seriously...I find myself having to pray for patience when the words start to fall from some one's lips. You can see it coming - you are talking, they are asking if you will have more children, you are explaining that you are leaving it up to God....and then they get that look and sort of smile at you before they throw out the old argument "Well, God wants us to use wisdom!" Ughhh....

Wisdom can only come from God. When we seek God and His wisdom through His word, what do we find he says about children and the womb? Let's see....children are a blessing, God opens and closes the womb as he sees fit, and in the one instance where birth control of any kind is mentioned (Genesis 38), the man involved (Onan) is put to death. (NOTE: I've heard all the arguments about the so called "Onan Incident"....save your breath because I can't be persuaded to change my mind : )

I really try to smile and say something nice in response....I really do! However, I often end up saying nothing or saying something that I don't feel clearly states my convictions about the matter. The biggest problem I have with this argument is that at it's very core, it implies that WE create children....that WE give life....but we don't! Yes we play a part, but it doesn't guarantee conception. If it did there wouldn't be couples all over the world struggling with infertility....period.

As I've stated before, most of us with large families have heard all the comments. And honestly....it does get old but I still try to be nice and smile and pretend it's all ok....haha. My sarcasm is showing I'm afraid. This "wisdom" argument ranks right up there with the "Don't you know what causes that?" comment. To which I will from now on answer "Yes....GOD!" Kelly Crawford over at Generation Cedar got me thinking about this the other day....and now I have a ready response that I've committed to using! (Thanks Kelly!)

So now I just need a quick, intelligent answer for the "wisdom" argument and I'll be all set. I just feel that if I have something worked out to say, I will be able to maintain character that reflects my Lord instead of being rude and short with people. Wouldn't want to do anything to damage my testimony, kwim? Maybe I could just say "God creates new life, not me. True wisdom is being fully surrendered to Him.".......not sure if I like that.

What it means to be "quiverfull"

To be honest, I don't really like using the term "quiverfull" because for many it brings about a lot of false ideas and negativity. The term comes from Psalm 127 -

¹Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

²It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

³Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

⁴As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

⁵Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

I'm not sure who assigned the name "the quiverfull movement" to those of us who desire to let God control our family size.....but it's not some strange idea that just came around. Letting God control the size of your family and giving him Lordship over the womb is something that started with creation. So many people say those in the so called movement are part of a cult, that the husbands abuse their wives, that the children are treated unfairly....there are so many rumors and beliefs about it. Now I'm sure there are some families where wives are abused and children are treated harshly but that is true of every class and religion.

For most of us, it's nothing more than just letting God be God....letting him choose when and if we have more children. Some people have this false idea that we try to have as many as possible and that those who are blessed with one or two children are looked down upon. It's not a competition, it's just trusting the Lord to do what He sees fit. Honestly the term quiverfull doesn't really fit...because it's not about having a boatload of children, though some do. There is nothing more to it than surrendering the womb to God - whether we have 20 children or none.

Women were designed to bear children

Research suggests that women who have few or no children, and wait to have them until they are older, have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than those who start younger and have a larger number of children! Lack of breastfeeding and use of oral contraceptives (the pill) also play a role.

"All women are at risk for breast cancer, regardless of hereditary factors. In fact, no more than 10 percent of people with breast cancer have a genetic predisposition to the disease. Other known risk factors and personal characteristics include personal or family history of breast cancer, high breast tissue density, earlier onset of menstruation (12 years or younger), later menopause (55 years or older), late first-term pregnancy (30 years or older), no children or no breast-feeding, early or recent use of oral contraceptives, more than four years use of hormone replacement therapy, postmenopausal obesity, alcohol consumption, exposures to secondhand cigarette smoke and exposure to ionizing radiation."

http://www.breastcancerfund.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=70679&ct=90248

"As more countries modernize, more women will enter an increasingly sedentary workforce, delay childbearing, exert control over their reproductive lives, live longer, and eat a more Westernized diet. Their breast-cancer rates will no doubt increase. It is crucial that women's awareness of their risk and their expectations of their government and the medical community regarding detection and treatment increase at a similar rate."

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/358/3/213

These same factors (aside from the pill) also increase the risk of ovarian cancer.

Just one more reason to give in and let the Lord control the womb. His ways are perfect and they don't need to be adjusted. It is our sinful and selfish hearts that need to be cleansed! As much as most women don't like it, we were designed to be keepers at home and raise kids....and I have the scripture to prove it : )