In Psalm 127, God's word tell us:
3Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one's youth.
5How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies in the gate.
Because of these verses, some families have accepted the label of "quiverfull". This simply means that as many children as God provides are viewed as a welcome gift from the Lord.
I know this is not new information to some of you, but I thought I'd give that background to any readers who had not heard of this way of thinking.
To those of you who do consider yourselves "quiverfull", Barbara at Mommy Life is requesting photos of such families for a web album she is putting together. It is called, "Filling Our Quivers".
Here is Barbara's description of the album.
"This is an album dedicated to celebrating families who've rejected the notion that children are a burden and who are experiencing every day that children are the blessing God promised they would be. Each family in this album has elected not to use birth control, but to accept the blessings God sends them through birth and adoption. Not all such families are large, because God's plan for the size of a quiver differs from family to family. Each family is unique, but the foundation that unites them is the belief that God knows what's best for each of us and it's fulfilling to partner with Him in His plan. Whether that means twelve children or two children or no children at all, this is what it means to experience the life Jesus promised, where we are not robbed of our potential through the dictates of culture: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
This is how you can participate if you would like to:
"...please email me (megamommy12(at)gmail(dot)com) your photo in the highest resolution possible. Also include text you would like me to put under the picture, beginning with "The ______ Family" and then - if you like - a short bio or encouragement or bit of philosophy or Bible verse you'd like to share (maximum 1024 characters - less than 200 words) - and your website or blog if you like. Include in your email your permission to allow me to use your photo for my online web album and/or for possible use in online articles on this subject."Also at Barbara's site, are some very interesting stories of how some families decided to allow God to take control of their family size.
3 comments:
What a wonderful scripture! It reminds me to keep my heart open to God's plan. Thanks:)
I love this post - thank you so much! I am so pleased that you shared this at this time! My mum is here for a visit and was being a bit critical of a quiver full family who is having their 5th blessing in 6 years. I tried to explain quiver full families - but you have done it so much better!
We have been a quiver full family for 15 of the 16 years of our marriage - but after years of infertility, we have 1 sweetly stubborn almost 10 year old girl through adoption and 1 can't sit still wild and exciting 7 year old boy through 'the miracle of modern medicine' - ahem! I prefer the providence and provision of God!
We wonder if perhaps we were outfitted with a rather small quiver!!! Now that I have what is considered an 'incurable chronic illness' we no longer qualify as adoptive parents, and as my body is slowly shutting down early (I'm 40), it isn't likely that we'll enjoy the blessing of any more children, but we are still a quiver full family, and praying that God will continue to lead us!
In the mean time, we are large family friendly - so we befriend all the large families we have met and have them over for meals when we can! It's fun to stretch our table to fit 12 or 14 and 'fuss' a bit with special meals!
Thank you, girls.
Heather, I'm so glad you were encouraged by this. Most of the words were Barbara's. (I went back and put in the quotation marks.) How wonderful that God has blessed you with two children and that you are so open to entertain large families.
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