***Disclaimer***
All stories that I share on my blog are things that God has showed me in my life. Any convictions I have had are convictions that the Lord has given me. You must discern what the Lord is saying to you.
Now, having said that, I can carry on with the story.
Newly married, living in Nashville, new job...life was good!
Then, all of a sudden...
I should have known that Catholics have always taught these kinds of things. I should have known when I was interviewed and when they asked me about my stance on birth control. I should have known when my co-worker dropped a pamphlet on my desk. I should have known.
Meanwhile, we start attending a church. We attended because Michael W. Smith was the worship leader there. That is so spiritual, right? :) Little did I know that one of the pastor's wives was also teaching about having kids. Little did I know she had a huge ministry, called Above Rubies, which is all about the beauty of motherhood. Little did I know they would invite us to dinner at their house and talk with us. Little did I know.
Brand new town. No friends outside of work. No friends outside of church.
God had me cornered.
I could not escape. It was everywhere I went. Someone talking to me about birth control! Really?! I had grown up in a Christian home. I even volunteered at a pregnancy center while I was in college. I was VERY pro-life. Put me right up there with Mother Theresa.
Well, if children are such blessings, why are you trying so hard to prevent them?
I was not at a place to answer that question. I still had my life to live. My first years of marriage to enjoy, just Michael and me. We did, however, decide (after about a year) to try for our first child. God blessed us with Caroline Elizabeth.
All stories that I share on my blog are things that God has showed me in my life. Any convictions I have had are convictions that the Lord has given me. You must discern what the Lord is saying to you.
Now, having said that, I can carry on with the story.
Newly married, living in Nashville, new job...life was good!
Then, all of a sudden...
I should have known that Catholics have always taught these kinds of things. I should have known when I was interviewed and when they asked me about my stance on birth control. I should have known when my co-worker dropped a pamphlet on my desk. I should have known.
Meanwhile, we start attending a church. We attended because Michael W. Smith was the worship leader there. That is so spiritual, right? :) Little did I know that one of the pastor's wives was also teaching about having kids. Little did I know she had a huge ministry, called Above Rubies, which is all about the beauty of motherhood. Little did I know they would invite us to dinner at their house and talk with us. Little did I know.
Brand new town. No friends outside of work. No friends outside of church.
God had me cornered.
I could not escape. It was everywhere I went. Someone talking to me about birth control! Really?! I had grown up in a Christian home. I even volunteered at a pregnancy center while I was in college. I was VERY pro-life. Put me right up there with Mother Theresa.
Well, if children are such blessings, why are you trying so hard to prevent them?
I was not at a place to answer that question. I still had my life to live. My first years of marriage to enjoy, just Michael and me. We did, however, decide (after about a year) to try for our first child. God blessed us with Caroline Elizabeth.
(Just in case you can't tell. . .I'm not one of those moms that puts on makeup and fixes my hair after giving birth. If I get a shower sometime in the first month, I'm doing good!)
But, He was not done with me yet. He would take me to a place where I tried to understand what He meant when He said:
"Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." I Cor. 6:19-20 NLT
"Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." I Cor. 6:19-20 NLT
I had always known that God calls children blessings throughout His Word. But, I guess I had not really thought that much more about it. I was not ready to give Him total control over that area anyway. Was He even asking that from me? I went back and forth over the issue. In that time, I also learned that I could find people who would tell whatever I wanted to hear. While I value wisdom and godly counsel, God was teaching me to incline my ear to His Voice. What is He saying to me? I learned then that the Holy Spirit convicts in different ways. And if I wanted to know how He was leading me, I had to listen to what He was saying to me.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27
I knew that God loved me more than I could ever imagine. I also knew He was all-powerful.
Funny thing. Valuing my time, my health, my weight loss/gain, none of those things are bad. In fact, I knew I needed to take care of myself. Interestingly enough, God took me through circumstances to show me that He is in control. I may have thought that I had control over my body or my life, but God was ultimately the One in charge. And soon, He would show me that very thing. . .
This is my story...
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27
I knew that God loved me more than I could ever imagine. I also knew He was all-powerful.
Funny thing. Valuing my time, my health, my weight loss/gain, none of those things are bad. In fact, I knew I needed to take care of myself. Interestingly enough, God took me through circumstances to show me that He is in control. I may have thought that I had control over my body or my life, but God was ultimately the One in charge. And soon, He would show me that very thing. . .
This is my story...
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