By Karen Zerby (aka "Mamma Maria")
FD/MM/FM; ML#3799; September 2009
Dear Family,
1. I'm happy to be able to share with you some beautiful and insightful messages from our Husband on the topic of childbearing and contraceptives. I think you'll find that there are many jewels included, as well as a lot of helpful information and counsel in this Letter that was barely touched on in "Childbearing and Contraceptives" (ML #3798), since I was trying to keep that one short and focused on our basic position on the issue.
2. Here's something that the Lord had to say when I was working on this GN, which pretty much sums up His counsel to us today:
3. (Jesus:) I am first and foremost a God of love. I love you and I want you to have personal faith and to be free to live according to your faith. In matters that very personally affect you—such as childbearing—I want you to come to Me and bring Me your questions and issues and follow what I tell you, without outside pressure or others telling you what you should do. That doesn't mean that I don't have views on the matter of childbearing; it simply means that I take you where you're at, and I desire to work with you.
4. I want a relationship with you that is built on acceptance and understanding, as we work to improve our communication and partnership, to grow in trust, and to merge our lives in every way possible. (End of message.)
5. The messages that follow will provide some more of the Lord's views on the matter, as He promised. Throughout His counsel He gives further encouragement about His desire for each of us to act according to our faith in every area of our lives—including in the realm of childbearing and contraceptives. I pray that His words will answer your questions, help to settle any matters that are on your heart, and strengthen your faith.
6. But before we move on to the messages, I want to encourage and commend those of you who have made Jesus so happy over the years by being accepting and welcoming of His gifts from Heaven—your children! I know that many of you have received these blessings by pure faith, even when you didn't know how you could handle one more. You've been through difficult and trying times as you've worked through the struggles and challenges of parenting. Words are not nearly enough to express the respect that Peter and I have for you.
7. We truly believe that you, dear faithful and selfless parents, will not regret opening your arms and hearts and lives to any of your children. Although they are certainly a lot of work, they are also your blessings and medals of honor! In addition to the valuable treasure of the children themselves, you've gained life experience and great spiritual riches as you've walked the road of parenthood—blessings, rewards, and depth that are only given to those of you who have chosen to invest years of your life in parenting and caring for children.
8. It's hard for me to express in writing how much Peter and I love and admire and honor you, dear parents, but I hope that you will feel some of what we feel in our hearts toward you. We can only imagine how Jesus' heart must also swell with pride when He thinks about you and all that you have given to Him and His little ones over the years—and all that you will continue to give in the years to come. There is no greater love!
Love,
Mama
9. (Jesus:) You lead busy lives, My brides, and I ask a tremendous amount of you. I realize that your lives are multifaceted and that things are just getting busier. Not only do you have to care for your physical children, but you're also going to have a bigger load in caring for the new spiritual babies that I'm giving you. You have to have the strength and the faith to be able to adequately care for your children and your spiritual babies. You need peace and faith in your heart regarding how many physical babies you can bear.
10. Sometimes it may be a good idea for you to take a break from bearing children. Perhaps your health is weak, and it's more important for you to invest time in healing and strengthening your body than to have another baby so soon. Or maybe you already have a lot of children and you desire a break for the purpose of spending more time with them, pouring into them, and strengthening them, so that your family unit can be a stronger and better example and testimony. This is recognizing what you already have "in your hand" and your responsibility to teach and train your children aright.
11. Or maybe you've had quite a few children, one after the other, and it's taking a toll on your marriage. Having a break at such a time in order to give more attention to your marriage could very well be wise. When you come to Me with your desire to have a break from childbearing, I will speak to you, I will give you My words of instruction and counsel, I will work with you, and I will give you peace and faith for your decision.
12. My loves, I want you to have the faith to seek Me regarding My plan for you in this realm of your life. I want to work with you. I want to instruct you. I'm not an unreasonable Husband Who lacks compassion or common sense.
13. I give you much instruction and counsel, and it's all for your benefit. But I don't expect you to be placing your 100% focus on every area of your life simultaneously. You can't be focusing 100% on working in unity with others, on bearing children, on having a fruitful marriage, on building a flock, on educating your children, on being a positive force in your community, on your spiritual life, all at the same time. It's wise to ask Me, "Lord, of all of these things that You've asked me to do, what are the ones that I should put priority on right now?"
14. Maybe you've felt that the past Word and counsel on the issue of bearing and raising children was so strong that there wasn't much room for exercising personal faith. But I want to state for the record that it is your decision to make, taking your personal faith, preferences, hopes, and circumstances into account. If you are going to have children, I want you to decide to do so in faith.
15. If you feel that you need to wait on having children, or to have a break from having more, then ask Me about it. Tell Me what's on your heart. Explain why you feel the need to have a break. Ask Me what to do. Ask Me if using some form of contraceptive would be a good choice for you at this time in your life. If you do this, if you connect with Me on the matter, if you work with Me, then you can make your decision in faith, and you will have My blessing of peace concerning your decision. There will be no stigma and no condemnation.
16. I have set up the cycle of life in such a way that most people will have a baby if they have sexual intercourse. So, yes, I will often give you a baby when you allow Me the opportunity. Babies are gifts, blessings, and rewards, and I love to give them—although I realize that they also bring with them new work, new demands, and new challenges. So if you do not feel ready for another baby, seek Me and work with Me. I will not be offended if you desire a break.
17. Bearing children is a great blessing, but it's also a big responsibility. It adds to your life, it increases your work, and it interjects new dynamics into your lives—your lives which have become busier and more complex over the years. Bearing and raising children is a priority, but it's not the only priority.
18. My stance is and always will be that I love children, that I want to give as many of them to you as possible. However, I want to state for the record, in black and white, that the most important thing when it comes to bearing children is that you desire to know My mind, to hear My thoughts and opinions on the matter, and that we work together to make good and wise decisions in the realm of bearing children. I wish for you to seek Me with an open heart and to do what I show you is best in your life; that's what is pleasing to Me. That's what gives you peace and faith.
19. The way that I work with you in the realm of bearing children isn't always the same throughout your life, either, because I take into account your frame, your circumstances, your battles, as well as everything else that makes up your life at a given time. Bearing children is just one facet of your life, and I balance it with the other things that I'm asking of you. That's why you must regularly seek Me about this area of your life; it's not a case of asking Me what I want you to do once and leaving it at that. Sometimes I will ask more of you and sometimes I will ask less, taking into account the sum total of your life and service to Me.
20. In summary: My instruction for you today in the realm of bearing babies is that I want you to work with Me in this area of your life. Counsel with Me. Hear from Me in prophecy. I'm not harsh and out of touch; I'm loving, I'm reasonable. Tell Me what's on your heart, your thoughts, your feelings, your concerns, and let's make these decisions together.
21. Strive for a spirit of love, unselfishness, and selflessness in every area of your life—including this one. If you do these things, you will be blessed—blessed with babies when you put yourself in a position to bear them; and when I approve of a break, you'll be blessed with peace of mind, happiness of spirit, and the confidence that comes from knowing that you are pleasing Me by letting Me guide you in this area of your life.
22. (Jesus:) Making the decision to have sexual intercourse, knowing that you could possibly conceive a child, is similar to many other big decisions you'll face in life.
23. You have to make decisions in faith if you want good results. If you make a decision just because you think it's probably the right thing to do, but you haven't really prayed about it, thought it through, and don't have the faith for it, then when you face the results or repercussions of your decision, even if it was a good thing, or when related trials and tests come, they will be harder for you to handle than if you were prepared and ready, with your spiritual armor in order, because you made the decision in faith.
24. For example, if you're making the decision to go to a dangerous or poor mission field: You must realize that there are costs involved, and you must be ready for those costs. In general, I want My missionaries and disciples to heed the call to dark and difficult lands. But the fact that it's My plan to reach the lost, and that those countries need the Gospel, isn't necessarily all there is to the picture. You have to confirm with Me that I am calling you to go, and to which country specifically, and then you can go with faith that I will bless, protect you and provide for you.
25. Another example is giving. I always bless giving. If you ask Me whether you should give something to someone, the answer will often be yes. But My answer won't always be yes. It's not always My time; it's not always the way I want to work in the other person's life. So it is with any decisions that you make, even those that are based on good principles. You can either make assumptions, take the plunge and "let things run their course." Or you can seek Me as to My time and My way.
26. Having babies is no different. Babies are a blessing from Me; they are My pure and beautiful creations. I love life and I love creating life. I love furthering life. I love blessing Family members with babies because it's an opportunity for that baby to be born into a loving environment and a heritage of faith. So, generally speaking, I bless people with babies as often as possible. I generally let nature take its course, because new life must continue to be born. It's the cycle of creation and living.
27. If you allow the circumstances that could result in a baby, it's likely that you'll have one. But if you were to ask Me in advance about My plan and My timetable, it's possible that I'd say, "Go for it," or it's also possible that I'd say, "Wait a bit," or, "Consider this first," or, "Do you have the faith for such and such if that happens?"
28. Just because I want to bless the world and the Family with more babies doesn't mean that it's necessarily the best option for you to have a baby right now. It could be, but I don't want you to be cavalier about it and consider it divine intervention if you get pregnant. For most women it's much simpler than that.—It's one of nature's laws that when a man and a woman have sexual intercourse, it creates an opportunity for a baby to be conceived.
29. If you're looking at sexual intercourse as something that you're "just going to do and see what happens," let Me remind you that the miracle of life is one that I create at nearly every opportunity. It's a miracle that I've incorporated into the laws of nature so that My creation continues. If you put yourself in that position, knowing that a baby is a likely result, I just might take you up on it. I love babies!
30. (Jesus:) Those of you who are in your childbearing years should know that I love children, that I want to send them into the world, and that, for the most part, I would like you to have the opportunity to be a parent and to further this part of My plan. However, it's also important to Me that prospective parents want to have a child.
31. On this matter, you might ask, "Then why do You allow people to become pregnant when they don't want to have a child?" Well, that goes back to the tricky matter of human choice. There are certain dynamics and laws, things that you can count on, and the possibility of becoming pregnant if you have sexual intercourse is one of them. Some things are ordained by Me, but I've also given you ways to work with the process. You can choose to have sexual intercourse or you can choose not to.
32. Working with this element of nature (sex and pregnancy) was more basic in the past. Now you have other options, courtesy of the world and man's learning and technology. There are condoms and many other forms of contraceptives. They are unnatural, yes. But there are many elements within the world today that aren't "natural" (as in, I didn't create them), yet they're used, and if used wisely and lovingly, are okay or even beneficial. It can be the same with contraceptives IF you are consulting with Me and allowing Me to lead and guide you.
33. (Jesus:) Bearing children has always been and always will be a matter of personal faith and conviction. It's not a matter to take lightly, and yet it is one of those aspects of life that so often takes people by surprise.
34. As My Word has explained many times, I love children, and I delight in blessing lives and marriages with children. Children are a touch of My love, a blessing. The responsibility of raising children also puts you in a specialized arena of growth and learning; it's an experience that comes with countless opportunities for Me to teach you much about life and love and their deeper truths.
35. Bearing and raising children in the Family today requires faith—faith in what I have promised regarding your children, faith to keep trusting Me to care for you and to supply for you, and faith to follow the way I am leading you. You need to have faith and conviction in the plan that I am asking you to follow when it comes to bearing children. If you have faith for your decisions, then you will be able to trust Me for the children that I bring into your life.
36. I don't want you to take on the selfish attitudes of modern society toward childbearing, where it's all about the individual and what you can handle and what you want, over what I want to bless you with in the way of children. If you have a selfish "I know what's best for me and I'm in control" attitude, that is not one I can bless.
37. I still want you as My yielded brides, willing to place your bodies on the altar of sacrifice and give of yourself for your children. I love to bless you with children and to fill your lives with the many joys they bring. Children are a gift from My hand, and they are an important part of your heritage as a Family. They are key players in the role I have called the Family to play. They are still the hope of your future, those who will work alongside you both here on Earth and in Heaven to perform My will.
38. (Jesus:) I love babies! I want to give you babies! I love it when people put themselves in a position to have babies. I've set things up in nature so that babies are conceived and born. At the same time, I take you where you're at, and I'm willing to work with you according to what you have the faith for.
39. I realize that you may not have the faith to bear children at a certain point in your life for various reasons. Perhaps you have one or more children and feel that you can't cope with the possibility of having another one right away. Or perhaps you're still young and single and aren't ready to get married and start a family yet. There are a variety of reasons why you may not feel ready to have children, and I'll take you where you're at and work with you as you involve Me in the decision-making process.
40. I love you and take you where you're at. I celebrate your love for Me and rejoice in how much you are able to trust Me and give to Me in all areas of your life.
41. (Jesus:) Children bring unique blessings and treasures into your lives. I've designed training that is automatically linked with parenting and raising children; many of these life lessons associated with parenting are important to your maturity and growth.
42. That's not to say that these particular lessons are only learned if you bear children; they are learned in other ways too, but you cannot be a parent without experiencing them. I've used children to teach many of you invaluable lessons. I have used even unexpected pregnancies as an avenue to strengthen you, or to teach you lessons that were foreign to you previously.
43. In extolling the virtues of having children, there is still a lot to be said about having faith for bearing and raising them. Faith is a vital ingredient in bearing and raising children. I want you to have faith for this aspect of your life, because you know it's what's right for you at this time and you believe and have faith to trust that I'll help you each step of the way. You don't have to have faith for every single aspect of the journey of parenthood at square one, but you do need to have faith in Me and My ability to care for you and your family.
44. I've been working on strengthening the faith of My brides in the Family in these last years. I know the importance of your faith, both because of how it sustains you and how it gives you the vision and hope for the future that lies before you. I've put this emphasis on faith because in the days to come, faith is truly what will sustain you—your faith in Me manifested in your obedience to Me, your faith to hold on despite dire circumstances, your faith to walk through the end of days, still believing and trusting no matter what.
45. The aspect of childbearing has been a question of faith for many of you. You want to trust Me, and in some cases you wish that you had the faith to allow Me "full control" when it comes to bearing children. But at the same time, when you are faced with your daily circumstances, it's hard to reconcile whether you truly have the faith or if it's something that you think you should have faith for.
46. Faith is confident; it believes that whatever happens will be what's best. Faith doesn't go into a test holding its breath and anxiously waiting for the outcome. Faith marches in with confidence and trust that the outcome will be just right; and faith is happy for that outcome and accepting of it. That's faith; it doesn't waver, but is strong and sure of the promise. Faith will receive My direction and then will act on it without fear of "what if?" Faith doesn't question whether I will answer or not, it simply believes.
47. This is an era of faith that I've called the Family to—not just in one or two areas, but in all areas of your lives. I've been nurturing the flames of faith, which in some of your spirits had flickered low, but which I'm now stirring up and bringing back to life. I want to see you, My dear Family, acting on your personal faith in the matter of bringing children into the world.
48. (Jesus:) Something to realize when it comes to bearing children is that you don't usually have faith for all of the children that I want to bless you with at the onset of parenthood. It's like any challenge or test you face in your life—as it comes your way, then I pour out the measure of grace and faith that is needed to see you through it. Faith grows and is enhanced through the experiences you encounter, the tests you undergo, and the blessings that you gain through each experience.
49. I am a loving God and I see into your heart. I know what you are capable of bearing, and I see how you are doing in your life overall. I have a panoramic view. I see into each heart and life, and I want to work with you on an individual basis. I want you to exercise more personal freedom in hearing from Me and walking according to your faith when it comes to bearing children.
50. The most important aspect of decision-making in regard to childbearing is to stay open to what I am asking of you, to come to Me regularly for My direction in a spirit of acceptance and faith, and then to follow through on what I tell you to do. You will grow in faith and confidence as you come before Me to receive My direction and guidance, and then proceed according to how I'm leading you.
51. In some cases, it would be appropriate for parents to wait on having more children in order to give more focus to the children they already have, or to dedicate time to strengthening their marriage, or to concentrate on another aspect of their lives. There are sometimes areas of your lives that I may show you to ease up on a little, so that you can pay attention to another area that needs more time to flourish.
52. A new addition to the family isn't a temporary factor in your life for a short period of time; it's there for years to come. As the saying goes, "Once a parent, always a parent." Parenthood is a lifelong commitment, and sometimes it's necessary to pause on bearing more children so that you can invest time in raising the children that you already have, or even to give time to other areas of your life that have taken "a hit," so to speak, because you've been bearing children.
53. I want you to work according to your faith in this area of your life. A key aspect of working according to your faith is found in coming to Me frequently for guidance, and then applying what I've told you. You also have to realize that your faith grows, it increases with time, and while I might lead you one way for a time, that doesn't make it an indefinite plan. Following Me means asking Me what I am expecting of you at each juncture of your life, and following that plan.
54. (Jesus:) Some enduring facts:
* I love children.
* Children are a blessing.
* I want to stretch your faith and thereby strengthen it; one way that I do this is through giving you children.
* You gain invaluable life lessons through parenting, and through working with the different personalities and needs of your children.
* Children are part of your witness and testimony to the world. Your willingness to bear children is a living example of your faith in Me.
* Your children are the hope of your future.
55. (Jesus:) There are different mindsets or mentalities that come into play as far as how people view the health and care of their body. Some mothers don't put enough emphasis on the importance of caring for themselves during their childbearing years. While a body has a lot to replenish itself with, and while I do protect you from many afflictions and diseases, I also expect you to give your bodies the care and attention they need.
56. If you're doing your part to live a healthy life, then it allows Me greater leeway to protect you and to keep you from outside attacks on your health. As a mother, you have to realize that your health directly affects your children's health, so how you care for yourself is important.
57. Bearing children is a sacrifice, and part of that sacrifice is the physical repercussions and toll it takes on a woman's body. As humans, you are subject to the curse that was put on mankind in the Garden of Eden. The pain in childbearing that the Bible talks about was not just in the birthing process, but also in the toll that bearing children takes on a woman's body.
58. Your body gives significantly in order for a child to grow and develop. You must also factor in that there are unseen toxins and pollutants in the air and in foods that weaken your body and affect your health and strength, and that foods are far less nutrient-rich and nourishing than they used to be, due to overfarming and genetic modification and so on. Staying healthy today, or replenishing your body's stores during and after childbearing, takes more effort than it used to. It doesn't just "happen naturally."
59. You must give attention and care to your bodies so that you can accomplish the task of bearing children in the best way possible. While each person is different, and different women cope with and handle pregnancy differently, there are simple basics when it comes to caring for yourself that are important to bear in mind.
60. The body needs time to recover after pregnancy. Even a healthy, normal pregnancy is physically taxing, and it takes time for your body to fully recover and heal itself. Your body expends a lot of energy in the development of the baby, not to mention the birthing process, and it continues to give significantly while you are nursing a child.
61. There are times when it is necessary and wise for a woman to give herself a longer period of time to heal and recuperate after having a child. Some mothers struggle more in their pregnancies, and going straight from that into the strenuous task of raising the child is a very taxing endeavor.
62. Some battle certain afflictions or complications in pregnancy and need time to gain full strength before becoming pregnant again. Those who have had C-sections need to let their bodies heal fully before another round. I understand these different needs, and I want you to care for yourselves properly so that you can enjoy good health and have the strength you need to enjoy life and serve Me and be a good parent to your children.
63. When it comes to bearing children, I don't expect you to continuously expend yourself with pregnancy after pregnancy, to where your body is fully spent. It's a sacrifice to bear children and it takes a toll on your body, but if you're caring for yourself properly and wisely—both before, during, and after pregnancy—then your body usually has what it takes to bounce back and be ready for it again.
64. Mothers who need a break from bearing children should not feel condemned or consider it a weakness or an insufficiency on their part. Remember that I designed you as you are; I created your body. I remember your frame, and it is My will to work with you when it comes to the needs of your body. I expect you to do your part and to care for yourself properly so that your body is able to replenish itself. But I also don't have unrealistic expectations of you that would deprive you of the health and strength of body that you need to continue on for Me.
65. There are times when your body needs an extended period of recuperation after bearing a child, such as:
66. After a C-section. It takes time for the muscles and tissues to properly mend so as to be able to handle the stress of another pregnancy. You need to allow your body sufficient time to recuperate; it is something that you should have the confidence to come to Me about. Find out My will for you and ask Me what steps you should take to ensure that you're allowing your body a chance to fully recover.
67. If you have health problems (whether related to childbearing or not) that need attention. Maybe they're not "serious," as in terminal or potentially terminal, but you still need time to focus on the care and healing of your body. It's important that you're giving attention to your body to allow for healing and recovery, even if your affliction isn't directly linked to your ability to bear children. Because pregnancy and childbirth take a significant toll on your body and deplete your reserves, you may need to take some time to focus on your health so that you're in optimum condition should I choose to bless you with another child.
68. After very taxing pregnancies that cause significant strain on a mother's body, which can result in the mother needing extra care and time to recover her strength. For example, being very sick throughout the pregnancy and not being able to regain full strength right away, or complications during a pregnancy or delivery that create a need for your body to repair itself even more than usual.
69. After having a miscarriage or a fallopian tube pregnancy. A woman's body usually needs a little break, as certain reserves can be depleted after a miscarriage, depending on how far along she was in the pregnancy, how her body coped with it, and other factors.
70. A mother should not feel condemned when her body requires a break from childbearing. Take time to hear from Me and pray about your circumstances and the needs of your body. Please don't ignore circumstances and simply go ahead and have more babies without factoring in your health, doing your research and considering medical advice, as needed, as well as counseling and hearing from Me.
71. Your bodies need ongoing care; they won't just "manage on their own," and this is especially true for women who are in their childbearing years. It's a responsibility you carry to not only look after yourselves, but to realize that your bodies are the temple where I create and nurture new life. Your bodies need your cooperation and to ensure that proper nutrition, attention and care are being given to both recover from pregnancy and childbirth and to prepare for the next child, if that's where your faith lies.
72. You can trust Me to help you in the care of your body, but what I am able to do is also conditional on what you are willing to do yourself. You must be humble enough to admit that in some cases your body is simply not healthy enough to bear one child right after the other. That's not something to be ashamed of, but rather something to be aware of.
73. Do what you can, and be willing to take a break from childbearing or any other activity I show you, in order to keep your level of health high and your body functioning well.—And that includes not just trying to do it on your own, but being willing to seek medical help when it's needed, to counsel about what your needs are and how you can go about achieving optimum health. I will work with you in such situations, as you do your part in counsel with Me.
74. (Jesus:) Children are priceless. Their care and upbringing are very important, and not to be taken lightly.
75. Those of you who allow Me the opportunity to make you parents should be conscious of the moral and ethical responsibility you bear before Me and before your children. In deciding to have a child, you are committing to the spiritual, moral, academic, and practical upbringing of that child. You are committing to guard them, protect them, provide for them, educate them, nurture them, love them, invest in them, make them a priority in your lives, and much more.
76. This is a commitment that parents must make each time they bring a child into the world. I want your families to be part of your Christian example and testimony to the world, and that takes commitment, stability, and dedication. The job only begins with the birth, and it continues for the duration of life. Being a parent is a commitment for life, and providing your child with a loving, stable, nurturing environment will take sacrifice, humility, love and investment.
77. Every child needs a father and a mother—that is the ideal arrangement. Having a stable marriage will also serve as a bulwark for those you will be training and winning in the future. Each couple should operate according to your level of faith when deciding whether to make it possible for Me to give you a baby or not. You will have to live with the outcome of your choices, so it's important that you make these choices in faith between Me and you.
78. Children are a commitment. Although I want to give babies and I have set natural laws in place to ensure that this happens, My plan for you is that you seek Me personally and find and follow My plan for you.
79. (Jesus:) I am not changing My position on childbearing and how this fits into My overall plan for mankind. I created life, I ordained that men and women would have children, and I consider it one of the most beautiful and precious parts of My creation. This is why having children is such a costly endeavor, because its value is so high. Children are one of the most valuable treasures on Earth. So it's not surprising that bearing and raising children also has a very high price tag attached to it that reflects its worth.
80. What is changing is that I am putting greater emphasis on personal choice. The matter of bearing children is a personal choice within the parameters of an individual's faith.
81. Deciding to parent a child is one of the most important decisions that you will ever make in life, and the outcome is irreversible. This decision sets you on a path for life that will influence and even dictate nearly every other decision you make from that point on. Every child changes the life of its mother and father, as well as its siblings; every child is a unique creation, with a unique role, and presents a unique set of factors that will have a significant impact on the lives of its parents.
82. As is the case with all decisions in life, you should pray and seek Me and operate according to your faith. It is not enough for you to act on the assumption that something is right and "think you have the faith for it," as you may find yourself in a precarious situation when your faith is put to the test.
83. This is the mystery of faith—it is manifested in different ways in each individual. I do not judge people on a "one size fits all" scale, expecting everyone to have the same level and type of faith for every situation. Some people shine in some areas of faith, while others shine in different areas.
84. Some have tremendous faith for large families and are a wonderful example of love. They are like a beautiful tree that provides shade, nourishment, and joy to many. Some of you haven't had what you'd consider "tremendous faith for large families," but you were willing to proceed in faith anyway. You yielded this area of your life to Me, you were obedient to My call, you brought your children into the world and have done your best to raise them. For this great faith and obedience I honor you!
85. I take you where you're at. Sometimes I ask you to stretch and grow beyond your current limits. At other times, I tell you to strengthen your faith in other areas, while entrusting the things you aren't strong in to My care. I work with you according to your strengths and weaknesses. I don't judge you for a specific decision that you make at one point in time, or for the times when your faith is faltering in one area, while you continue faithfully serving Me in all the other areas that you do have faith for.
86. I wish for you to seek Me and to find your level of faith on all matters and to operate accordingly. This is My plan for every aspect of your life—whether it's seeking Me to know if you should serve Me full-time or part-time; whether you should marry someone; whether you should seek medical counsel; whether you should take on a secular job; how you should practice the sexual aspect of the Law of Love, etc. These are all decisions of faith that can only be made by you. It's not enough for you to just go on the assumed will of God, so to speak, as per My big-picture plan for mankind.
87. My big-picture plan is that children are blessings, and I'll give you as many of them as you are able to care for and raise. But each individual and couple should seek Me for My personally tailored plan for you, and you should operate within the parameters of your faith. If you operate in assumed faith built on your understanding of My general will for mankind, you might stumble or be discouraged or set back when things don't turn out as expected. Every aspect of your life is built on faith—and that faith is represented in the many choices you make each day as you seek Me and find My plan for you for that day.
88. I have an overall plan for mankind, but that's separate from the choices of faith that every individual must make every day of their lives. In these matters that are so personal and that involve enormous amounts of personal responsibility, you have to make your own choices, just as you will have to assume the responsibility for your choices; no one else can assume that responsibility for you. Thus you must also have the freedom to make your choices, between you and Me, built on your own faith. You can't make such important decisions based on a general, overall understanding of My plan and will alone.
89. You must get down to specifics and the nitty-gritty, life-and-death choices involved in bearing and rearing children. This is no different from any other matter of faith. I give the overall plan and picture, and then it's up to you to make the choices within your faith and what works for you. Nobody can judge that; only you and I know the exact circumstances that you are facing, the factors that will come into play in your decision-making, and where your faith truly rests.
90. As with everything else in life, these choices of faith are part of your growth process, and growth doesn't always happen in one day or through one decision. There are many decisions that will come your way throughout life, and many opportunities to learn through the decisions that you make, and to grow in faith to be able to make decisions that require a higher level of faith.
91. (Jesus:) I want to free you from the Enemy's condemnation. I want you to have much more faith in My love for you, and to feel at peace with your decisions.
92. I am much more flexible and open-minded than most people give Me credit for. I'm not a mean God with a big stick, just waiting for you to step out of line. I look upon you with mercy and unconditional love; I want you to be happy, fruitful, and at peace. I want you to have confidence in My love, and to know that I am eager to lead you in a plain path—and that path is different for each person.
93. I'm not putting all Family members on a giant conveyor belt that herds them in the same direction without any variance or flexibility. I'm a loving, flexible God, and I am more than willing to work with each individual and to come up with a tailor-made, perfect plan for each one, if they're willing to ask Me.—These plans will be different for each family and individual, because you are each unique creations with unique needs and circumstances.
94. If you come to understand this aspect of My nature more fully, My understanding and flexibility and open-mindedness—not only in this matter of childbearing but in many other realms as well—then you will have more faith to make decisions as I lead you.
95. Family members having children is important to Me. I will give babies when I can, and I will make no apologies for that. You call them your "national treasure"; well, what nation doesn't want to get richer? And if you think they're your national treasure, they're much more than that to Me and to the heavenly realm. They are citizens of Heaven! They are creations straight from God.
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96. I love children and I want to give you babies, but I'm not stupid or unreasonable! I know that raising babies and having many children is a tremendous amount of work.
97. I know that you're entering into the busiest, most challenging time of your history. But I want you to realize that you can hear from Me about your needs, especially when it concerns something as personal as having a baby—or another baby—and I will give you personal counsel and tailor-made solutions for each situation.
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98. Once you've come to Me, shared your heart and fears with Me, and heard My counsel, if I tell you that you can have a break from childbearing right now, and wait until you have the faith for it again, then you should believe Me and enjoy that gift of My love and understanding.
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99. Follow your faith, while asking Me to stretch your faith and exercise it. I love your faith, and I love it when you work in accordance with your faith, because when you exercise your faith, it grows.—And as it grows, the more you come to realize that anything is possible.
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100. I am loving, caring, and understanding, and I will work with you in the realm of childbearing, as your Counselor. I want to see you happy. I want to see your needs met. I care about you personally—your body, your family, your other children, your testimony in raising your children, and the many other dynamics that are in your life at any given time. I genuinely want what's best for you, and I will counsel you as to the best options for you, taking into consideration your personal faith.
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101. In regard to childbearing, there is My overarching will for humankind, and within that there is My tailor-made plan for each person's life, which takes into account the individual needs of the person, their circumstances, and so many other things. This tailor-made plan is something that each person must discover for themselves.
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102. I stand by My principles of freedom of choice and allowing you to live according to your faith. These principles are just as true and just as important as My love for babies.
103. There needs to be more balance in your mindsets and the way you weigh up My Word and My priorities. When these principles—My love for babies, freedom of choice, living according to your personal faith, and willingness to hear from Me and receive My counsel—are balanced, you will be better able to make good decisions.
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104. I've said a lot about childbearing; I tout the blessings of having children, and I will continue to. Children bring with them a lot of work, so I want to offset that by highlighting the joys, the rewards, and the blessings that you will receive, not only on Earth as a parent, but also in Heaven, for being willing to bring My children into the world. There are definite long-term rewards attached to childbearing.
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105. Don't forget that your children are and will continue to be one of your greatest testimonies. As you continue to bear babies for My glory, and to place emphasis on having beautiful, strong, healthy, happy marriages and families, they will shine as a bright light in the dark world. Your children will be arrows in the hand of a mighty man; they will speak with the enemies at the gate (Psa.127:4-5). Your future holds much promise for children and for your large families.
Copyright © 2009 by The Family International