(1) what a delight it is to read your essay here on Substack! So much easier on the eyes.
(2) the difficult thing about this topic among Christians is knowing that there are so many Christian couples would love to have children and cannot. Because of that, many stay silent in the Christian community, rather than risk hurting a sister or brother on this very sensitive subject. However, we must at least attempt to speak the truth in love, and I'm thankful you have done that with this essay. Kevin DeYoung also wrote on this a few months ago, and I thought he did it in a sensitive, but convicting way.
The large families in my parish have cheerful, well-behaved children and have parents that are good examples to the parish. They have large families because, at least in part, they are skilled at raising children. I'm eastern Catholic (Melkite)..our priest is married and he and his wife have 7 children. Three other families in the parish have at least 7 children. If the wives weren't religious, they might well be running a small business or growing a hi-tech startup. But why settle for that?
You brought me back to when I’d get looks & comments when I had all 5 kids with me in airports, stores etc. My children even got comments from their peers-“can you believe it, all her/his siblings have the same father!” And I’ve always loved that I had a ‘quiver full...’
Two comments:
(1) what a delight it is to read your essay here on Substack! So much easier on the eyes.
(2) the difficult thing about this topic among Christians is knowing that there are so many Christian couples would love to have children and cannot. Because of that, many stay silent in the Christian community, rather than risk hurting a sister or brother on this very sensitive subject. However, we must at least attempt to speak the truth in love, and I'm thankful you have done that with this essay. Kevin DeYoung also wrote on this a few months ago, and I thought he did it in a sensitive, but convicting way.
The large families in my parish have cheerful, well-behaved children and have parents that are good examples to the parish. They have large families because, at least in part, they are skilled at raising children. I'm eastern Catholic (Melkite)..our priest is married and he and his wife have 7 children. Three other families in the parish have at least 7 children. If the wives weren't religious, they might well be running a small business or growing a hi-tech startup. But why settle for that?
You brought me back to when I’d get looks & comments when I had all 5 kids with me in airports, stores etc. My children even got comments from their peers-“can you believe it, all her/his siblings have the same father!” And I’ve always loved that I had a ‘quiver full...’