"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." KJV
Ok first let me say that I like the KJV version of this Scripture the best because in verse 19 we have Paul (the presumed author) saying WHAT?? Like... WHAT you don't know this??
I just think it's funny... :)
Anyway now that I have set the tone on a serious note... Let's talk about how this Scripture applies to us in pregnancy, labor and birth. I am sure as women, we have heard this before. This fact that our bodies are not our own and we need to be taking care of them so that they are working correctly. So that we live healthy and longer. So that we are glorifying the Lord with each day that we exist inside them. These bodies are temples for our God to dwell inside and we must make them a Holy place for him to dwell.
The issue is... there are so many temptations out there for us to fall victim too if we let ourselves and cause our bodies to be an unclean place. My thoughts are... you can't change your entire self in a day. But as long as you are working at becoming a temple and progressively getting better then your body is a welcome place for the Holy Spirit because praying over your body and taking care of it definitely means you care about Him being there.
Pregnancy is a different story though because now we have two bodies inside one that need to be taken care of. One of the most beautiful things about childbirth IMO is the fact that we get to be a vessel for God's creation of new humans... new souls that will impact the world. God has plans for them and they include us and how we take care of ourselves.
If we are neglectful of the temple our body is meant to be... then we are not in right standing to be a positive part of God's plan for this little human he is making inside our bodies. Does that make sense? :) If I were sitting in front of you we could discuss this but typing concepts like this can be a challenge sometimes. :)
We must not only treat our bodies as the Temples for our Living God that they are, but we must also treat them as Holy Homes for our little children while the Lord is growing them inside us. We must be in prayer over ourselves and our babies. We must eat well. Take care of our bodies with sleep and rest. Also exercising that is appropriate. All these things and more... whatever you are feeling convicted of doing... we must do for the simple fact that our bodies are not our own... and even more so are they not during childbirth. It all belongs to God. :)
Showing posts with label Stewardship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stewardship. Show all posts
Galatians 6:4
"Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else." NLT
One of the most important things you can learn about your childbirth journey is that it belongs to you and God alone. It is for no one else to influence.
Often times we as people, and mothers/soon to be mothers listen to other people's stories during chit chat and we take it to heart what others say about birth. This is part of human nature. We relate to each other, empathize with each other and look up to one another. We trust each other and so the advice we hear from one another is often taken without consideration. It us up to us, as birthing women, with this huge responsibility to talk to God about all things we hear. About all advice we receive.
Your birth journey will be a story to tell as well. You will be much more grateful of your birth testimony if it is your own. If you choose to accept what other's have for you then you have allowed satan to take some of your journey from you. I am not saying that all advice is bad and that others have done things wrong... I am saying that in order for you to be 100% sure that their good idea is for you is to speak to the Lord about it. What others do might be the best for THEM but not for you.
What if you listened to someone's birth story and planned yours to be the same... and then everything went wrong? Often times when we push God's discernment out of events in our lives things do turn out negative and we suffer when we needed not.
Take the time to research everything you hear, get in your Bible, and talk to God about your birth often. Make your birth story your own and do not copy the customs or advice of the world.
Mark 3:25
"If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand." TNIV
Today I want to talk a little bit about birth support. You must have a good team around you for your birth to be enjoyable and if you have a good atmosphere of supporters with you your labor will be easier for you.
You can't dictate the faith of hospital workers or birth center staff if you are choosing to birth somewhere other than home but you can dictate the respect of your birth space and the energy that flows through it. You have the ability to call in the Holy Spirit to unite those around you in your labor in His name for your sake. If you are planning to hire a midwife or doula, you can hire a Christian one. This will help tremendously. As a Christian doula myself, I strive to stay in a state of worship and prayer during birth opening my connection with Christ. I ask Him to lead me and guide my hands. I ask Him to guide me in how I can best support laboring mothers. If you have a doula like that with you, you are sure to have an easier time maintaining a faith based space.
This Scripture says that if your house is divided it will fall. To relate this to childbirth one could say that if you are not approaching your labor on a united faith front with those you have chosen to be with you, you may face a divided birth space. If your birth space is divided you will have a much harder time coping and laboring than you would if your space was united in faith over your birth. If you are planning on not having an epidural but someone on your team feels you should for whatever reason... this is not a united front. You need to make sure all of those who are with you are on your same page about all things in support for you.
Today I want to talk a little bit about birth support. You must have a good team around you for your birth to be enjoyable and if you have a good atmosphere of supporters with you your labor will be easier for you.
You can't dictate the faith of hospital workers or birth center staff if you are choosing to birth somewhere other than home but you can dictate the respect of your birth space and the energy that flows through it. You have the ability to call in the Holy Spirit to unite those around you in your labor in His name for your sake. If you are planning to hire a midwife or doula, you can hire a Christian one. This will help tremendously. As a Christian doula myself, I strive to stay in a state of worship and prayer during birth opening my connection with Christ. I ask Him to lead me and guide my hands. I ask Him to guide me in how I can best support laboring mothers. If you have a doula like that with you, you are sure to have an easier time maintaining a faith based space.
This Scripture says that if your house is divided it will fall. To relate this to childbirth one could say that if you are not approaching your labor on a united faith front with those you have chosen to be with you, you may face a divided birth space. If your birth space is divided you will have a much harder time coping and laboring than you would if your space was united in faith over your birth. If you are planning on not having an epidural but someone on your team feels you should for whatever reason... this is not a united front. You need to make sure all of those who are with you are on your same page about all things in support for you.
Jonah 4:10
"So the Lord said, "You cared about the plant, which you did not labor over and did not grow. It appeared in a night and perished in a night." HCBS
Jonah is my favorite book of the Bible right now. It is teaching me that I cannot run and hide from God when He is asking of me. I need to learn to care about the tasks that the Lord has given me and forget about the ones I want to give myself. Because only that which the Lord has for me is right.
What is He asking of you with this pregnancy? Think about that. Pray about that. Find out what it is that the Lord has tasked you with during your childbirth year. You may find it very similar to the tasks you will have as a parent. Does God want to you live a selfish life and choose options for yourself first or this there now another person in your life that you will have to make sacrifices for?
Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. Why? Can you relate right now... is it hard to make the right decisions in this time of pregnancy because there are details that you feel are more important?
Like the plant in this story... the things of this world will come and go. So will your time of pregnancy. But what you are laboring for is the chance to connect with God and plant seeds in your parenthood journey by starting out in the presence of the Lord. Take a second and think about what is eternally significant about this time in your life instead of what is significant in the moment.
Jonah is my favorite book of the Bible right now. It is teaching me that I cannot run and hide from God when He is asking of me. I need to learn to care about the tasks that the Lord has given me and forget about the ones I want to give myself. Because only that which the Lord has for me is right.
What is He asking of you with this pregnancy? Think about that. Pray about that. Find out what it is that the Lord has tasked you with during your childbirth year. You may find it very similar to the tasks you will have as a parent. Does God want to you live a selfish life and choose options for yourself first or this there now another person in your life that you will have to make sacrifices for?
Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. Why? Can you relate right now... is it hard to make the right decisions in this time of pregnancy because there are details that you feel are more important?
Like the plant in this story... the things of this world will come and go. So will your time of pregnancy. But what you are laboring for is the chance to connect with God and plant seeds in your parenthood journey by starting out in the presence of the Lord. Take a second and think about what is eternally significant about this time in your life instead of what is significant in the moment.
Galatians 6:9
"Let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." NLT
Keep this Scripture and bring it out in labor when you start to feel tired and like you want to throw in the towel. A lot of women will feel a point of "giving up" somewhere around transition.
It is good to be prepared for this time with GOOD solid Scripture to focus your mind on! Galatians 6:9 reminds us that we have an end result we are pushing for! We have a goal... one that can be considered a harvest of blessing!! One of the most life changing and amazing wonders we can experience on earth. A baby being born....
In labor... DON'T give up! Don't give in to the temptation of falling apart when your body and your baby need you the most! :) What is good is that you continue to mentally support what your body is doing so that your little baby can make a debut!
Keep this Scripture and bring it out in labor when you start to feel tired and like you want to throw in the towel. A lot of women will feel a point of "giving up" somewhere around transition.
It is good to be prepared for this time with GOOD solid Scripture to focus your mind on! Galatians 6:9 reminds us that we have an end result we are pushing for! We have a goal... one that can be considered a harvest of blessing!! One of the most life changing and amazing wonders we can experience on earth. A baby being born....
In labor... DON'T give up! Don't give in to the temptation of falling apart when your body and your baby need you the most! :) What is good is that you continue to mentally support what your body is doing so that your little baby can make a debut!
Proverbs 12:24
"Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave." NLT
Let me say this to you... Ladies, you have to educate yourselves on your birth choice options. If you do not, you will become like a "slave" to the process instead of a victor of the miracle! Becoming a slave to your healthcare team would be a safe thing if we knew 100% that we could trust them with our lives and our safety as well as the safety of our babies. The truth is, we can't. We may want to! But if you look at the current US statistics... you will clearly see that our country is headed for disaster.
There is only one way to KNOW for sure that when you are faced with a decision about your birth that you will make the right one... and that is to be a good steward of your pregnancy and seek the Lord with your childbirth education. You can take a childbirth ed class, and while you do, be in prayer and invite the Lord in to speak to your heart as you learn! If you invite Him into your education, you will surly hear Him speak to you about your birth... this hard work will save you from becoming a birth slave of the world.
Let me say this to you... Ladies, you have to educate yourselves on your birth choice options. If you do not, you will become like a "slave" to the process instead of a victor of the miracle! Becoming a slave to your healthcare team would be a safe thing if we knew 100% that we could trust them with our lives and our safety as well as the safety of our babies. The truth is, we can't. We may want to! But if you look at the current US statistics... you will clearly see that our country is headed for disaster.
There is only one way to KNOW for sure that when you are faced with a decision about your birth that you will make the right one... and that is to be a good steward of your pregnancy and seek the Lord with your childbirth education. You can take a childbirth ed class, and while you do, be in prayer and invite the Lord in to speak to your heart as you learn! If you invite Him into your education, you will surly hear Him speak to you about your birth... this hard work will save you from becoming a birth slave of the world.
Matthew 6:27
"Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" NLT
I want to ask you flat out right now... what are you scared of? What is is about birth that worries you...troubles you... makes you nervous or anxious?
Now I have another question. What is the point of being so worried? Does it get you any answers?
I am NOT trying to beat you up here or tell you that it's not ok to be scared... the feeling is natural of the unknown. But what I want to say to you right now is that if your fears about your birth are so overwhelming that you are constantly in a state of stress and worry over these things then you need to get in prayer about that. Let the Lord come in a relieve you from that!! I can remember countless hours of thoughts running through my mind as a pregnant woman. Questions about my babies health, questions about how my birth would play out, and sometimes nightmares! Oh how I wish I had called the Lord in more to my pregnancy journey because He would have soothed those fears away for me and I may have gotten more sleep! He will do that for you!! He can ease your stress with the peace He brings. You can know that you are safe in his arms and rest your mind in Him. He has the answers and He will show them too you if you just let Him have the control! :)
I want to ask you flat out right now... what are you scared of? What is is about birth that worries you...troubles you... makes you nervous or anxious?
Now I have another question. What is the point of being so worried? Does it get you any answers?
I am NOT trying to beat you up here or tell you that it's not ok to be scared... the feeling is natural of the unknown. But what I want to say to you right now is that if your fears about your birth are so overwhelming that you are constantly in a state of stress and worry over these things then you need to get in prayer about that. Let the Lord come in a relieve you from that!! I can remember countless hours of thoughts running through my mind as a pregnant woman. Questions about my babies health, questions about how my birth would play out, and sometimes nightmares! Oh how I wish I had called the Lord in more to my pregnancy journey because He would have soothed those fears away for me and I may have gotten more sleep! He will do that for you!! He can ease your stress with the peace He brings. You can know that you are safe in his arms and rest your mind in Him. He has the answers and He will show them too you if you just let Him have the control! :)
Acts 20:35
"It is more blessed to give than to receive." NLT
This scripture is short and simple, but it says so much. It is better to give than receive... we are blessed when we give to others instead of focusing on our own gains... We can memorize this scripture and pull it out throughout our entire pregnancies, labors, and births! In all situations we can think, "Is this what is best for my baby, or me...?" If I you take the time to research all options in a decision before you make it you will know for sure who you are making decisions for. It doesn't matter how small your decision is. Will you choose to give your baby the best chance at a healthy start to life by keeping your stress levels down during your pregnancy? Will you choose to give your baby the safest entry possible into this world by educating yourself on your birth options before you go into labor? Call upon the Lord and he will give you the strength to put yourself aside for your baby... after all this is one hard lesson to learn about parenthood. It may be beneficial to get a head start! :)
This scripture is short and simple, but it says so much. It is better to give than receive... we are blessed when we give to others instead of focusing on our own gains... We can memorize this scripture and pull it out throughout our entire pregnancies, labors, and births! In all situations we can think, "Is this what is best for my baby, or me...?" If I you take the time to research all options in a decision before you make it you will know for sure who you are making decisions for. It doesn't matter how small your decision is. Will you choose to give your baby the best chance at a healthy start to life by keeping your stress levels down during your pregnancy? Will you choose to give your baby the safest entry possible into this world by educating yourself on your birth options before you go into labor? Call upon the Lord and he will give you the strength to put yourself aside for your baby... after all this is one hard lesson to learn about parenthood. It may be beneficial to get a head start! :)
Psalms 119:37
"Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word." NLT
The Lord gave me a bold scripture to start this project with! This is a great passage to meditate on with Him throughout your entire pregnancy, labor, and childbirth. I feel like He is saying to us, "lean on Me! I gave you the tools in my Word to concur anything... use them!" We, as Christians, pick up our Bibles and use His Living Word for so many things. Why can't we pick up our Bibles and use them for childbirth as well? There is so much unknown in childbirth, it can be overwhelming and scary at times. Though it all, however, one constant remains.... God. Finding scripture to give you strength is what God wants you to do! There are so many secular childbirth resources out there. Instead of seeking such things to comfort us with false hopes and promises, we can lean on God and His promises every time we open our Bibles! He will see you through this time in your life and you CAN call upon the Holy Spirit in childbirth!
The Lord gave me a bold scripture to start this project with! This is a great passage to meditate on with Him throughout your entire pregnancy, labor, and childbirth. I feel like He is saying to us, "lean on Me! I gave you the tools in my Word to concur anything... use them!" We, as Christians, pick up our Bibles and use His Living Word for so many things. Why can't we pick up our Bibles and use them for childbirth as well? There is so much unknown in childbirth, it can be overwhelming and scary at times. Though it all, however, one constant remains.... God. Finding scripture to give you strength is what God wants you to do! There are so many secular childbirth resources out there. Instead of seeking such things to comfort us with false hopes and promises, we can lean on God and His promises every time we open our Bibles! He will see you through this time in your life and you CAN call upon the Holy Spirit in childbirth!
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