Blessed

 Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones. Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine."

 Psalm 27:8 "When You said, 'Seek My face,' my heart said, "Your face, LORD, I will seek.'"

 Psalm 62:5-7 "My soul, wait silently for God alone,

For my expectation is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory;

The rock of my strength,

And my refuge, is in God."

 Deuteronomy 26:11 "So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the LORD your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you."

 3 John 1:4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

 1 John 5:3-4 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith."

 Psalm 63:1 "O GOD, You are my God; 

Early I will seek You; 

My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You

In a dry and weary land

Where there is no water."

 Joshua 24:15b "...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

 Nehemiah 8:10b "Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

 Psalm 20:7 "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God."

 John 12:26 ""If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor."

Psalm 127:3-5 "Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Happy  is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate."

Seriously blessed are we! We have two beautiful girls and one more on the way. We have the Word of God as a light to our path to guide us in how to live to please God. We have salvation and eternal life. We have the Holy Spirit living in us and active in our lives. We have amazing friends and family that point us to Jesus Christ and His Word.

We honestly desire to please our God with all that He has blessed us with. We want to raise our children in the fear of the Lord that they may live in wisdom, strength, and freedom. 

I desire to have many more children, if the Lord allows me too. My husband and I met a man at CostCo last night who had 11 children! He said, "It's not always easy, and it gets expensive, but when you make it about us and not about myself, then it turns out to be the biggest blessing."

The world always discourages having a lot of children and I just can't figure out why?!?

1. You can't afford them: What all do you need to buy for them besides food?!? God has provided seriously everything our children have needed and more! We haven't bought them anything except diapers and food since they have been born. Where God guides, He provides.
2. You can't possibly responsibly raise that many children: Apparently you haven't read the Word of God, or raised your kids by it because it can be done! 

I think the biggest problem is just what the guy at CostCo said... we focus way to much on ourselves. How hard things are for us; how much we are missing out on because we have kids to take care of; how much of a burden being consumed with taking care of others is; how we need more "me time"... seriously?!? 

What greater way to follow Jesus then to lay down your life to disciple 1, 2, 3, 4... 11 children?!? To pour all that you have into them? To teach them the Word of God and train them up in righteousness so that they will not depart from the road to life?! Yeah there is sacrifice, but didn't our Lord Jesus Christ sacrifice ALL for US?

I am not saying this is everyone's calling, but it is my deepest desire to have many children and to raise them in the Word of God! Most of all I desire to follow what the Lord has for my life despite what the world tells me! 

What is the Lord telling you that goes against what the WORD OF GOD tells you?

Who will you listen to?

Who will you follow?

Will you lay down your life?