Trusting God for the size of our Quiver

In a recent forum discussion, I met a lady who was somewhat confused about the quiverfull lifestyle. It seems that others had led her to believe the possibility that being quiverfull was a salvation or a sanctification issue. I suppose I created this post in an effort to describe what being quiverfull means to my family.

Firstly, what does it mean to be quiverfull?

The Quiverfull lifestyle is a movement among conservative evangelical Protestant Christians. Roman Catholics and some others might refer to the Quiverfull position as Providentialism. Those who hold this position do so not in an attempt to simply have large families but to leave in the hands of the Lord God Almighty His sovereignty and authority over the womb. The distinguishing viewpoint is to eagerly receive children as blessings from God, abandoning all forms of contraception, sometimes including natural family planning.

Why do we choose to be quiverfull?

My husband and I have always loved children. We both desired to have quite a few children, but this had nothing to do with the presence of God in our lives. In January of 2007 we began our new life in Christ. At this time, our values concerning life and the gift of life from God were very much changed. We had one son at this time, and began to see through scripture the importance and significance of our biblical parental duties to raise our children. We also began to clearly see that our son was not our own, but God’s. We had only been entrusted with his care for his time here on earth, and we ultimately had to answer to God for the raising of his children.

It was during this time, through the insight of some fellow Christian ladies and some personal bible study, that I realized the futile attempts people make at controlling God’s blessings. As we grew in the Lord Jesus Christ, we were slowly being called to give over ourselves and our lives to the Lord and TRUST in him. I think that we began first by trusting God in the circumstances of our life. We followed by trusting God to provide for our family both financially and otherwise. It was through this trust that God showed us that it was indeed possible for us to tithe on a low income and he also worked other miracles in our finances that we never would have been able to accomplish on our own. Through these last 13 months, the more we decided to put our trust in the Lord the more he showed us his care for us through his divine ways. More and more we have learned to let go and let God. He has brought us through some very uncertain times, but with God in control, there is utterly no stress involved.

It was only natural for us to take the next step in trusting God fully in our lives. Out mutual decision to give God the authority over the womb was automatic for both my husband and I. There was little discussion, only an affirmation of both of our convictions falling in the same place at the same time. God is in control now. Well, he always is isn’t he? No amount of birth control or fertility treatment is going to override God’s ultimate control over the beginning and ending of life. Women on birth control get pregnant. People who have undergone tied tubes and vasectomies get pregnant. Some of those on fertility treatment never successfully get pregnant. So, who’s really in control? Just let go and see what God can do!

My husband and I have simply put our trust in God for the size of our family. 2 children are just as much a blessing from God as 17. God’s will for our family is so much better than our own will. We will simply delight in what the Lord has in store for us.