Jesus is the reason for the season; that is such a
prevalent thought in our minds as Christians at this time of the year. But what about other times of the year, including childbirth and pregnancy? We
do not, as Christians, talk about this slogan when we are in
childbearing, but should we? We should, because Christ has been taken out of the
childbearing realm. Christians should be able to
use this time in our lives, as women, to be lights that so shine
before men so that we glorify our Father in heaven.
My name is Brandi Wood I am a follower of Christ, Daughter of the King, I am a wife, mother, friend, mentor and midwife. I also am one of the founders and the current director of an organization called Christian Midwives International (CMI). I was raised to be a liberal feminist (i.e. you don’t need a man, you can be whatever you want, you don’t need a piece of paper to live with someone, don’t take his last name, etc.). Thankfully I got saved when I was 16. The Holy Spirit entered my life in a thunder after I asked Christ into my heart. Before I knew the Lord, I didn’t know what my purpose was, what I was made for or intended for. God blessed me with that knowledge as he blessed my husband and me with our children. I was made to love, and I am thankful for the opportunity to love God, to love my husband and my children.
When we had our first son, I just was amazed to be part of the miracle of birth. In hindsight I was surprised that women say how awful birth is and that I had let fear be a part of our birth. Please don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying that there is not hard work and pain involved in the process. Of course there is hard work and pain involved in almost anything wonderful. However, the day that our oldest son was born, I learned that God truly had made me beautiful and wonderful.
My third birth was for me just a physical representation of my walk with the Lord. I was so busy thanking Him for the blessing of this baby, my body and the work that I was doing that He intended for me that it actually surprised me (and my husband) when my son crowned after about two hours of labor.
As a midwife, I have the honor and privilege to serve many families; to show them a small portion of the love that Christ shows us; to serve them as they fulfill one of the wonderful purposes that the Lord has for their life. Sometimes I am sad when I serve mommas who don’t know the Lord, who don’t know how they are loved, who don’t know that birth or loving their husband or children may be the most feminine things they might ever do.
Fellowship at the CMI conference!
It makes me angry that women are sold lies that say we should be equal to men. Our Creator had such wonderful and specific purpose for making us feminine. If we want a definition of feminine, we should look to the Bible--to the woman rising early to labor for her family or to the woman who had the privilege putting oil on Jesus’ feet.
Christian Midwives International was formed as an organization where Christian women who are in the birth field (whether they are just entering or have been there many years) can come together and learn. It is a place where love for the Lord and fellowship abounds. We would invite any who are interested to come to our website.
CMI is one way to “put Jesus” back into this
season of childbearing. Women need
to know that there are Christian birth professionals and that there is a place for them
to learn from a biblical perspective. There are people all over the U.S. willing to
support them in their communities. CMI offers a midwifery conference each year (next year's is 4/30 - 5/3/08). CMI also supports missions each year through a raffle. Next year the raffle is going to two missions
– to a group going to train midwives in Africa and to Blessing God’s Way for its trip to the Ukraine in May 2008. We hope you'll help spread the word and put Christ back into childbirth!
