As a mom, unleashing the full power of obedience

It is very good both to have children and to possess the accompanying desire to do so. When it doesn’t happen through no apparent fault of your own, it is natural to feel rejected and bitterly disappointed. 
 

It may initially sound counterintuitive to hear that God has called all women to be mothers and all men to be fathers. But the profound beauty of God’s creativity and love for humanity is the fullness of the definition of “fruitful.”

 

To limit bearing fruit to the ability to biologically reproduce is to limit God and each individual of whom he has made unique, special and gifted, in hopes that we will recognize this unrepeatable beauty within ourselves and choose to use our gifts to make the world a better place, pointing others back toward our Creator, in ways that only we can. 
 

Openness to life within the context of the marital embrace is essential to unity with Christ and between spouses. It is equally as important to be open to how God is calling us to use our gifts and talents to serve him as it is to be open when considering the monthly/daily discernment of God’s plan for growing our individual families.
 

This is good news for the fertile and the infertile. The nature of motherhood is to simply “nurture life.” We accomplish this by listening, counseling, creating, nourishing, healing and more. According to Archbishop Fulton Sheen, the nature of fatherhood is guardian. He protects, provides, disciplines and more.

 

Both male and female achieve these purposes in countless different ways within our own homes, for our extended families, for our friends and for those in need. 
 

The ability to bear children is a priceless gift. The ability to bear fruit effectively in other ways is also a priceless gift. Our worth is strictly determined by our inherent dignity as children of God and not our inability to accomplish even the most seemingly worthy of tasks. 
 

God does not call us to be good enough – just to be obedient. So, rejoice, momma and daddy, in having the ability to be exactly who and where you are meant to be, regardless of your circumstances, and rejoice in having great potential. 
 

Mary Bruno grew up in River Ridge and is a wife to Chris and a stay-at-home adoptive mother to Isabella. She is a permanent newcomer to the lovely city of Mandeville but will always consider herself a southshore girl. She loves spending time with her family, playing sports, Saints football and chocolate. Our Lady of the Lake is her parish. Mary is a former physical therapist assistant.

 

Infertility both rocked her world and renewed her faith, causing her to stumble into some unexpected, yet thrilling roles: Catholic speaker and rapper, Creighton Model Practitioner Intern, podcaster, blogger, one half of a marriage prep mentor couple and women’s health warrior. Find her at MaryGBruno.com.