The Persecution of Women in the Church

[Sister Alvear]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Sister Alvear....just a little sidenote...I would never advise a woman to pursue ministry instead of nursing her baby. As a mother, my primary role from God is to nurture and care for my child, and that is number one, especially when the child is small! Breastfeeding is something women should be encouraged to do, and obviously it doesn't matter now since your children are probably grown, but I think that it would be wrong to choose to bottle feed a baby just to be more helpful to the church! JMHO

Breastmilk is perfect for babies...God made it that way...and I would hope no mother would ever be encouraged to do otherwise, just to be more available to the church. God is the one who gives life, and if that life is given to me, then I think He wants my primary objective to be to care for that life.

I'm sorry if this comes across as a bit critical...not really meaning to be...I'm just a bit shocked that any woman would choose to bottle feed in order to serve the church.

I understand but you do not live in the circumstances I did many years ago...Churches with no place to breastfeed...out for days on dirty filthy buses traveling to the backlands.
Back then it was not a choice I HAD to help Brother Alvear for we had very few ministers...Today it is a different story.
Remember back then I lived and worked in the far interior...not one of my babies ever had pampers! Things were very difficult.
And another very worrisome thing for me is that since a young girl I have had cysts, tumors and serious problems along those lines...
I could have done it but felt it was not the best in my circumstances...I agree breast feeding is the best method...

[Sister Alvear]

Originally Posted by Esther

But if you remember Sis. A is from the era that the ministry put the church before their families. Many lost their families because of that. I would never fault anyone's sacrifice to God. But I do think we have learned from mistakes made.

Not faulting your comments as they are applicable.

yes, this is true also... Life teaches us many things...

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Sister Alvear....just a little sidenote...I would never advise a woman to pursue ministry instead of nursing her baby. As a mother, my primary role from God is to nurture and care for my child, and that is number one, especially when the child is small! Breastfeeding is something women should be encouraged to do, and obviously it doesn't matter now since your children are probably grown, but I think that it would be wrong to choose to bottle feed a baby just to be more helpful to the church! JMHO

Breastmilk is perfect for babies...God made it that way...and I would hope no mother would ever be encouraged to do otherwise, just to be more available to the church. God is the one who gives life, and if that life is given to me, then I think He wants my primary objective to be to care for that life.

I'm sorry if this comes across as a bit critical...not really meaning to be...I'm just a bit shocked that any woman would choose to bottle feed in order to serve the church.

Well the husband couldn't do it grant you that!!!!! I think the care of the family is the primary role of a godly woman and rest when it falls in place.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Esther

But if you remember Sis. A is from the era that the ministry put the church before their families. Many lost their families because of that. I would never fault anyone's sacrifice to God. But I do think we have learned from mistakes made.

Not faulting your comments as they are applicable.

Yes, and I'm sorry if I came across that way. Just a bit surprised is all...

[Sister Alvear]

My great consuming burden has been souls...I had to learn some things as I came to Brazil barely 18 years old...and being a mother was one of them! Life teaches us lots of lessons...no one entered like knowing it all...the school of hard knocks teaches a lot of things...
Remember when I married at the young age of 22 I had 4 churches and several housmeetings and I had enough sense to call the people together and tell them I was now a married woman and Brother Alvear was their leader...other things I learned along the way..
Life is a school. Learn your lessons well because someday you can teach others.

[Sister Alvear]

I am not offended at all...looking back I would do a lot of things different..but we live and learn.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

I understand but you do not live in the circumstances I did many years ago...Churches with no place to breastfeed...out for days on dirty filthy buses traveling to the backlands.
Back then it was not a choice I HAD to help Brother Alvear for we had very few ministers...Today it is a different story.
Remember back then I lived and worked in the far interior...not one of my babies ever had pampers! Things were very difficult.
And another very worrisome thing for me is that since a young girl I have had cysts, tumors and serious problems along those lines...
I could have done it but felt it was not the best in my circumstances...I agree breast feeding is the best method...

You are right, I haven't had to endure those circumstances, so I am no place to say one way or the other as to what choices you made while raising your children. I am a strong proponent of breastfeeding, so I felt compelled to make the point. Hard to do without seeming critical.

In general, though, I think that Christian women today should be encouraged to put their husbands, homes and children first. Ministry starts at home. I do think that the lives that missionaries lead are going to require sacrifices that other ministries may never encounter.

[Sister Alvear]

I did not come from the best home..when I was growing up my dad did not serve the Lord and mother mostly raised us. Mother had to work on a job for us to have food so I did not have a lot of training along those lines and back then things were much different than they are today.

I am just thankful today that I have learned a lot of things so I can help younger climbers along the way.

[Sister Alvear]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

You are right, I haven't had to endure those circumstances, so I am no place to say one way or the other as to what choices you made while raising your children. I am a strong proponent of breastfeeding, so I felt compelled to make the point. Hard to do without seeming critical.

In general, though, I think that Christian women today should be encouraged to put their husbands, homes and children first. Ministry starts at home. I do think that the lives that missionaries lead are going to require sacrifices that other ministries may never encounter.

Today I am somewhat wiser than I was in yesterday years and you are right. I too believe today in Gods order and every Monday night we have ladies meeting at our headquarters church and I always tell our young ladies how blessed they are to have a church that has ladies meetings and teaching sessions...You know years ago we never heard of things we are so blessed to have today.

The divorce rate is very high among missionaries...Pressures on every hand and most missionary ladies had to be wife, mother, co pastor, pastor, helper, letter writter, and on and on...Many times the husband traveled and the early missionaries stood alone on the field while one traveled in the states...

I remember once I stayed in the states 5 months with just Raul Jr and he was a baby and that was back when we had no phones....many times 3 months away...

Today even though the sacrifices are still great it is much easier for missionaries than it once was.

[Sister Alvear]

We have strayed far from the subject but maybe we have helped younger ones on their journey...