What I Learned From the Institute in Basic Life Principles

When I was about 30 years old I went to my first Institute in Basic Life Principles. I had wanted to go as a high school girl but my parents were a bit suspicious of anything I cooked up with my best friend. I had some friends in high school that, well, let’s just say they made my parents nervous.

When I did finally go I was expecting my fifth child and was in my 8th month. We went to Columbus, Ohio.

I had heard about the famous Bill Gothard and was looking forward to meeting him.

A couple of years earlier my husband had attended a day for pastors. My brother Ken and my husband Jim went and heard things that would greatly affect my life.  We had several years earlier determined that our family size and the blessing of children was something that we could manage ourselves. In light of our situation we determined that my husband should undergo a vasectomy to keep us from having any unwanted children or the added financial burden of a bigger family. We already had four children. Wasn’t that plenty?

Well, when Jim returned from the seminar he shared with me his desire to return his body to the way it was created and leave the decision making reguarding  family size to the provider and creator. I was so excited. I had felt that we had made a mistake from the beginning but didn’t know there was a way out. Jim was scheduled for a reversal of his surgery and we prayed that the Lord would provide the $6,000. needed for the operation. When the operation was complete our insurance paid the bill in full. Only three months after his surgery we conceived our precious son, Jesse Levi.

Well, back to the IBLP. I had fully expected to get to the seminar and see the same Mr. Gothard that my husband had met at the Pastor’s Seminar. It wasn’t until I arrived and began the seminar that my husband explained that it was always done like this. A recording of Mr. Gothard on an overhead and mountains of notes. I was a little disappointed. Ok, I was really ticked.

But, an interesting thing happened. As I began to listen and learn I discovered that so many struggles that I was experiencing in my marriage and life in general could be traced to principles that I had failed to recognize. I came away with a huge picture of God’s design and practical ways to live according to God’s plan.

One of the real benefits of releasing the control of our fertility to the our Father in Heaven was the blessing of more children.

Just one year and 7 months after Jesse was born our daughter Chelsie was born. Jesse and Chelsie are currently serving the Lord as missionaries.  Jesse is in China and Chelsie just returned from Cambodia and is working in a Christian camp.

Then, just one year and 9 months later we all welcomed Lois Ashley to the family.

Then, Just one year and 8 months later we all welcomed Timothy Isaiah to our family.

Then, just one year and 10 months later we all welcomed Seth Matthew to our family.

Then, 2 years and 8 months later we welcomed Andrew Paul to our family.

Then, 2 years and one month later we welcomed Andrea Hosanna to our family.

I can not imagine life without our eleven children. God has blessed us beyond measure through our children.

Psalm 127: 3,4,5 – “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from him. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are sons born in ones youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies.