Holy Labor
How Childbirth Shapes a Woman's Soul
Aubry G. Smith
9781577997399
208 pages
Lexham Press
Overview
Women are valued for their ability to bear children in many cultures. The birth process, though supposedly the most painful experience of a woman's life, is seen as a necessary evil to achieve the end goal of children and motherhood.And yet, in the face of a typically masculinized Christianity that nevertheless professes that women are equally created in the image of God, shouldn't childbirth--a uniquely feminine experience--itself shape Christian women's souls and teach them about the heart of the God they love and follow?
Drawing on her own experience of giving birth and motherhood--and the conflicting assumptions attached to them, by Christians and the culture at large--Aubry G. Smith presents a richly scriptural exploration of common conceptions about pregnancy and childbirth that will not only help mothers and soon-to-be mothers understand how to think biblically about birth, but also walks them through how to put the ideas into practice in their own lives. Along the way, she shows all readers how to see God's own experience of the birth process--and how childbirth leads to a deeper understanding of the gospel overall.
Author Bio
Aubry G. Smith is a writer, childbirth educator, and doula. An Arkansas native, she now lives in the Middle East with her husband and three children. She is also a regular contributor to Faithlife's Bible Study Magazine.Aubry writes, teaches, and speaks on Christ-centered pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood, and how these can be profound contributors to spiritual formation when combined with thoughtful intention and spiritual disciplines.
