Family Brand: Life!

Last week, I began a series on our Family Brand. It is all about the characteristics, or rather "building stones" our family will set its existence on. Granted, it's Jesus... but in Him there are callings to which He's called us to. And this is the journey to setting down the building blocks for our family...

Family Brand Attribute #1: Life

"Children are a heritage from the LORD, 

   offspring a reward from him. 

 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior 

   are children born in one’s youth. 

Blessed is the man 

   whose quiver is full of them. 

They will not be put to shame 

   when they contend with their opponents in court."

- Psalms 127:3-5

You know, ever since we announced this unexpected pregnancy, my eyes have been opened to the stand (or lack thereof) society takes on behalf of "big" families and children in general.

See, I have two girls and expecting our first boy.  Biologically, we have one of each, plus my covenant (alternative word for "step") daughter. In society's eyes, our family's complete.  So, the common statement I receive (because it's no longer a question) is, "Awe, your second pregnancy... so you have the pair, a girl and the boy... so that's it, right... You're done!"

Um. Wrong.

photo credit

Since our courtship, Caleb and I have discussed baby names, family ideals and many more foundational ideas for our family and our relationship, but the number of children has never come up.  We've toyed with a number here or there, but truthfully not for more than 15 seconds and not in any real way. My number always seems higher than his, but then again, I think the most serious comment I ever got out of him was... "I'm done at eight. If we're still going after the eighth, I'm closing up shop." [enter a funny sorta "haha" laugh here]

Ha. Ha. My husband's such a jokester.

In all reality though, our family will be done when the Lord decides we've had enough children. We don't know what that'll look like. Enough could very well be after Haven Justice makes his arrival late May/early June.  Then again, we could just be getting started.  At the end of the day, our family desires to be one that stands for life, no matter what it looks like. As we seek to establish values that will make up the "brand" of our family, life is at the very top because Jesus is life.  And He is life more abundantly.  He is the one that establishes the home and blesses the womb.  He is the one who breathes life into little children and brings them, as gifts, into this world.  Because He's very careful and very much aware and thoughtful of these little lives, we want to be to.  Whether we allow the Lord to grant to us a quiver-full-plus household by the very fruit of our womb, we will stand for life.  Whether it's by consistently praying for our friends who haven't been able to conceive life due to some unexplained medical reason, our family will stand for life.  Whether it's by making the statement that life begins at conception and any attempt to rid oneself of such life is murder-- we will stand for life. Whether it's by adopting and taking in a child whose parents chose life but are unable to care for them-- our family will choose life.

No matter what the circumstance, no matter the cost, the demand for the sacrifice... Our family will choose life. And by the leading of the Holy Spirit, this is the very first stone of our family's brand.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

- Jesus in John 10:10

being his helpmate even when it's hard.

One of the ways our family has been transitioning is in that my husband has recently opened his own business and is working tirelessly night and day to make it a successful source of income for our family.  I am so incredibly proud of him and blessed to know that he takes his role of "provider" in our family seriously.  I am confident the Lord will bless the work of his hands.

With this transition, however, comes a sudden shift for me in how I support my husband and how he needs me to be his helpmate. This season requires a greater measure of faith on my part on both my sweet husband and the Spirit of God that dwells inside of him.  Part of opening up a business is taking a sort of financial risk.  Being super frugal, this makes me nervous to the bone and truthfully, I wasn't crazy about the idea.  I trust my husband's abilities and his passion about this endeavor, but any sort of risk-taking makes me want to hide under my bed and gives me a sense of anxiousness I'd rather not divulge.  And on top of my anxious feelings, I am still called and required to be his helpmate.  Dear God, this is a recipe for disaster.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." --Phillipians 4:6

In the midst of this new venture it is incredibly easy to become a nag, to sound like that dripping faucet on a rainy day(Prov 27:15).  It is easy to worry over the money being invested rather than the heart of a husband who desires the unconditional support of his wife.  I hate to admit it, but I have more than once been that dripping faucet on a rainy day.  But yesterday, admist another minor melt-down moment, the Spirit of the Lord reminded me that I was created and designed to be Caleb's help-mate, for such a time as this and many to come. 

Being designed to be our husband's help-mate isn't always about keeping the home clean and providing warm, healthy meals on the table.  It isn't always about homemaking or child-rearing.  It isn't always about serving our husband in practical ways that make plenty of sense.  Sometimes, it's about trusting the Holy Spirit to guide him, even when it means your ideal of security is tested.  Sometimes, it's about praying not only for your husband but with him and offering up a thousand encouraging words, trusting and believing every word.

It is, however, always about trusting someone and something greater than your husband.  At the end of the day, the Lord is faithful, and by supporting the man He's given me, I am indeed obeying the Lord.  And He is one who rewards faithfulness in pursuit and diligence in obedience (Heb 11:6).

Since becoming a parent, I have immersed myself in many to-do's and how-to's and list of ways I need to be a better parent, a better wife, a better homemaker and a better woman in general.  I have read many books, blog posts, articles and have sought more counsel in all these areas than I dare to admit.  I have made it my goal to become the very woman in Proverbs 31.  But in all my searching and seeking, striving and doing, I have missed the heart of the woman in Proverbs 31.

"... but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised."

The woman in Proverbs 31 did all she did not to achieve a position of honor or to earn the praise of her family, but rather she did all she did out of a place of nearness and closeness to the heart of God.  The service of the Proverbs 31 woman was not a means to an end, but rather an outpouring (the result) of the rooting and grounding of her heart in the Word. 

"... the purpose of the Father's heart is intimacy, and even the fulfilling of task is to be in the context of intimate partnership [with Jesus]." -- Gary Wiens, Come to Papa

As a mommy and a wife, it is absolutely imperative for us to stay plugged in and connected to the heart of the Heavenly Father and that the ministry to our family is an extension and overflowing from that connection to Jesus.  Every time I wipe my children's bottoms, serve my husband a hot meal, or clean (and pack!) the toilets in our home, I want it to be an outpouring of my intimacy and relationship with Jesus.  

Out of that place of nearness to God, her family rises up and call her blessed.  Out of that place of nearness to God, the heart of her husband trusts her.  There is no to-do list that could fulfill the role, there is no how-to or formula that could make us that woman.  It is only the grace of God and His mercy that make us into the image of a "worthy woman and the wife of noble character." 

By His grace and His mercy. Amen. 

Purim: A foundation in our traditions!

One of the foundations we want to establish in our family is a sharing in the Hebrew culture and Hebrew customs. Though we are not Messianic Jews, we do believe in partnering with Israel and the heart of God on behalf of His people and the little piece of land that is so special to His heart.


Sundown today marks the begginning  of Purim, a Hebrew celebration marking the deliverance of the Jewish people from death at the hands of Haman, the wicked of prince in Persia. "Religiously observant Jews around the world will participate in the Fast of Esther on the 13^th of Adar.  They will fast all day on Wednesday (Mar. 7) until sundown. This fits perfectly with our Global Bridegroom Fast this month which is Monday, March 5, through Wednesday, March 7.  This means we will be fasting with Jews around the world not only commemorating the Fast of Esther, but in intercession for the same enemy Israel faces today."


In celebration of Purim, our family has decided to start a small tradition to honor and celebrate with the Jewish nation. After dinner time, we decided to watch the TBN movie One Night with the King. It follows the story of Esther pretty closely and accurately. We also bought Purim cookies-hamantachean- that our Church sold on Sunday for such a time as this... These Purim cookies are shaped like Haman’s hat, his ears, his pocket (triangular).  Eating the cookies is symbolic of getting rid of Haman. 

In honor of Purim and these yummy Hamantachean cookies, here is the recipe our Church family used to make them.  These will be a household regular for our family from now on! Mmmm.!

2/3 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup orange juice (no pulp)

 1 cup white four

1 cup whole wheat flour 

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 table spoon cinnamon 

Cream butter and sugar. Mix in the egg. Mid in the orange juice. Then alternate mixing in 1/2 cup of the flours adding the baking soda and cinnamon on the last one. Refrigerate per night or at least 2 hours. Roll out, cut into circles with a cookie cutter. Add desired filling and fold into a triangle shape.

Our Family Brand

I was sitting in the prayer room, in my very worn and very well-known chair. It wasn't my typical day to be there, but I needed to be there nonetheless. The prayer focus is on families, and I begin to really press into His presence and pray for the amazing little gift God has given to me-- these three little blessings and my insanely amazing husband.

Then, I begin to feel His Spirit speak to my heart and He starts to tell me all about our "Family Brand." A brand is a mark made by burning or otherwise to indicate kind, grade, make or ownership. Because of the amazing gift that my family has been to me, I am committed to ensuring that everything our family indicates points straight to the One who has made and who owns our family and everything it's about.  I want our family brand to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ and the order He has ordained perfectly for our family. I want the Arrazolo's way-of-life to show off who He is... And I want you to join me.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be on a journey to figure out exactly what our Family Brand is and I'll be sharing it with ya'll along the way. My prayer for you is that you will seek Him out too and that you will know what your Family Brand is and what it's all about...