God Made Babies Helping Parents Answer the Baby Question

0:00Welcome to the Carey Abbott show, your place for news, views and values you can trust, and relationship insights you need. Now here's Carey Abbott. So good to be with you and today we are focusing on sexuality and the family, and here's how we're going to frame this. Many people wonder when mommy's pregnant and the other sibling see that mommy's pregnant, what are the questions are going to start happening? How does it, how did you get that way? What happens? How does God make babies? And it's a beautiful question. It's the right question for a lot of parents. It's concerning because they're not quite sure, well, what's appropriate? What are they really asking? Right? And a lot of people go too far, a lot of people get weirded out. Don't want you to do either of those things. We want you to have a helpful response to answer the baby question and to set your

1:00child up for good theology and a beautiful understanding that all children are a gift from God. I'm holding in my hands another book for your library. You know I love Good Kids book. The reason I do is because they educate parents too, just as an aside, but I wish I would have had this book when I was going through many pregnancies because it's the kind of book you sit down with the child who is it's age appropriate. I believe this one's in the four to nine range depending on your child. And it's called God made babies helping parents answer the baby question. It's not too big. It's beautiful. The illustrations are great. And just as importantly for me, the authors Justin and Lindsey Holcomb have written some of my other favorite books for parents. They are just in a zone. I tell you they're so life giving in this book. I'm holding my hands is the next one you need to get. Especially for your family or for your church or wherever you know people need to actually have this. A little more background. Justin is an episcopal priest. He served as in the canon for vocations in the diocese of central Florida.

2:02He teaches theology and apologetics at reformed theological seminary and Gordon Comwell, gone well theological seminary. And he has written or co-authored many, many books, at least 20 from what I can tell. He also serves on a board, an organization called Grace, godly response to abuse in children in Christian environments, excuse me, of critical importance to protect our children from abusers. And that's a whole nother conversation for another time. Justin is with me right now. And Justin, I have to say first of all, welcome and second, well done, good and faithful servant coming up with these books for parents. Thank you, Terry. Thank you for your very gracious and encouraging and your enthusiasm. It just means a lot to me and Lindsay. And thank you. Yeah. We joke that my wife and I joke when we go to some places where we're kind of pretty the intense couple. They're like, so what do you guys write books about?

3:02The intense couple. The use of abuse prevention and how babies are made and children and body image. And they're like, oh, okay. So how about that March madness? Is there, yeah, is that what you're talking about? You know what? I think it's so great that you are doing what you're doing to your rat worthy intense. I doubt it. I mean, I've talked to you enough times now to know you are not intense, but you're intentional. Maybe we could say it that way. I really like your agitist versus the ones I think for myself. I'm like, oh, what you said. That's so good. Well, and the other ones, god made me in his image helping children appreciate their bodies. All of me to help protect children and their bodies. And I'm telling you just beautiful books. And they're in my library for my grants and, of course, passing them on to family members. Let's talk about why this book is important. Yeah, it's important because it's a common question and it's a normal question of where do babies come from. I mean, that's the question that when I, my daughters are 12 and 14 and that was one

4:05of the questions that I was kind of thinking about and wondering, not really dreading, because I actually had a really good experience from my dad answered that question for me. So I didn't think it was, and you did use the perfect word. You're like, we don't want you weirded out. I mean, that's actually the word. Like, don't be weird and don't be weirded out. Those are the two extremes. And, but it's important because it's a common question. You're not going to learn to notice pregnant moms around 2, 3, 4. And then they start wondering. And it's actually a really good thing that they're asking and wondering and exploring the world. And it's important for a second reason, not only because it's common, but because we have a really good answer. I mean, that's why we titled the book God made babies. One was because the titles all started with God made all of me. God made me his image. God made. Just sticking with thick kind of that form. But there's a deeper message than just, oh, it's really good titling. It's because the whole point is where do babies come from?

5:07Well, God makes them. How he makes them is the secondary question. Too many people answer the second question. How does God make babies? And it makes it a sex conversation. And instead, that God makes babies makes it a reproduction question that God, and so it frames a really important question and conversation and numerous conversations for parents and their children by, with God, the scriptures, and the doctrine of creation. And so being able to look at a child and say, you know, we'll get to that. You know how God made everything? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, he makes all of these things. And God likes making things so much that he made things that can make other things. I don't like, you know, like he's a creator. He makes his creation. They can also create other things. Isn't that neat? Just wonder. There's, that frames. So flowers make other flowers.

6:08Trees make other, you know, birds make other birds and fish make other fish and bears make other bears and humans make other humans. Suddenly, you're not answering the technicality mechanics question. You're answering their question. Where do babies come from? They come from God. That's a helpful phrase because after kids get into the world long enough, they're going to hear other answers to that question. You're a cosmic accident. Right. Flowers. Yeah, blob of something. Some other, some other live is going to steal their dignity from them. So that's why it's a question. It's so important to us. Amen. Amen. So, when you're in the beginning, you have in the first pages, you have a note to parents or the caregiver, which I always appreciate too, is you help people understand how and when to use these books. And that's really, it's invaluable. God bless them and said to them, be fruitful and multiply, feel the Earth. Genesis 1.28, one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible. And so when you say, yeah, you just, what an ideal approach to not talk about the technicalities

7:09and it's not about what mom and dad do, it's about God's plan for being fruitful and life giving himself, and he passed it on to his creation. And when we see it that way, reproduction, making more life, being a life giving person, this is what God does. And I often tell people, listen, you know the kingdom of darkness when you see sterility, not in a person's life, and because they're cursed, is that he doesn't reproduce anything. And he's, he's a false, you know, he has to create or pretend out of what God creates. Only God can create like that. And that's why when we are made in his image, we too can create like that. And it's an absolute amazing thing. So it's less about, as you say, the technicality and more about the principle and the fact that this is by God's design, right? Oh, I love that. I mean, think about that. That's such a good theological point. Right. Only God creates out of nothing. Satan. It's all he can do is distort. And he's a parasite. And he's a parasite. Yeah.

8:10He's not an equal force to God. It's not some yin and yang light versus darkness. Right. It's like it is only God is the creator of all things. And all Satan can do is harm, destroy, and distort God's good creation. And that's what the Genesis story starts out with. Everything is good. Yeah. This is beautiful. I mean, day one, good. Day two, good. Just a human. Really good. The first words, God's creating everything by words. And then the first thing that God does to humans, if you read Genesis 1, it says, and God blessed them. Right. And so he's creating good things by his words. And then he's actually using his words to bless the humans. And all Satan can do is twist words and distort and bring shame and darkness and nakedness. That's right. But we need to make sure we don't start out our conversations with our children about the world with Genesis 3.

9:10It starts out with Genesis 1 and 2. Everything was originally good. And sin distorts it. And Jesus is fixing it and making it better than before. Because that's how creative and sovereign are all this. That's so well said. Yes. So well said because we often jump to it. Well, again, in this conversation, this is not the quote unquote talk about how babies are made. If you are thinking of the technicalities or the reproductive health design, which I do, it's valuable. It's beautiful. There's nothing embarrassing about it. But it goes into more detail about fertility, which is something that they need to understand. And Justin, you're probably on the same page on this. But people often say, well, what should I tell my kids? So they care more about how their bodies are made than that actual one flesh union, which is going to happen in the story. You've got to know, why am I changing? Why is my body changing? Because God is preparing you to have this ability to co-create with him another human being of equal value that we'll live on forever. Kind of a big deal. Amen. Right?

10:10Yeah. I mean, that's the best part of what it means to be the image of God is that we are made to be fore God with God, but also like God. It God creates and we can create. And this change is actually a way for us to be one way, one of the ways that we fulfill one of our callings is being a human is by partnering and procreating. Now, here you and I are going off on very big theological treatise here. And they're wondering as I'm holding the book, all this is in there. No, actually, this is the thinking behind it and the story that Justin shared with you, God likes to create because God is creative. He likes to create and God makes all sorts of things on these pages are the things he creates, the beautiful animals and big things, small things, fast things, slow things, hot things, cool things, what things do I think? You know, like a typical book would be for a kid. He made the entire universe in the beginning. It shows these fabulous pictures, but creating the very storyline that we just told you that this is what God does. He creates and he's so smart. He creates living things that can reproduce themselves and with his help.

11:15And that's what makes this so awesome. Listen, I'm just seeing that we need to go to break. We're going to take a quick break. We're talking to Justin Holcomb. And it's why Lindsey Holcomb have done it again. God made babies helping parents answer the baby question, oh yes, you want many copies of this. It's beautiful. We'll be right back. Friends culture may change, but truth does not. Alliance defending freedom stands ready to protect every person's right to live and speak truth. Today we're facing an unprecedented challenge. We're safer and richer than ever before, but we're living in a culture that has rejected the very foundations upon which our liberty was built. Freedom cannot survive in a culture that is abandoned truth and rejected reality. This is the battle of our generation, wherever human freedom is under attack. We stand ready to defend it. In courtrooms, legislatures, and the public square, you'll find us on the front lines. This is why Alliance defending freedom exists. ADF's strategic victories will bring lasting change in law and culture and with a coalition

12:20of courageous clients, allies, advocates and supporters. ADF now has 18 Supreme Court wins. This is a great time to join the coalition. So to find out how you can get involved, go to ADFlegal.org. That's ADFlegal.org. Friends, does the teen, college age, or young adult woman in your life struggle with her image, purpose, or her identity? Is she finding it difficult to have joy when she thinks about her future? Does she seem confused about what the Bible teaches about male and female relationships, or is she being drawn into the lies from the culture? There is something you can do to help her. Introducing True Beauty, a powerful positive study that answers the question, what is a woman? With the guidance of a mentor, mother, or leader, each young woman will discover her unique true beauty as she is equipped and empowered to embrace her female identity and discover her own unique design and purpose in this generation. Go to the LegacyInstitute.com for your small group, class, or family study materials.

13:24That's the LegacyInstitute.com or call 425-354-8517. Our girls need this truth now, so don't wait. And now back to the carry-out show. So we're talking to Justin Holcomb. He has written or edited 20 books. He and his wife have co-authored God-made babies, which I'm holding in my hand, helping parents answer the baby question. And the baby question is a really big question, Justin. And this book answers the question on not how, but why? Why does God make things? And this page says, I'm looking at the most adorable page here with koalas and little ducks and ducklings and a turtle. And it says, God likes making things so much that He made living things able to make more things like themselves. The word for this is reproduction. I love that you have that in here. God made living things that can make offspring. It means that God's creatures can join Him in making other creatures like themselves. And then it goes on showing a mommy and a daddy and a baby. Did the sea creatures and birds God said be fruitful and multiply field of waters and the

14:27seas let birds multiply in the earth? To humans God said be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. And God made His creatures to be able to make more creatures like themselves. He did this on purpose as a wonderful gift. Now what this is doing is helping the parent have language, helping your child hear scripture and the truth and putting it in the framework. But you're also probably slightly altering the view for the adults who have grown up in a confused culture that thinks sex is just an act when really sex means being male and female. And when you come together as male and female in a one flesh union, you're co-creating other people. And that's part of the plan. It's also for pleasure. It's all those other things. But a lot of people have had their view even of children very skewed by the culture. You say? Absolutely. Children can be devalued, a burden. The way that children can be talked about, they're either, I get a have friends who biologically cannot become pregnant. And without children it feels like their life is meaningless and a huge thing and I'm not

15:30minimizing that pain. But there's a way in which unless we can have a child like we're wasting our marriage or marriage or children are a complete nuisance and we joke about avoiding them and every child's $50,000 a car I could add. So there's two extremes of having way too much pressure put on children to fulfill the parent's life or there are nuisance. And so the dignity of being the creature of God and the goodness that comes with that is what we're celebrating there. Well and in this book again going through, I can't show you the pictures of this but they're beautiful and there's examples of flowers and how that works and how God has animals. Some animals have eggs, some animals have children, some dogs have more than one and all the things you'd expect from here. And then it gets into God made people and made them in his image. We were created by God for God to be like God and to be with God and that makes us extra special. And God made us able to make babies that would grow up and make more people.

16:32That's what it means to be fruitful and multiply and then there are different pictures of different couples here, each baby's a gift from God. These are all the things you think would be basic but when you're holding a book that's beautifully illustrated and you're saying these things that are true and it does go into the detail. It takes two people to make a baby. You need two parts to make a baby, a small part from dad and a small part from mom, a sperm from dad and an egg from the mom joined together in the mom's body. The baby grows in a special sack called the uterus. Another word for this is womb, each baby's a gift from God. You're getting the details but you're getting them in a setting. Again, this is the why behind it and some of the words and this will answer for your child the question, well where do babies come from? Well God makes babies. Here's how he does it. And then it goes into the baby growing inside the mom for nine months. A baby starts beating when she or he has been in the mom for just four weeks. It's going to be good if we shared that with some of the adults who are trying to run the country because they actually don't believe there's heartbeat in there for the longest

17:32time. They haven't really studied much. We're literally doing just basic science and biology at this point. And just everyone, we actually picked the later dates so no one could argue with it and we have little things in the corner that say seven weeks the baby is the size of a blue barrier. Ten weeks the baby is the size of a strawberry. So you're actually watching a baby being in a womb. Before we get there, the part about the flowers and the eggs is because what's fascinating is there's a male part and a female part to a flower. Like by all means, use the language of male and female part of a flower. And then you have pollen and you have the stamen and see all these different parts. And then we wanted to talk about like seeds with a plant which equates to sperm and eggs with birds. And so by the time we say, you know, sperm and egg, it's not like, hey, we're talking about your private parts. It's like, oh, yeah, we've already talked about seeds and eggs with these other things. And then so by the time, and that's where we go, just so parents know, we don't do the

18:34talk. We don't believe in the talk. We believe in many talks all the time. Right. But we're not doing it. What we do is we say, hey, God takes a little part of mom and a little part of dad and puts that in the mom's womb or uterus or, you know, tummy or whatever language. And because we, it really is up to parents to read their child and know if they need to say more, some children will need more, some children don't need more. And this will happen with my wife and I with our daughters. They were five and six and they said, well, how are babies made? And I would have gone into technicality stuff. My wife said, well, God puts babies in moms and my daughters were like, okay, great. And then six months later, how does God do that? Oh, it takes a little part from mom and a little part from dad. We got a year and a half off of that answer. Right. So you answer that one practical thing for parents, answer the question your child asking. Is asking. Not the one you think they're asking, right? Which is, like tell me about sex mom and dad is actually saying, well, God takes a little

19:37part from mom and a little part from dad. And finally, they said, how does God get the part from mom and the part from dad there? Right. And that's when we realize, oh, that's like the third level of answer. Right. And so just so everyone knows in this book, we don't get to the specifics of the how. We get to God takes a little part of mom, a little part of dad. We name those parts and then the baby grows in the mom. And we leave that for the parents to do the next step when parents think it's age appropriate and maturity appropriate and how are you going to do it? So that's important for you for all the parents to get it. It is. It is. It is. It's one of the reasons that you are on this show because I always believed in no in my heart that it is the parents job, not some teacher in a school. That's just creepy to talk about that stuff in a large setting in a public school. In fact, that's what the students say, according to research. It's creepy if my English teacher talks about that stuff. It should be creepy, right? Because it's personal and intimate. But once you have it set up in a scriptural framework and they look around and go, oh,

20:41yeah, it's spring. There's things butting. Oh, there's birds. There's eggs and nests. There's, I mean, all the things that this talks about, this is real life. Look all around you. Anything living is a gift from God. And I love that we talked about the fact that Satan can't do that, which is why he hates, hates the image bearers because they can co-create. And they are just like their Heavenly Father. And this is what's so powerful. Something else that you've done in here I think is really important for the time to be living. You talk about the fact that girls may wonder, can I have a baby grow inside me too and voice me wonder, can I help make a baby? And then you say only a grown up woman can grow a baby inside her and only a grown up man can help make a baby because the culture is telling us a few people but they're allowed and very active that a man can have a baby, because we have now the transgender issue. And not that parents can't explain this but to have it again in a book just to be clear, this is how it works, this is always how it works, takes a male and a female and there's no change from that, right?

21:43Yeah, I was surprised at how much pushback we got from a very small group of people. Something that was important to us is we actually had pictures of moms and dads from all over the world. Yes, I love that. That's important. So every child we see someone that looks like that. Exactly. What I wasn't ready for was people being upset that we put pictures of babies and wombs in that we said only a little girl can grow up to be a woman and have a baby and I thought, wow, I didn't think that was going to be the controversial piece but apparently it was. Right. We're just doing doctrine of creation and we're trying to answer a child's question. A child is not asking about their sex and biology. So yes, we, and I mean, we wanted to frame everything theologically, explain a little part from mom, a little part from dad, but the questions we have are actually the top questions that children ask. Right. And so it was what's the baby doing, how long is the baby bear and the third highest

22:45question that children want to know and this is important for parents to be aware of, can, can I do that? Because I want to, that sounds amazing. Exactly. And I do that. So just so parents are aware that we put it in there because it's the number three question children want to have answered because then that, I mean, think how cool that is. So cool. That when a child hears that they go, well, can I get in on that? Like yeah. What? How wonderful. If we had a few million kids actually seeing pregnancy and reproducing as a gift and something that should be enjoyed and celebrated, not the nuisance or like, so, I mean, there's a beauty to that that kids want to ask that question. So foster that if you can. Well, that's why you all need this book and you need to have the same conversation that Justin and I are having because children are a gift from the Lord and it's something that I have, I have held sacred and near and dear to my heart since before I was pregnant with my first child. I, I just know in my heart that there's so many out there that want to share that good

23:48news. It's the best place for people to get this book. God made babies helping parents answer the baby question. It's on Amazon. It'll show up really quickly. The publisher is new growth press. So if you go to new growth press, they usually have deep, you know, discounts and deals there for the whole package of books. So go to new growth press or Amazon or wherever you buy your books. It's out there. You don't have to search for it hard. It'll, it'll show up. You can type in that title. Justin, so good to have you with us again. So grateful for you and your wife, Lindsey. Thank you for all the work. This is a beautiful book. Friends, this is when you need to get right away. It's beautiful. Be so helpful for your family, friends and your church. We'll see you next time. You've been listening to the Carriabit Show. If you'd like to listen again to today's episode or share it with a friend, simply go to the Legacy Institute.com. Just remember, the Carriabit Show is made possible by donations from friends like you. And of course, our text is deductible.

24:49If you'd like to donate today, go to the Legacy Institute.com or call 425-354-8517. That's the Legacy Institute.com. Friends culture may change, but truth does not. Alliance defending freedom stands ready to protect every person's right to live and speak truth. We're facing an unprecedented challenge. We're safer and richer than ever before, but we're living in a culture that has rejected the very foundations upon which our liberty was built. Freedom cannot survive in a culture that is abandoned truth and rejected reality. This is the battle of our generation, wherever human freedom is under attack. We stand ready to defend it. In courtrooms, legislatures and the public square, you'll find us on the front lines. This is why Alliance defending freedom exists. ADF strategic victories will bring lasting change in law and culture, and with a coalition of courageous clients, allies, advocates and supporters, ADF now has 18 Supreme Court

25:51wins. This is a great time to join the coalition, so to find out how you can get involved, go to adflegal.org. That's adflegal.org. Friends, does the teen, college age or young adult woman in your life struggle with her image, purpose or her identity? Is she finding it difficult to have joy when she thinks about her future? Does she seem confused about what the Bible teaches about male and female relationships, or is she being drawn into the lies from the culture? There is something you can do to help her. Introducing True Beauty, a powerful positive study that answers the question, what is a woman? With the guidance of a mentor, mother or leader, each young woman will discover her unique true beauty as she is equipped and empowered to embrace her female identity and discover her own unique design and purpose in this generation. Go to the LegacyInstitute.com for your small group, class or family study materials. That's the LegacyInstitute.com or call 425-354-8517.

26:56Our girls need this truth now, so don't wait. Friends of all ages need truth as a foundation in their hearts and minds. Similar to Framing a House, biblical relationship blueprints are necessary for healthy identity for each child's unique design, stability and their future growth. At the LegacyInstitute, we are committed to helping you raise healthy kids who understand their true identity. So we've developed blueprints for every age, starting in kindergarten through high school. These relationship truths teach your child lessons about God and our relationship to him, such as God is love, God is life, God is light, God is spirit, God is father, God is one and God is holy. Twins and teens learn truths, such as you are designed to be whole or you are designed to be life giving and you're designed for a great story and so much more. These blueprints are available now for free as our gift to you. So go to the LegacyInstitute.com today and download your free blueprints. That's the LegacyInstitute.com and remember, you can raise kids who live in agreement

27:59with their divine design.