Practical Resources for Living the Orthodox Faith
In the Orthodox Christian church, we spend approximately 180 - 200 days fasting in a year. The Church has given us fasting as a tool for salvation and acquiring the mindset of Christ. St. John of Kronstadt states, “They [fasting and prayer] cleanse us from sin, they lead us to spiritual peace, to union with God, to sonship, to boldness before God.” Fasting is not something to dread, on the contrary, it’s something to help our spiritual life and help us draw closer to God.
But, what about fasting as a family with young children, a pregnant or nursing mother, and a father who all may need to fast differently? These circumstances add an element to fasting that is unique to some seasons of life. What do the Church fathers say concerning fasting and family life? Why are pregnant and nursing mothers often given a less strict fasting rule?
In the Tradition of the Orthodox Church, when a baby is born, prayers are done at the following times: On the day of Birth; On the 8th day (Naming Prayers); On the 40th day (Churching), and their baptism. I love that the Church so tenderly cares for each child - they are prayed for, cherished, embraced and are full participants in the Christian life from birth! In this blog post, you’ll find information about the Churching (40 day blessing), book recommendation and my own personal reflection as a mother to 4 children.
1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, and yet it remains perhaps the most under discussed tragedy in our culture. In this blogpost, you will find some resources both for the one who is grieving and the one who wishes to help but doesn’t know how. These resources are intended for those who are Orthodox Christians, so the resources will be through that lens
Welcoming a new baby is a blessed time for families, but during this time, they will need support from their communities to help them through. For my family, we have had a meal train after the birth of each of our children. It was such a tangible experience of love from our community. In this blogpost I’m sharing the basic information on how to get one started for the family in your parish who just welcomed a new baby!
If you are preparing for birth, I want to encourage you to prepare for your labor and birth - not only by understanding birth and the incredible process, but prepare by having tools (and support) nearby that will keep your focus on Christ and that remind us of our dependence on Him for strength! Here I have provided a list of recommendations for spiritually preparing for birth!
An Orthodox Mother’s Blessing is a time for the pregnant mama to invite her close sisters to spend a quiet, cozy evening with food and prayer to carry her into her time of labor. This can be done in addition to a baby shower, but its a different than a baby shower. It’s a chance for the women in her life to slow down, pour out some love, wisdom and encouragement into the mama as she prepares for birth. We hosted our first one today, and it was so incredibly soul-filling. We laughed and cried together, and offered prayers for our sister in Christ!