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“Children are a blessing; they are a kind of a wealth. God says in the Scriptures that children will bless you even if they don’t feel like a blessing immediately. And we really believe that and our experience has confirmed it.” - Dr. Catherine Pakaluk Followers of the Way Boston church members [PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=901167012502243&set=pb.100078268582734.-2207520000] https://www.followers-of-the-way.org/ https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2026/01/meet-charlton-and-natasha-sweazy-and.html |
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“Children are a blessing; they are a kind of a wealth. God says in the Scriptures that children will bless you even if they don’t feel like a blessing immediately. And we really believe that and our experience has confirmed it.” - Dr. Catherine Pakaluk [PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHog0F1T4GO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==] BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/11/book-review-hannahs-children-women.html BLOG: https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2026/03/babyland-in-israel-israels-baby-boom.html |
The above is a quote from Dr Catherine Pakaluk who wrote the book: Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth. In memory of John Troyer, an Amish-Mennonite man who had 31 children, I will post this video from Natasha Sweazy called, The God who sees, before giving my thoughts.
“The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its
loyalty to each other.” - Mario Puzo Hi! My name is Natasha
Sweazy, and I am a Christian woman, wife, and mother, striving to follow after
our King Jesus. My husband Charlton and I have been married for fourteen years.
The Lord has given us ten beautiful children, four biologically and six through
adoption. We are currently sojourning between Kampala, Uganda and Malden,
Massachusetts. (August 6, 2022) [PHOTO SOURCE: https://strengthtostrength.org/the-god-who-sees/?srsltid=AfmBOopaoy4TQds1p5faNJXWThbXtW0zvO99wUMyANa-4Jn2L76E9fsm] https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2026/01/meet-charlton-and-natasha-sweazy-and.html
The God Who Sees
Post published: August 6, 2022
Strength to Strength Sisters welcomed Natasha Sweazy to contrast the worldviews from women in the Bible to the world today. From the cries of women saying, “give me children or I will die” to “give me children and I’ll die”.
No matter what stage of life you are in, whether it be women with a lot of small children, a child who has walked away from God, or women unable to have children of her own, God sees us and he knows our heart.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
An interactive question-and-answer period follows.
https://strengthtostrength.org/the-god-who-sees/
VIDEO SOURCE: https://youtu.be/oe_1FJxDTBo?si=0sikNi0s5qPIfzbr
MY THOUGHTS:
I noticed several similarities between the Anabaptist and Ultra-orthodox women: both have very large families with an average of 5 children each, some of them have seven or even more. The women in both religion tend to have head coverings. They all follow the Four Core Values: Faith, Family, Community and Simple Living. That is why the women tend to make good mothers.
I agree with everything Natasha Sweazy said in the video. She and her husband, Charlton have five biological children and six adopted children from Uganda. Their church, The Followers of the Way Boston, is like the Anabaptist Trio where they are growing in numbers.
As a proponent of large families and having more children, I applaud and admire the couple for not only giving birth to children, but also for adopting 6 Ugandan children. I believe that adoption is a good idea for woman, regardless of whether she is infertile or not. They are like the Faroe Islanders who adopt children from all over the world.
“Make it easier for churches and religious communities to run schools, succor families, and aid the needs of human life. Religion is the best family policy.” ― Catherine Pakaluk, Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth
Fotos von Täuferfamilien (Photos of Anabaptist families):
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Paul Jantzi mit Ehefrau (Bildmitte) mit seinen Kindern und Kindeskinder. Foto Jantzi Family English Translation: Paul Jantzi with wife (center of picture) with his children and children's children. Photo Jantzi Family [PHOTO SOURCE: https://faszination-kanada.com/blog/gesellschaft-politik/die-mennoniten-und-die-amishen/#google_vignette] |
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Paul Jantzi mit Ehefrau Nancy und ihren Kindern. Foto Jantzi Family English Translation: Paul Jantzi with his wife Nancy and their children. Photo: Jantzi family [PHOTO SOURCE: https://faszination-kanada.com/blog/gesellschaft-politik/die-mennoniten-und-die-amishen/#google_vignette] |
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“Mothers write on the
hearts of their children, what the world’s rough hand cannot erase.” – Amish
Proverb 15 And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, 16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” - Genesis 48:15-16 (ESV) TOP: Haredi Jewish women and girls in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem, 2013. Bottom: Amish mothers with their children. Notice the similarities – they have many children. https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2026/03/babyland-in-israel-israels-baby-boom.html https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/12/israels-baby-boom-2024-children-are-joy.html https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/06/israels-children-world-ultra-orthodox.html |
Ultraorthodoxe jüdische frauen (Ultra-orthodox Jewish women) Links:
1a. Ultraorthodox Jewish Women vs Amish Women
1b. A mother is a gardener of God, tending to
the hearts of her children ~ Amish Proverb
An Amish woman's role in the family
PHOTO: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=945738991166508&set=pcb.945739054499835
1c. Haredi Jewish women and girls in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem, 2013
PHOTO: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=945738704499870&set=pcb.945739054499835
1d. Amish & Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Women: Comparing Attitudes Towards TV, Radio, Magazines & The Internet
https://amishamerica.com/amish-and-ultra-orthodox-jewish-women-attitudes-towards-media/
From Jerusalem to the Amish: Navigating Feminism, Media & Faith - with Rivka Neriya-Ben Shahar
25.9K subscribers
217 views Oct 29, 2024 The Franciska Show Podcast
Message Franciska to share how a specific episode has impacted YOU. franciskakay@gmail.com In this episode Rivka Neriya-Ben Shahar shares her unique journeys and research related to Ultra Orthodox Jewish and Amish communities. Rivka Neria-Ben Shahar discusses her path from growing up in a National Ultra Orthodox community in Israel to earning a Ph.D. with pioneering research on ultra-Orthodox women and media. Rivka recounts her adaptation from Jerusalem to Amish country, highlighting cultural exchanges and genuine friendships formed along the way. The episode delves into the challenges women face balancing motherhood and career, exploring themes of feminism, societal expectations, and personal fulfillment within strict religious frameworks. Through personal anecdotes and rigorous research, the episode contrasts traditional roles with modern lifestyles, providing deep insights into the lives of women in these unique communities.
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:34 Rivka's Religious and Professional Background
05:21 Journey to Feminism
07:28 Challenges and Conflicts
10:43 Research on Ultra Orthodox Women and Media
14:47 Strictly Observant: The Book
26:51 Fascination with the Amish
31:05 Exploring Community and Tradition
31:48 Admiration and Conflict
32:38 Life Choices and Happiness
33:54 Balancing Career and Family
36:35 Cultural Observations and Personal Reflections
42:33 Religious Practices and Personal Stories
49:05 Cultural Shocks and Comparisons
56:54 Podcast Journey and Reflections
01:00:36 Editing and Reflections on Motherhood
About Our Guest: Dr. Rivka Neriya-Ben Shahar is a Ruth Melzer fellow at the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at Penn University. She is a senior lecturer at Sapir Academic College in Sderot, Israel, where she teaches courses on research methods, communication, religion, and gender. She is also a scholar at the Israel Democracy Institute, where she studies media usage among the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Dr. Neriya Ben-Shahar investigates mass media from the perspectives of religion and gender. Her research addresses the tensions existing between religious values and new media technologies among women in Old Order Amish and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities. Her book, Strictly Observant: Amish and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Women Negotiating Media, was published by Rutgers University Press in January 2024.
VIDEO SOURCE: https://youtu.be/Uohejjh5RHE?si=jZsK-wMD2N5AXs9l
Old Order Amish and Ultra-Orthodox women’s responses to cellphone and smartphone use
UCLA Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies
1.24K subscribers
1,368 views Oct 24, 2025
This research explores exposure patterns and perceptions of cellphone and smartphone use among Amish and ultra-Orthodox Jewish women, while examining symbolic meanings these non-users might attribute to these devices. Triangulation of participant observations, interviews, and a survey, serve to demonstrate that although these populations differ in their cellphone use (the Amish mostly don't use them and the Ultra-Orthodox only use those deemed to be ‘kosher’), they concur in their non-use of smartphones, deriving from their perception (shared among many religious communities), that smartphone content is impure. Implicit in statements made by these women is the notion that the medium itself is more dangerous than the message. They argue that the smartphone disconnects people from their communities, friends and family, and that it interferes with a person’s relationship with him or herself, and even more importantly – with God.
VIDEO SOURCE: https://youtu.be/xVV3rjxXK5k?si=Wj0Z-7lBe5L7KeW5
RELATED LINKS:
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2026/01/meet-charlton-and-natasha-sweazy-and.html
https://kingdomdriven.org/author/charlton
https://www.followersoftheway-ug.org/
https://kingdomdriven.org/a-great-start-to-2015
https://fotw-ug.org/the-sweazy-family/
“Every Christian family ought to be as it were a little church, consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced and governed by His rules. And family education and order are some of the chief means of grace. If these fail, all other means are likely to prove ineffectual.” – Jonathan Edwards
LEADING FAMILY WORSHIP BY JOEL BEEKE PART 1
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/11/leading-family-worship-by-joel-beeke.html
"We and our families stand in need of blessings in a domestic capacity, therefore in that capacity we should pray for them; in that capacity too we receive many blessings; therefore in that capacity we should return thanks for them; and singing of psalms is the most proper method of thanksgiving." — 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐬, "The Necessity and Excellence of Family Religion" in 𝑆𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑆𝑢𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑠, Vol. 2 (1849 ed.), p. 47 [pictured: Jennie A. Brownscombe, 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑃𝑙𝑦𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑡ℎ (1914)]
LEADING FAMILY WORSHIP BY JOEL BEEKE PART 2
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/11/leading-family-worship-by-joel-beeke_27.html
https://calvarybibleschool.org/
https://forward.com/culture/808318/calvary-bible-school-arkansas-tatty-my-king-orthodox-song/
Tatty My King
1.89K subscribers
52,042 views Feb 14, 2026
Composer: Dovid Edell. Used by permission. Arranged by Wendell Glick. Commissioned for Calvary Bible School, 2026.
VIDEO SOURCE: https://youtu.be/cvx7iiDOazY?si=YneuqRJ5DjGMbzTb
KINDERWELT LINKS:
You never soar so high as when you stoop down to help a child or an animal. – Jewish Proverb
BABYLAND IN ISRAEL – ISRAEL’S BABY BOOM
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2026/03/babyland-in-israel-israels-baby-boom.html
“I
think that bringing children into the world is like bringing holiness into the
world. Like every soul has a mission that can only be fulfilled by that
individual and we don’t know what that individual’s mission is and even what
our own mission is. We’re all figuring it out as we go. And I think, yes, it is
something that I do for God in a sense of the work component.”
― Catherine Pakaluk, Hannah's
Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth
BOOK REVIEW: Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth by Catherine Pakaluk
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/11/book-review-hannahs-children-women.html
“The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other.” - Mario Puzo
JOHN TROYER MEMORIAL REPORT 2025
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/10/john-troyer-memorial-report-2025.html
“A father’s holy life is a rich legacy for his sons.” - Charles Spurgeon
JOHN TROYER MEMORIAL AWARD
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/07/john-troyer-memorial-award.html
The Hebrew phrase for "children are a joy" is "ילדים הם שמחה" (yeldim hem simcha). "ילדים" (yeldim) means "children", and "שמחה" (simcha) means "joy" or "gladness". Israel is the only OECD countries that have the highest fertility rate of 2.91 per woman.
From September 2023 to September 2024, about 183,000 babies were born in Israel, meaning that more than 400 babies were born per day. There was a similar case in 2022, in its annual Amish population study, the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College estimates that 1,450 Amish babies were born in Lancaster County last year. Only 145 Amish of all ages died. That population increase of 1,305 brought the total number of Amish living here to 44,315. There were more Amish births than deaths in that state.
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/12/israels-baby-boom-2024-children-are-joy.html
15 And
he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and
Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in
them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” - Genesis
48:15-16 (ESV)
ISRAEL’S CHILDREN WORLD: THE ULTRA-ORTHODOX JEWS ON THE RISE
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/06/israels-children-world-ultra-orthodox.html
“Our children are the only treasures we can take to heaven.”
AMISH BABY BOOM PART 1 – PROVERBS ABOUT CHILDREN
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/10/amish-baby-boom-part-1-proverbs-about.html
Who takes the child by the hand, takes the mother by the heart. – Danish Proverb
AMISH BABY BOOM PART 2 - CANADIAN AMISH ON THE RISE
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/07/amish-baby-boom-part-2-canadian-amish.html
11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” – I Samuel 1:11 (ESV)
Our home joys are the most delightful earth affords, and the joy of parents in their children is the most holy joy of humanity. - Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/05/2025-mothers-day-sermons.html
Honor the house in which you were born, the tree that gave you shade, and the village where you were raised. – Swedish Proverb
THE FAROE ISLANDS: CHILDREN’S WORLD IN EUROPE
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-faroe-islands-childrens-world-in.html
Children are a poor man’s wealth. – Danish Proverb
THE ADOPTED CHILDREN OF THE FAROE ISLANDS
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-adopted-children-of-faroe-islands.html
“Children are arrows in a quiver, and they are to be trained as missionaries and shot at the Devil.” — Jim Elliot
MEET CHARLTON AND NATASHA SWEAZY AND THEIR 11 CHILDREN
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2026/01/meet-charlton-and-natasha-sweazy-and.html
Children are like tiny flowers: They are varied and need care, but each is beautiful alone and glorious when seen in the community of peers. - Friedrich Frobel
Im Dutzend billiger (Cheaper By the Dozen) – Meet Pastor Alex Probst and Kim with their children
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2026/02/im-dutzend-billiger-cheaper-by-dozen.html
Beyond 2050 the world population may start to decrease if women across the world will have, on average, less than 2 children. But that decrease will be slow. - Hans Rosling
BIRTHGAP – CHILDLESS WORLD DOCUMENTARY FILM
https://blackforestproject421.blogspot.com/2025/09/birthgap-childless-world-documentary.html
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