Compared to getting in shape, getting out of debt or other similar resolutions, one of the biggest goals a married couple can set in a new year is starting their family. Even though current financial challenges and uncertainties might make this seem like a bad time for such a goal, there are still surprising reasons for couples to make this the year to get started.

Babies are wealth.

Babies require a great investment from parents--the expense of their care, as well as the opportunity costs resulting from lost income, can be daunting even for marriages in a strong financial position. Those costs can seem more overwhelming for couples struggling through an economic downturn. Starting a family requires couples to show good economic stewardship, but having a baby need not be out of reach even in tight times. Unlike so many of the depreciating assets people take on, babies are a source of wealth-delivering returns on investment that are beyond measure.

One of the most challenging times to have children in the United States was during the Great Depression between 1929 and 1939. With investments wiped out and jobs scarce, many couples worried they couldn't take on the expense of babies. But other couples braved it out and found their children to be assets. Among the millions of children born during those challenging days were: the first female Supreme Court Justice (Sandra Day O'Connor), a pioneering black comedian (Bill Cosby), a homerun hero (Hank Aaron), the first man to walk on the moon (Neil Armstrong), the king of Rock n' Roll (Elvis Presley), the first black Secretary of State (Colin Powell), a Christian psychologist who has reached millions around the world (Dr. James Dobson), and many other people of influence.

Couples who take on the costs of having a baby are often surprised to discover ways to creatively re-prioritize their money to make room for something so priceless. Friends and family members are often willing to help them stretch their resources. New parents also may find many of the estimated costs for raising children can be lowered by living simply and not trying to follow all the expensive trends in baby chic.

Babies add meaning and goodness.

One of the welcome side effects of the recent economic crunch is that people have been forced to look beyond their wallets in order to experience the truly good things in life. After getting the message for so long that babies stand in the way of exotic vacations and a catalog house filled with cool gadgets, many couples are finding that it's those (often disappointing) pursuits that stand in the way of experiencing the joys of children. While the biblical passages saying that children are a blessing might seem at odds with the headaches our culture insists children bring, new life continues to offer the wonder and goodness that eludes us.

Babies shape our souls.

Babies require great care--especially as they grow into toddlers, kids and then teenagers. The parenting enterprise is not for the faint of heart. It is grueling at many levels. This can be intimidating for many couples who don't feel very mature yet. But it's in committing to the needs of a new life that couples are stretched into greater maturity. Children shape our souls like few other things in life, conditioning us to be more other-centered and to take a longer view of life. The demands of children that frighten so many would-be parents provide the crucible that is most likely to bring out the person God designed them to be.