Have you seen any version of this meme on your social media? Parents of children of all ages are being faced with some difficult decision making in the next couple of weeks. Regardless of their political leanings, individual family needs or personal responsibilities, parents want only the best for their children. As a community we only want what’s best for children. Who knew it all could be so complex?

The pandemic waves keep rippling…

It is still surprising to me when I wake from a fitful sleep or wake irritable and anxious to recognize that the cause is still the ripples of COVID after 5 months. Some of us are feeling tired, scared or defeated. As we float on these next ripples, I don’t have any great words of wisdom. I am however, drawn back to the promises of God and the assurance that we are not alone in this. And I am challenged to support parents and others by being those promises of God lived out.

Promises of God

When you start the day thinking you’ve got this, and then at bedtime you feel like a failure…

“All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace (Isaiah 54:13) ”

Claim this promise. Ask the Lord to fill in where you’ve failed.

When you don’t know what to do…

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)”

Claim this promise. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom.

When there is chaos and uncertainty in your home…

“I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. (Isaiah 49:25b)”

Claim this promise. Ask the Lord to face the devil as He says He will. The evil one is the orchestrator of the negative voices in our heads and the division in our homes. Don’t give him that power.

If you’ve read this far and you don’t have children in your home, or you don’t feel weary and burdened, you may be wishing you had spent the last 2 minutes differently. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, neighbours, community - we are not off the hook.

We have a tremendous role to play in the lives of families that God has placed in our life; in person, over zoom or even over social media. We can be those promises lived out to parents. May I humbly ask us to:

Learn to listen. Just stop and hear what is going on in their mind, their family, their home.
Honour them. Don’t minimize or dismiss the difficulty of their decisions.
Speak words of life. Parenting guilt is real. Encourage them and build them up.
Support them from your knees. Prayer is not our last resort, but our first response.

God was not surprised by this virus. He is not surprised by your fatigue or by the complexity of the decisions facing us. He is right here with us. His promises are eternal and lived out in us, if we are willing.

Nancy Varga
Family Ministries Director

Inspired by and excerpts taken from:
”10 Ways Grandparents Can Support Their Children While Still Letting Them Lead Their Families” by CrossWalk.com
“10 Powerful Bible Promises for Parents” by Vanessa Seifert