Help for Single Parents
7/11/2008
If you fell into bed last night, exhausted, and today you woke up knowing that it was going to be a repeat of yesterday -- just more busy, stressful moments ahead, I suspect that you are in the most heavily-tasked job in the world. You are a working, single parent. How does a single parent find the time or the energy to keep their strength up, to remain healthy, to grow spiritually? Where does a single parent find the time to develop close, supportive friendships that will help them through the tough times that raising a family alone brings? There is really only one answer to the constant, daily pressures of being a single parent. I believe that it is the responsibility of the church community to help single parents. These parents need practical help from the family of faith. They need men who will fix their brakes or check their tires. They need mature adults to mentor their kids - men who will throw a ball with fatherless sons. Women who will teach a motherless girl to cook. They need godly teachers to help them train their children. They need Christian friends who will be there to help carry their load. They need a community of faithful people to go along beside them. Surely, this is what Jesus meant when he said "to bear each others' burdens."
Surely, one of the greatest problems that single parents face is the overwhelming amount of work that has to be done each day. You have meals to fix, clothes to be washed, bills to be paid, a car to keep up, a yard to mow --- and then you have the huge task of RAISING your kids! And also, you have to earn a living. You have to continue this schedule for seven days a week all year long. I hope and pray that you have the support of your children's other parent, but many of you don't. In this country, over 10 million parents are filling the needs of their families alone. Where do you single parents, find the time and the energy to meet their own social, emotional, and spiritual needs? You have to get some help! If you don't have the help, you will have to ASK for it. Talk to your best friend, your minister or pastor, your mother, your neighbor - but tell someone that you need help. You need a prayer partner. You need someone to keep your kids so you can grocery shop. And ---I'm sorry, that those of us in the family of faith have to be reminded that our single parents need help from us. We don't mean to be so thoughtless. Please forgive our thoughtlessness and come join a family of faith this Sunday. Let your church family help you to lift your burden.
Posted By: jonealkirby | 29 views
Tags: church family, parenting, single parent, singles ministry
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