I love my kids. I have a four year old boy, a two year old girl, and a baby on the way. Our family is growing and I am in love. I count it a great blessing that God has chosen me and Erin to raise Gavin, Summer, and [insert name here] – we haven’t decided on a name for our third yet. These kids keep us on our toes. They challenge us, empower us, and test us.
Parenting also forces me to take hold of 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “pray without ceasing.” It is our love for God that drives our love for our kids. It is this same love that drives us to our knees, to the Author of life and the Creator of the universe. I find today that many of my prayers revolve around my kids. I pray for their souls, their safety, their care, their health…I cherish them and I know that they are watching every move I make. They are watching how daddy interacts with this world, with his neighbors, with his coworkers, with them, and certainly with their mom. They are watching and making mental notes every
second. In this stage of their lives, they are learning at a break neck speed and most of that learning comes from those they look to for their care, i.e. their parents. This puts pressure on us and should make us hit our faces as we seek to call out to Someone infinitely greater than we are. It points us to the One that does have every answer, to the One that does have our best interests at heart, and to the One that has broad enough shoulders to take the weight off of us.
I am consistently amazed at God’s merciful heart and His willingness to shower grace on me as I fail in my duties as a dad. This amazement doesn’t stop at God. This picture of His grace and mercy is shown through my kids as well. It is shown as they look up at me and say, “Daddy I am your best friend,” or “I love you daddy.” I am reminded that in these times, even my young children understand, at some level, that love conquers all. They would probably not be able to articulate that to you…I mean let’s face it, my son thanked God for poop and pee last week, but the meaning is certainly there. They want to love. They want to celebrate goodness.
What does this have to do with HOPE? At HOPE we celebrate parenting. We celebrate life. We celebrate looking to Someone greater than ourselves. There are so many people in this community that do not understand the love of a mommy and daddy. They wanted that, but their parents failed them. So when they are faced with an unplanned pregnancy, they are scared of what that means for their life. They are terrified because they are not sure they can offer the love that they so deeply longed for. This is where culture steps in to confirm their fears and encourages them to terminate the pregnancy. HOPE does not accept this lying down. We seek to step in the gap and show these men and women that they are not alone. We serve a God that is bigger than any fear we may have. We serve a God that can take and redeem our unplanned crisis. We serve a God that loves and steps in.
God has done a great deal through HOPE and I believe the future is very bright. In the coming months, we at HOPE are going to put some feet to 1 Thessalonians. We have some big plans to join with those that support life and intentionally pray for medical clinics across the world that are seeking to care for and love the men and women God has entrusted us with. I am very excited to share this in more detail in the near future, but until then, I encourage you to join us in this work. Join us in praying for the men and women in crisis, for the medical staff that serves them, and the hearts that need mending.
We have been called to a great work as Christians. We have been called to not sit on our hands as our world aches. We have been called to enter the fray and seek to love and care for those that are in need. We are prepared to do that at HOPE and we pray that you will join this movement. We are glad to call you a partner!
posted by Andrew Wood, Executive Director of Hope Resource Center
