Two Helpful Words

Last night Tim and I went out for dinner. Our conversation turned to our children. (Surprise!) I began expressing my sorrow over my failures as a mom through the years. There are so many things I should have done that I haven't, and even some of the things that at the time I thought were right and helpful, in retrospect look very different. After a while Tim stopped me. “Anne, parenting, like life in general, requires two things: repentance and faith.”

He's right. Instead of just becoming more and more depressed about my inability to love my children as I ought, I need to run to the Lord for forgiveness and then for strength to once again set my hand to the plow. Repentance doesn't just mean sorrow for sin, but a turning from it to head in the right direction.

And I must live by faith. Not by fear or resignation. Faith that God alone is the one who can cause my children to be reborn into newness of life. Faith that He is working His good purposes in my children. Faith that He will use even two very flawed parents in the lives of the children He has given.

Repentance and Faith. Now to live it.

II Cor. 4: 18 ... while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.