by Tini Tadeo-Castillo
I don't know if all I do now is a fool-proof guarantee that my kids will never stray. I truly don't know what's coming down that road for them. There is so much ahead that I don't see and so many things around that can shake our family. There re many factors that can influence my children's decisions and choices. Am I scared? A little. Am I paranoid about it? Not really. Am I preparing myself for what can happen? The best I know how.
If there is one thing that I do now and I intend to continue in the long days ahead as a mother, that is to PRAY for my kids. And if there is one word that I pray I won't ever forget to apply whatever happens in the lives of my children, that is GRACE. Because in my most wretched state, God loved me anyway, God forgave me anyway. God took me in anyway. God restored me anyway. This grace extended to me by the Lord and the ABSOLUTE love He had for me at any given time in my entire life is what keeps me fueled to learn the same kind of love and extend the same kind of grace towards my imperfect children no matter what. I'd like to believe I have the purest love and best intentions for Jam and Leila but I know it can never ever come close to the love and intent the Father has for His children.
So I trust God for His plans in the lives of Jam and Leila. And trust God to walk me through this exciting adventure called parenting. I trust Jesus to be my wisdom in folly, my clarity in obscurity, my rest in anxiety, my peace in doubt, my certainty in confusion every time I am faced with a parenting challenge. I surrender to His work in my heart to be a good mom moment by moment. I surrender to His work in our family as He moves in and through all of us, knowing full well that when I do, He will honor my obedient heart. I trust that He will supply grace that I need for those I love.
I don't know if all I do now is a fool-proof guarantee that my kids will never stray. I truly don't know what's coming down that road for them. There is so much ahead that I don't see and so many things around that can shake our family. There re many factors that can influence my children's decisions and choices. Am I scared? A little. Am I paranoid about it? Not really. Am I preparing myself for what can happen? The best I know how.
If there is one thing that I do now and I intend to continue in the long days ahead as a mother, that is to PRAY for my kids. And if there is one word that I pray I won't ever forget to apply whatever happens in the lives of my children, that is GRACE. Because in my most wretched state, God loved me anyway, God forgave me anyway. God took me in anyway. God restored me anyway. This grace extended to me by the Lord and the ABSOLUTE love He had for me at any given time in my entire life is what keeps me fueled to learn the same kind of love and extend the same kind of grace towards my imperfect children no matter what. I'd like to believe I have the purest love and best intentions for Jam and Leila but I know it can never ever come close to the love and intent the Father has for His children.
So I trust God for His plans in the lives of Jam and Leila. And trust God to walk me through this exciting adventure called parenting. I trust Jesus to be my wisdom in folly, my clarity in obscurity, my rest in anxiety, my peace in doubt, my certainty in confusion every time I am faced with a parenting challenge. I surrender to His work in my heart to be a good mom moment by moment. I surrender to His work in our family as He moves in and through all of us, knowing full well that when I do, He will honor my obedient heart. I trust that He will supply grace that I need for those I love.