The truth is, we all fall apart, and God designed the family as a holy refuge – a place where both acne and anger can erupt. It doesn’t mean a family is a place to take license; instead, it’s a safe place where love overlooks the acne of character and enables a child
broken pasts, infuses them
Part of successful pioneer parenting is unlearning old patterns, pressing into God’s warm embrace and parental heart, and learning His ways.
to work through anger.
with His healing, and through the Holy Spirit enables us to forge new parenting paths. The apostle Paul encouraged the Christians living in ancient Ephesus with these words: “God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest
dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but
2 A safe place is a demonstration of God’s parenting skills.
by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently
We are representatives of God to
demonstrating God’s nature to our children, but
our children. Whether we grew
we cannot do that unless God redeems our broken
up in a stable or a chaotic home, our task is to
within us” (Ephesians 3:20, The Message). We have the privilege as pioneer parents of
pasts and parents our kids through us.
uncover the true characteristics of God that our parents’ sinful natures marred. God is not the same as our earthly parents, even the good ones. As injurious, aloof, or neglectful. Even the best
3 A safe place is grace infused.
parents fall short of demonstrating God’s perfect,
Because the one truly safe place is
unconditional love. And so will we.
in the arms of our heavenly Father,
our heavenly Parent, He is not critical, condemning,
if we as parents are to provide a But we can grow in godliness as we raise our
safe place for our children, we need
children. Part of successful pioneer parenting is
to demonstrate grace. Jesus modeled this concept
unlearning old patterns, pressing into God’s warm
when he welcomed the children who clambered
embrace and parental heart, and learning His ways.
onto his grace-filled lap (Matthew 19:13-14).
God is in the redeeming business. He takes our
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