My husband has been in New York City all week for work, and I stayed back in Ohio, and have been staying at my parents’ home.
And it’s been just one of those weeks where it feels like the world is kind of gray. It’s been foggy and rainy for literally the past five days straight, resulting in a damp aura over everything. It’s one of those weeks where you just want to cozy up, drink tea, make a pot of chili and watch a movie.
And it’s definitely set the mood for me missing my husband a lot.
But this sudden slow down of life has also afforded me the luxury of having some time to think. And I’ve been seriously contemplating the fact that we’re going to be bringing a child into a world that is deeply broken.
I have fears about what the school curriculum is going to be like by the time he or she will be attending. I have fears about the path society is going down regarding gender, trans issues, the sexualization — particularly inserting the queer agenda — of everything (from children’s television shows to books) that seems to target younger and younger audiences, and the glorification of alternative lifestyles. I have fears about the way our country has completely turned away from God, and glorifies Santanic imagery and messaging. I even have fears about the harmful ingredients and additives in our food.
There’s so much that I want to protect our child from, and he or she hasn’t even left the womb yet!
But for as unsettled this mother’s heart is, I do have tremendous hope.
And really for one reason: the people we are surrounded by. Our “village” – if you will.
Yes, all of my fears are real and valid, BUT the people that we are in contact with in our daily life, they are going to have the strongest influence on our child. They will be the positive forces and voices of truth that will drown out the societal clamor.
And boy, do we have some incredible people. Our family and friends — they will provide such a positive force of good in our child’s life.
Hebrews 10: 24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Now more than ever, we need to surround ourselves with a community of Christ-loving people. The world is going to keep getting crazier and crazier, but when we surround ourselves with fellow believers who know and love and live out the truth, we can resist the perils of this world together.
Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
So thank you, Lord, for blessing me with a beautiful community of people who love You. Help me to feel the peace and reassurance that our child will be surrounded by Your grace through the walking angels you’ve placed in our lives. And please give me eyes to see those people for who they are, and the fortitude to raise a child in a fallen world.
