Growing By One More Child

While we were out of town visiting my parents for their 50th wedding anniversary, we received the news from my oldest son that he had proposed marriage to his girlfriend. We are absolutely thrilled. They’ve been seeing each other for at least a couple of years, and we’ve had the privilege of sharing our family’s walk of faith with our future daughter-in-law over that time.

So our family is growing by one more child. Megan is already calling me mom (don’t you know I just love hearing it) and has stated that wherever we may go, she wants to be close enough that my husband and I can help teach the love of Jesus and God’s truths to their children (don’t you know I just love hearing that, too).

Grandbabies are probably still a ways off (they’re both still in college), but my husband and I continue to take our responsibility of discipling our children seriously. Even though Steven and Megan are adults and paying their own way through life, we want to make sure their marriage is based on a godly foundation and brimming with God’s blessings.

They’ve both heard all the stories of how Bill and I met, dated, were betrothed and the wedding day. We’ve explained how the very first wedding invitation went to Jesus, literally being placed on the mantle of my husband-to-be’s home. We dedicated to the Lord our love and intended commitment to each other from the very beginning.

Bill has taught all his children that unless the Lord is in it (whatever it happens to be), it cannot succeed, and if the Lord is in it, it cannot fail. I have taught them all to find a spouse who will love God more than he or she loves my child. Bill has encouraged Steven to take the spiritual leadership role in his relationship with Megan, and Steven is doing that. He told Megan that when she committed to reading the New Testament all the way through, he would propose to her. She did, and he had to keep his word (way to go, Megan!).

Megan informed us the other day that she intends to have Steven and herself dedicate their marriage by writing out their first invitation to Jesus. Don’t you know just how much we loved hearing that!

Family discipleship doesn’t end with the child leaving home for greener pastures. It changes tone and perspective, and most definitely frequency, but as parents we’re still called to teach our children. It's a privilege and an honor that follows us throughout life.