Tag: God’s Plan

Has God forgotten me?

Have we ever felt as if God may have forgotten us? It often happens when we go through a time of trouble that seems to lengthen the longer we put up with it. At those times it seems as if prayers are no longer answered, and positive spiritual thoughts seem to evaporate before they have even been spoken.

When God afflicted his people Israel, they thought he had forgotten them. God reassured them with these words (Isaiah 49: 14-16) “But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, the LORD has forgotten me.’ Can a mother forget the her nursing child that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you! Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands …” God will never forget his people Israel, and nor will he forget us.

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews encouraged the believers “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He (God) has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Take the example of parents of an adopted child who has gone off the rails. Though he is not their flesh and blood, they still think of him, pray for him, visit him in prison and talk about him. As part of their family, they will never forget him. How much more is that with God?

Those who have been baptised into the saving name of God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who try to follow God’s Law, even though they fail at times, are God’s sons and daughters by adoption. (Galatians 3:26-29) “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ … And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.”

We can never fail to be reminded of important things by marks we see every day on our hands. As children of God, He does not need to be reminded of us. We are written, like the children of Israel, on His hands. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us however hard our lives may be at times.

To find out more about our hope and how you can become a part of it, visit our website: www.ammanfordchristadelphians.co.uk.

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Brexit – To Be or Not To Be …

Winston Churchill observed in 1947: ” No-one pretends that democracy is perfect, or all wise, Indeed it has been said that it is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”

Do you watch the News? Just lately our news has been dominated and almost taken over by Brexit and by the passion shown by our democratic Parliamentarians for and against the proposed exit from the European Union. Such events are almost unheard of in Westminster.

Many people are perplexed, frustrated and worried as they try to follow the complicated and seemingly endless turns of events. How will it be resolved? Will it never end?

Do those who have faith in God and in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, need to worry? The Bible, God’s handbook for the faithful believers, explains clearly what the Almighty and All Powerful God has in store for the world He created. It tells us that He is in control and that, however changeful, difficult and stressful our lives may become the present rulers of our world will be swept aside.

The Bible tells us plainly that God’s Government is coming to this planet, God centred, guided and ruled over by Jesus Christ and his saints.

The prophet Daniel writes: “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44).

If we go on we are told: “He [Jesus] shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth” (Psalm 72:8) “… and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth” (Zechariah 9:10)

Jesus told his followers: “The one who conquers, and who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations”. (Revelation 2:26)

This world will be ruled by Jesus Christ, the Saviour and his faithful followers who have, in spite of all the difficulties of life, really done their best to serve God. This Kingdom of God will have a righteous ruler whose concern is for all people.(Psalm 72:12-14)For he (Jesus) delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life and precious is their blood in his sight.

There will be fertile lands, once desert and food for all. Please read Isaiah 35 a wonderful prophecy of the Kingdom of God on earth.

The nations will want to serve God (Micah4:1-2) It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains and it shall be lifted above the hills and peoples shall flow to it and many nations shall come and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD….that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.

War will be abolished (Isaiah 2:4).He (Jesus)shall judge between the nations and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more

Jesus said: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.

This wonderful Kingdom will come soon! God and Jesus will rule the World.

Even so come Lord Jesus!

*Quotes ESV & NIV

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Have we got the message?

About 3 weeks ago our television stopped working. This sign came up on the screen NO SIGNAL. I checked all the connections and even brought out two other televisions to try as well! Again, NO SIGNAL x 2. Was I getting the message at last? NO SIGNAL meant something other than that there was a fault with three televisions. My friend told me that his television also had this NO SIGNAL message and that he was able to retune his set. Everything was now working properly. I tried this but, sadly, I couldn’t access the screen directions.

As I went to take our car for its MOT I noticed a television company van parked at the roadside. I stopped and asked the driver about our problem. He was really helpful and suggested that it might be because the TV tower had recently had changes to its frequency. A new aerial might be the only answer. He opened the rear door of the van to show me a dozen or so new types of aerial he was now having to fit. I felt that I had found the truth of the matter. This man had clearly explained what I must do. He was an expert!

If we want to know the truth about God and His Son Jesus, we have to open our Bibles to read what they tell us about what is promised for us in the Word of God. God promises resurrection from the grave to live forever when Jesus returns to live on this earth to set up his Father’s Kingdom.

God’s message gives us hope. He is the expert. He is in control. Open your Bible (rather like the van doors) and you will find the “truth of the matter” within its pages.

As soon my helpful nephew retuned our television normal service resumed. We can switch it on to watch a programme at any time of day.

Of course we can all open our Bible at any time of day to access God’s message to us all. God doesn’t want any of us to perish. Our minds need to be tuned to His message. We need to be on God’s frequency to understand how we should live our lives by God’s laws.

John 3: 16-17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Jesus said “Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30.

Quotes ESV

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It may be too late to save the planet!

The Prince of Wales has always expressed great concern regarding the natural world. He fears that the changes needed to save it could come too late. When he met with President Trump recently he tried to impress him with the urgency of doing something about it.

Sadly, what is forgotten, or not really appreciated, is that God’s Word, the Bible, promises that the Kingdom of God is to be established on this planet. For humankind to have any chance of making a significant difference to the rate of climate change there would be the need for all the nations on earth to work together. Just a superficial look at the present political situation indicates that this will never happen. However, when Jesus returns as supreme ruler over the planet, “… all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve him” (Psalm 72:11). Jesus, with his team of immortal saints, will cure all the ills of the natural world. Consider the following Bible verses, just a few of many.

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22)

“.. And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing …” (Isaiah 35:1 and 2)

“… For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water.” (Isaiah 35:6 and 7)

Today nearly one quarter of the earth is desert or semi desert. When Jesus rules “… He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper.” (Psalm 72:12-13) People will not suffer from disabilities and ill health: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing.” (Isaiah 35:5-6)

The Bible speaks about the great tree planting work to be done. “I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle and the olive tree; I will set the desert the cypress tree and the pine and the box tree together. That they may see – that the hand of the LORD has done this.” (Isaiah 41:19-20)

Jesus taught his followers to pray: “… Your Kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

Are you ready for the coming of God’s wonderful Kingdom?

To find out more about our hope and how you can become a part of it, visit our website: www.ammanfordchristadelphians.co.uk.

All quotations from the N.K.J.V.

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How do you know when God is calling YOU?

For those of us who weren’t born into a spiritual family this is a very important question. I was 57 years old when I was finally in a state of mind to listen to God’s call – and I’m so glad I did!

This blog tells how God called me and how I responded. It will be different for everyone but you should be ready to respond and start your journey should the time come. It’s worth noting that God will give you opportunities to walk away from him. It’s always your choice.

As a younger man I recall asking myself important questions such as:

  • Why was this wonderful planet created and when?
  • Why are we here and what’s our purpose?
  • Why are there so many different types of people, good and not so good?
  • If death is really the end, what’s the point of living?
  • Why do some people seem to ‘have it all’ yet others have nothing?

Over the years I’ve met a few people who said that they followed Jesus and they did seem to have a certain ‘relaxed air’ about them. I remember thinking that I would like to feel that way, but I can now see that I was too busy working, paying the bills and providing for my family. In short – I was too busy and materialistic to hear God’s call.

Life’s adventures eventually took me abroad and I was happily enjoying semi-retirement. I thought that I had finally achieved my ambition and was looking forward to a future in the sun, sea and mountains.

To add to my contentment I was building a new camping business, which my grandchildren could choose to become involved in at a later date.

My new business was progressing well and I was integrating into the local and wider community.

However, there was suddenly a family difficulty that meant that I needed to return to the UK urgently and probably for some time.

I spent hours thinking and deciding on the best strategy to return to Wales, finding somewhere to live, yet still keeping the campsite in good order while I was away. To compound the problem I had no means of earning an income in the UK.

During these periods of thought I also reflected on instances in my life where, given the opportunity, I would have done things differently and treated some people with more compassion. I also decided that bearing grudges against others was not a good thing. Age and experience can be a wonderful thing!

Little did I know that God was listening to what I know now was my repentance. For me, it wasn’t anything dramatic. It was simply a quiet conversation with God.

A few days later, rather stressed, I found myself praying, something I hadn’t done since my school days. This time, however, it was different. I really wanted and needed God’s help. I remember promising that if I got back to the UK I would find a church and follow Him. Then, within days everything fell into place and my return to the UK was arranged. Even my friends were astonished as to how suddenly everything happened!

Settling back in Wales was very difficult but I got myself reasonably well organised and started putting my life back into order. However, I never forgot my promise to God, which I definitely wanted to keep. I need to stress that it wasn’t simply a need, but a deep-rooted desire, which drove me to succeed.

In retrospect I can see that my desire to follow God was tested several times, one of these times was when I became ill and was hospitalised. Other difficulties also presented themselves but I just worked through them. I could so easily have concentrated on my own needs and the needs of my family and not even considered God.

As I considered the best way to connect with a ‘church’ I did start to have some doubts (being tested again?) and asked myself questions such as:

  • What will others think of me?
  • Should I worship God on my own and just follow the Evangelical churches on TV?
  • Some ‘friends’ said that ‘church-goers’ are just looking to fill their empty lives with something to do.

Oh, how I laughed! At this point my life was incredibly busy and rather stressed. It was far from empty. I chose to ignore these people.

Once God calls you, the questions above, and much, much more become irrelevant. I can only say that if you follow God you’ll discover many answers for yourselves, as I continue to do each day.

I did a fair amount of research and the only ‘church’ organisation that I felt comfortable with was the Christadelphians and I had never even heard of them!! I would recommend their free and without strings attached one-to-one Bible course to anyone searching for God. I found these sessions incredibly helpful to increase my knowledge of the Bible. Though I’m not good at remembering things I’m improving … slowly. 🙂

I’ve been with them for over three years now and what a wonderful journey it’s been. It’s worth noting that before I opened the Bible for the first time I had not read any kind of book for over forty years. Yet I had no real difficulty reading the Gospel.

Interestingly, since following the Word of God, my life has become far simpler and it now has true meaning and purpose.

Every day I thank God for hearing my prayers and opening my heart and mind to answer his call.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

To find out more about our hope and how you can become a part of it, visit our website: www.ammanfordchristadelphians.co.uk.

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Lessons from a Silversmith

A group of women were studying the book of the prophet Malachi in the Old Testament. As they were studying Malachi 3 they came across verse 3, which says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver …” This verse puzzled the women, and they wondered what this statement told them about the character and purpose of God.

One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and report back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week the woman phoned a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest in order to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot. Then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time as the silver was being refined. The man answered, “Yes” and explained that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be damaged. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy. When I see my image in it.”

God refines and tests all who believe and try to follow the example that Jesus shows them. He wants all his followers to try always to reflect something of His character.

The apostle Peter tells us, “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ … as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

Throughout the lives of those who follow Jesus there will be times of trial, frustration and sadness. Believers aren’t promised trouble free lives but they know that God is watching over them at all times and shaping them to be fit for eternal life in the Kingdom that Jesus will establish on earth when he returns. 1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their cry …” True believers will “… run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

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God’s Action Plan for Climate Change

Are you worried about climate change? By now most people who watch or listen to the news will be aware of the huge climate change demonstration that has taken place in London. The demonstrators are desperately worried about the future of the planet and for the well being of their children and grandchildren. They believe that the only way for them to make governments act is by civil disobedience. Sir David Attenborough tells us that, if humankind doesn’t take immediate action now, life on earth will be desperate for people, plants and animals in the near future.

Jesus, God’s Son, prophesied about this time, “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars and on the earth distress of nations with perplexity … people fainting with fear and with foreboding on what is coming on the world for the powers of heaven will be shaken.” Luke 21:25-26

In our country and throughout the world distress of nations is obvious. Ours is not the only country where people are realising the perils to the environment. Add to that the wars and natural disasters, hunger and disease. No wonder people are perplexed. They are wondering if there is any way out of the massive problems we all face.

Those who believe that God created our world and cares for it take comfort in what He tells us in His Word, the Bible. Luke 21:27-8, “And then they will see the Son of Man (Jesus) coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place straighten up and raise your heads for your redemption is drawing near.”

When Jesus rose from the dead he told his disciples that he would return to the earth again. As he was taken up into heaven two angels stood by them and said “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

True followers of Jesus believe this promise. He will come again to set up God’s Kingdom on earth. “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14

To conclude, this is the picture the prophet Isaiah paints of the time when God’s Kingdom is set upon earth. Here is part of Isaiah 35v1-10:
“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; The desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped; Then shall the lame man leap like the deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion (Jerusalem) with singing; Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy; And sorrow and mourning shall flee away.”

Even so come Lord Jesus!

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No Easter at Notre-Dame

Isn’t it remarkable? In a widely atheistic age, in a secular republic, a fire at a medieval Catholic landmark has brought people and nations together. It has caused them to unite, to pray and to thank God.

I am, of course, talking about Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. I am obviously not a Catholic, so this building holds no religious significance for me.  Matthew 18v20 Jesus tells us, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them”. We don’t have to worship God in a vast and ornate cathedral. It is hard, however, to be unmoved by the unfolding of recent events. But, in this largely post-Christian age, how is it that Notre-Dame has outlasted its original reason for existing?

Even if religion is set aside, historically and architecturally this building is of immense significance. Cathedrals such as this are, without doubt, great works of art. They have in their time been centres of community. They have witnessed and hosted both their nations greatest and saddest events. They were built in an age before machines by the hands of the very people who would congregate there to worship.

As an avid tourist of history and literature, it is fair to say that few houses of faith have such a vivid story to tell as Notre-Dame de Paris. Notre-Dame has been, for all of us, an embodiment of Paris and its history, of the city’s medieval Catholic past, its religious wars, its national triumphs and disasters. It was the backdrop for the Disney film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The film begins with the song, The Bells of Notre Dame, which poignantly summarises the part this building still plays in the lives of the people of Paris:
Morning in Paris, the city awakes,
To the bells of Notre Dame.
The fisherman fishes, the baker man bakes,
To the bells of Notre Dame.
To the big bells as loud as the thunder,
To the little bells soft as a psalm,
And some say the soul of the city,
The toll of the bells,
The bells of Notre Dame.

My own story with this building began as a little child when I first encountered Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, not just because of the vivid colours and the enchanting music, but because this cathedral is the stage for a story of hope, of acceptance for outsiders and those who see the world a little differently. It is something which the apostle Peter brings out for us in his first epistle, “All of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tender-hearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.” 1Peter 3v8-9.

As I got older my love of this story caused me to read Victor Hugo’s, Notre-Dame de Paris, one of the great works of French literature and the story that inspired Disney. Whilst the book is darker than Disney’s interpretation, it holds a wonderful quote, which I often bring to mind, ‘A one-eyed man is much more incomplete than a blind man, for he knows what it is that’s lacking.’

That’s really the crux of my ponderings here today. Is the modern, confused and agnostic world around us the blind man? Has society travelled so far from ‘The Age of Faith’ that it doesn’t even know what it is lacking? As Jesus asks in Luke 6v39, “Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch?”

This has happened at a time of miserable squabbling over the future of Europe. The truth is that, whatever we think about Brexit or a customs union, or any of the esoteric options lying before our politicians, we are all heirs of a great common history. If only the world had one eye that it might recognise what is lacking and seek out the hope set before them in the Bible – to be heirs of a future, not just a past, to be heirs of the promises of God.

In Hebrews 12v2 we are told to, “Look unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Rather fitting really when we remember that this weekend is Easter Weekend, a time when Christians worldwide reflect on the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, for the first time in nearly nine centuries there will be no Easter at Notre-Dame.

You are warmly invited to join us this Sunday, April 21st 2019 at 6pm for a Bible talk about ‘Jesus Christ, The Cross and You’. Find out how Jesus’ sacrifice can have a positive effect on your life and what it could mean for your future!

*All quotes are from the King James Version.

 

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Raising children in a religious family – Education

Today, more than ever, we are bombarded with social media and news clips on being the “perfect parent”, and other people dictating how we should raise our children – from what to feed them to what groups to take them to.

Then you have the headache of how to educate your child. There are so many choices you have to make for you child that will impact on their health and wellbeing, sometimes for their whole lives. Ultimately every parent wants what’s best for his or her child, but when all children are different who knows what’s best for them? At the end of the day there is no such thing as a perfect parent!

As someone with a religious belief it doesn’t make raising children any easier. In some ways it can make it much harder as we know that when we have our children we want them to love God and want them to follow his teaching as we do, and, from that point onwards, every choice we make has to be based on what we think God would want us to do. We are lucky that we can take our worries and concerns to God in prayer and that God will work in our lives to help us find the right way to go.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

I think one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make so far is how to educate my children. We are lucky in this country that, as well as formal schooling, we have the option to home school our children, which allows us complete control over what they are being taught. We also have very tolerant schools that will allow children to be kept out of religious studies classes or assemblies if it conflicts with our beliefs. I know parents who have chosen both those options and have seen their children do well but as every child is different there isn’t one solution for everyone. I had to find what I thought was right for my children but that doesn’t mean it has to be right for yours. I didn’t think home schooling would work for me. To start with, I just didn’t have the discipline to home school.

I think, in the end, my decision was based on my personal experience of school. I wasn’t a fan of school at all, but, looking back, I see the value of going to school and experiencing different things that I never could have experienced at home. Some of these experiences were good, some bad, but they all helped to make me who I am today. Unfortunately, schools today are very different and the social norms are extremely different from what I experienced in school. For example, my children come home and they are talking about their friends’ families and how they have two homes and two sets of mums and dads. I don’t think I ever had a friend whose parents were divorced.

I know many Christadelphians struggle with things that are taught as fact in modern schools. We do not believe in or agree with evolution, for example. In a strange way this was part of why I chose to send my children to school. This is the world and the society we live in. It is constantly changing and the socially accepted norms (such as gender and sexuality) are constantly being challenged and revised and, as we are told in the Bible, it is only going to get worse.

As a parent your instinct is to protect your children from anything that is bad for them, but sometimes we can be over protective. As much as I want to keep them away from these things I know at some point they will have to make their own way in life. When they grow up they will need to find jobs and will be working with individuals from all walks of life. My children will be adults one day and won’t want to listen to my opinions and what I want for them in the same way.

So I decided it would be better to send them to school and instead of hiding these things from them let them deal with them head on. When they ask why their friend has two mummies, I explain, and then I explain what we believe, remembering also to tell them that not everyone believes the same things as us so we have to respect other people’s beliefs too.

Everyday we discuss what they’ve done. We always have some interesting discussions when they have had religious education lessons or the vicar has been into school. I have been told that they do, at times, go back to school and tell the teachers when we don’t completely agree with their version of religious education.

We are lucky. We have found a very supportive and understanding school for our children. Their teachers are very respectful of our views and they check with me if they are doing something which may be a contradiction to what we believe. This is something that I took into consideration when I looked around the local schools and I chose one which I felt would be a good fit for our religious beliefs.

So far it is working for us but my way isn’t the only way and, as I said at the beginning, there is no such thing as a perfect parent. All children are different so every decision I make has to be right for our family. It doesn’t mean it will be right for yours. Everyday I pray for God to guide me in the decisions I make for my children.

I hope that, in some small way, my sharing my own experience may be of help to you as you face the challenges of raising a family!

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

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Raising children in a religious family – We are expecting!

Whether you’re trying for a baby or you’re pregnant, at some point you start to think about that child and your dreams and aspirations for them. I remember when we were trying for a baby, never taking it for granted that I would get pregnant, I was very aware that a child is a gift from God and, if it is His will that we should have a child, then it will happen.

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” Psalm 127v3

When I knew I was pregnant and everything was going well I allowed myself to start to think about what I really wanted for my child. For some people this may be a good job, lots of money, a nice family. For me there was only one thing I wanted for my unborn child and that was for them to love God like I do and to follow His ways throughout their life. Then that got me thinking about how I would help them to achieve this because you can’t force someone to love God, can you?

I was raised in a religious family and in my late teens I made the decision myself to be baptised. So I suppose I could just do what my parents did, but what did they do? I can’t remember anything specific other than being taken to Sunday School, meetings and youth groups. Then it dawned on me! I didn’t need to do anything specific. My husband and I already centre our lives on God’s Word, the Bible, and that’s what my parents did. They taught us by the example of how they lived their lives. They taught me values based on scriptural principles and tried to give me a balance between learning God’s teachings and discovering what life was about. So, when I chose to be baptised I had come to my own informed decision.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words that I give you today. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up. “Deuteronomy 6v5-9

What will this look like for my new baby and me? Shall I decorate the nursery with Biblical characters and only allow Bible based storybooks into my house? No, that’s not right for me. I would feel I was trying to force something on my child without giving them an alternative or a choice. I want God to be central to my child’s upbringing so I need to find a balance that works for my family.

I will have Bible storybooks. I will read them regularly with my child but I will also have other books too. I will pray regularly with my baby and, when they are old enough, I will teach them to pray and explain that prayer is the way we can talk to God. I will tell them how the first thing I did when I knew I was pregnant was to pray to God and thank Him for the wonderful gift that He had given me.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4v6-7

Wherever you are in your journey to parenthood, prayer can be a huge help and comfort. I know it was for me. There will be many tough decisions ahead but if you and your partner talk to each other and to God you will figure out the best way forward for your family.

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