Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.(Mark 12:30–31, NIV)
Although I’m still recovering from the intensity—the pressure, preparation, and joy—of leading last weekend’s women’s retreat, I’m fully aware that the world hasn’t paused. Life has moved on.
I’ve only seen a few clips of Sunday’s memorial service for Charlie Kirk, but even from those brief moments, it’s clear to me that something has shifted in our nation. My prayer is that this marks the beginning of a wave—the Third Great Awakening—and that many of the millions who watched will come to Christ. I also pray that the Church is ready to receive and disciple this influx of brand-new and returning believers. May this be the start of a dramatic shift in how our culture views many things, including the role and value of the family.
At the retreat last weekend, one of my assignments was to confront and dispel some of the lies the enemy has spoken over us. In particular, I spoke to older women who may feel they’re too old for powerful Kingdom work—and to younger women who may feel they’re too young.
Something stirred deeply in my spirit, and I shared this message about children and families:
Here’s a word for every woman—young or old: Children are a blessing. God’s Word says: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…” (James 1:17 ESV) And,“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.” (Psalm 127:3–4 NIV)
Whether you are a mom, grandma, mentor, teacher, or friend—if you influence a child, you are shaping arrows in God’s hands. Aim them well. Pray over them. Speak life into them. This is legacy work.
If God gives you a family, don’t be afraid of marriage and children. Don’t fear the cost or the sacrifice. If you seek first the Kingdom, God will provide what you need—energy, resources, grace, and wisdom—to raise children who follow him.
And if biological children aren’t part of your story, you still have a powerful calling to pour into the next generation. Whether it’s at church, school, or in your community, there are always spiritual sons and daughters waiting for someone to invest in them. As someone once said: “It’s easier to build a boy (or girl) than to fix a man (or woman).” We must shape young hearts early so they can walk in God’s truth from the beginning.
The work of raising children sometimes feels like a thankless task, but the calling is irrevocable and the blessings are profound. Today may we be encouragers and encouraged on to do great things for the Kingdom!
God,
Thank you, Lord, for the love that flows from you to each of us. Thank you that we can return that love—back to you and to those around us. Thank you that your perfect love casts out all fear. Today, we ask that you would remove every fear related to having and raising children in this day and age.
We believe that every good and perfect gift comes from you, and we acknowledge that children are among those precious gifts. Help us to be faithful stewards of the children you’ve entrusted to us. May they grow strong in faith, wisdom, and favor—with you and with others, just as Jesus did.
We pray that you would stir in the hearts of potential parents a vision and desire for family. And as they step forward, we ask that you provide everything they need—physically, financially, emotionally, and relationally—to support and sustain that calling.
Finally, we ask that all of us—men and women, young and old, parents and those without children—would come together to speak life into the next generation. Help us to impart wisdom, hope, joy, and love, so that they may grow up to walk in your truth and carry your light into the world. We ask all this in Jesus’s name, AMEN.
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52 NIV)
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18 NIV)