To Love and Be Loved: Essential for the Flourishing of Every Child and Parent

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road.” Deuteronomy 6:4-6

As parents, this passage reminds us that God calls us to be spiritual leaders for ourselves and our children. He entrusts us with a sacred influence to shape not only our destiny but also that of our children and grandchildren for generations. We are privileged to walk alongside our children through every stage of their development. Let us seize this opportunity to stay connected with them despite life’s ups and downs. This connection is vital to give them a deep sense of security. A simple way to nurture this connection is by sharing a Bible verse during meals or at bedtime, or setting aside time to talk and explore their world. Jesus said:

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

Let us ask ourselves: what is feeding the souls of our children? (Cell phones, tablets, social media, video games?). Today, we are reaping the rewards of quality time invested in our older children during their developmental years. Those moments of connection and faith-building left a lasting impact on their hearts. However, one of the greatest challenges we face as parents is loving God with all our hearts despite wounds, delays, doubts, disappointments, and fatigue. Too often, we only love God with part of our heart, soul, or strength. This can have a profound spiritual consequence: if we give God lukewarm or partial love, we risk immunizing our children against faith. A little faith, a little religion, or a little commitment is not enough. This “little” can lead them to resist, grow angry, or even reject God altogether. God calls us to love him “with all our heart, soul, and strength” Deutéronome 6:5 . When we give him our all, without compromise, there is no limit to what he can do in our families.

Lord, I want to renew my heart. I want to love you fully, with all my heart, soul, and strength. Help me pass this love on to those around me. Pour this love into my marriage and my family for generations to come. Amen.

A word from the president