After 34 years of marriage, and five children later, we have learned a few valuable things about marriage and family. Amy & I regularly took time to assess where we were going as a family. First, we kept our marriage a priority because we wanted our children to grow up in a home where they saw their parents love God and each other. Second, we put our family before our careers because we saw our children as our greatest disciples. Regularly, we would speak into the heart of our children "You are going to change the world for Jesus."
But how do you keep centered as a family in a world that is increasingly and unapologetically trying to captivate the hearts and minds of your children and pull the family unit apart?
The Bible says, "When there is no clear prophetic vision, people quickly wander astray. Proverbs 29:18
You may have seen plaques on the walls of some homes listing family rules. For our family, this was not just cute farmhouse decor hanging on a wall, but something we lived by, prayed about, and regularly assessed to make sure we were not straying from what we considered most important. We had a vision for what we wanted for our family. We were committed to living it out because we knew that it would impact future generations. We started with a marriage mission statement and progressed to our family rules. It has been an anchor for our family in an increasingly hostile world. We encourage you to not just hang a few rules on a wall, but prayerfully write them together, and regularly refer to them. Here are just a few that we have lived by over the last 34 years.
We will encourage and inspire each other to passionately love Jesus, read the Bible, and share the gospel.
We always tell the truth.
We treat each other with respect by our words and actions.
Be the first to say you are sorry; We gracefully offer forgiveness.
We put family values and needs above our friends.
We listen and obey what Mom and Dad say the first time, without challenge, without excuse (whining), and without delay (with joy) If we demonstrate a heart of obedience, we can appeal respectfully.
We look for ways to serve one another. “If you see the need; take the lead.”
Church is a higher priority than a friend's invitation or extracurricular events.
We will pray together as a family.
We seek to honor and please God in all our actions and attitudes.
We will show hospitality to all the guests who visit our home. We want our home to be a place where people feel loved and valued and welcomed.
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