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A
Family Vision
by
Jennifer Allen
Sacrifice, Love,
Honor, Duty,
Family, Death,
and Life. These
words
sum up my
thoughts as I
watched The
League of
Grateful Sons on
Memorial Day.
This was the
story of men who
fought on Iwo
Jima
during World War
II as their
children
returned to that
island to
honor their
legacy. It is
humbling to
realize the
sacrifice these
men
made on behalf
of their
country. The
story of “Johnny
Boy” Butler
especially
caught my
attention. His
father never
returned, he
died on
Iwo Jima.
What his father
left behind was
a treasure store
of
letters to his
son. In those
letters he
shared of the
love and vision
he had for his
little boy.
Those words
guided Johnny
Boy through out
his life. I
wondered what
effect it would
have had on
Johnny Boy’s
life
without reading
of the vision
his now dead
father had for
him. What
a blessing to
have that
guidance that
shaped his life.
I was recently
speaking to a
mother and she
was sharing
about the
days past when
she was raising
her young
children. She
said that she
was just trying
to keep them
clean, fed, and
homeschooled day
by day. She
occasionally
thought of the
characters being
formed in their
lives, but not
often. Her
thoughts were on
the physical
realities of
everyday life. I
think that is a
dangerous way to
raise your
children, when
you have no
vision. “Where
there is no
vision, the
people perish.”
Proverbs 29:18
Children, even
your little
children, need a
guiding vision
in their
lives. That
would be Jesus
Christ. If you
don’t instill
that walk
and love of God
in their hearts
by your own
example,
precept, and
teaching,
something else
will fill their
hearts. Several
years ago I
heard the
repeated
testimony from
the pastor of a
church in
California at
the turn of the
century.
I wrote down the
main parts of
the testimony as
it was shared on
the tape.
This man was
praying about
the children in
his church. He
was petitioning
God
on their behalf.
In the answer he
was given in a
vision he was
told
to tell the
parents they
should try to
create an
environment in
their
homes that
testified of
Jesus Christ.
The pictures on
the wall, songs
they sang,
activities
during the day,
the magazines
and books they
read should all
be selected with
utmost care. The
whole and total
environment
situation of the
home can be used
by the Spirit to
testify of Jesus
Christ. If
parents would do
this diligently,
the
Lord would
testify to
children of His
divinity. This
man was praying
about the Sunday
School classes
at his church
yet was given a
answer
directed to the
parents. How
many parents
have this vision
for their
homes?
A friend was
talking to my
sister a few
days ago. In the
midst of a
discussion this
friend told her
that in reality
life is boring.
What
she meant by
this is we need
to have the
strength to walk
day by day
for Christ in
the midst of
everyday life.
As a young
mother with 2
small children I
know this friend
deals with runny
noses, lack of
sleep,
dishes, laundry,
cleaning, and
the ever present
diaper that
needs
changed. It can
be a daily
routine that
becomes
monotonous and
yes boring.
However, she was
sharing there is
a vision beyond
the hum
drum of daily
life. That is
the vision of
Christ and what
you will
teach those
children in the
day by day at
home. You may
have seen a
family whose
children are
faltering
because mother
and father are
not
teaching them
and providing
this home set on
Christ. Only by
the grace
of God does the
void created in
those lives
become filled
with Christ
despite all the
parents will not
do.
What kind of
family vision
will your family
have? What
legacy is
there in your
family already?
If there is a
godly legacy
teach your
children about
it. Ask your
parents,
grandparents,
aunts, and
uncles
to share with
your children
the great things
God has done in
their
life. If you do
not have a godly
family legacy
your children
can
still learn from
it. As they grow
it can be
pointed out how
the
ungodly choices
or living has
created a
weakness in your
family or
that person’s
life and the
wisdom to avoid
that path.
None of us can
create and
fulfill a family
vision on our
own. You
can’t write out
a 10 point
family vision
list and hang it
on the
fridge for all
to see and
expect it to
come to
fruition. It
doesn’t
begin with you,
but it does end
with you. If you
want that family
vision to follow
through to the
generations
beyond begin
with this
passage of
scripture.
“Stand fast
therefore in the
liberty
wherewith
Christ hath made
us free, and be
not entangled
again with the
yoke of
bondage..for we
through the
Spirit wait for
the hope of
righteousness
by faith..This I
say then, walk
in the Spirit,
and ye shall not
fulfill the lust
of the flesh.
For the flesh
lusteth against
the
Spirit, and the
Spirit against
the flesh, and
these are
contrary one
to the other; so
that ye can not
do the things ye
would…but the
fruit
of the Spirit is
love, joy,
peace,
long-suffering,
gentleness,
goodness, faith,
meekness,
temperance;
against such
there is no law.
And they that
are Christ’s
have crucified
the flesh..If ye
live by
the Spirit, let
us walk in the
Spirit.”
Galatians
5:1,5,16,17,22-25
If you need some
encouragement in
your vision for
your family or
home
here are a few
books to
recommend that
have encouraged
me as I think
ahead to the
vision of a
home. The Home
Beautiful by J.R.
Miller,
Mother by
Kathleen Morris,
and Homemaking
by J.R. Miller.
God bless your
family!
Jennifer Allen is
a homeschool
graduate who
works as an
office manager
and business
owner.
It is her vision
to encourage
mothers as they
raise the
children God has
given to their
care. Visit her
site, New Little
Blessing, for
motherhood
products,
articles,
resources, and
to read her
personal blog.
This article may
be reprinted
freely in your
publications or
on your website,
provided it is
reprinted in its
entirety and the
bio information
is kept intact.
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