It actually started two weeks ago. I am sure many of you saw the announcement that Doug Phillips, the head of Vision Forum, was stepping down from his position due to inappropriate relations with someone other than his spouse. Rocked. My. Week! This man has spent countless years in the homeschooling and family-promoting-business. We have spent countless hours listening to his teaching on how to raise our children and how to be better spouses. We shop his catalog and we watch his documentaries. We were shocked. We were hurt and disappointed - and friends, we do not even know the man personally.
And then this week things got more personal. We have been notified that one of our children's past youth pastors has been charged with indecent liberties with minors. Rocked. My.Week! This is a man we know and loved. Someone we trusted our girls with. We were again hurt and disappointed, and left questioning a lot of things. Praise The Lord, our girls were not directly affected, but there are at least several moms out there that can not say the same thing today. It breaks my heart. There have been several times this week when quite honestly all I wanted to do was hide in a closet and wait for Jesus to return. Instead, I have prayed and cried and prayed some more and tried hard to dialogue all of this out as a family.
Where does one start to try to explain it all to your children? How do you explain that we all are sinners and just one step away from doing something "just as bad"? How do explain that we live in a fallen world?
"For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Rom 2:23)
Let's face it, those are hard things to talk about. I tend to just want to teach my kid's about God's love and sing Jesus Loves Me. But that is not all there is to the story.
This week we have been doing a lot of talking about sin and its effect on all of us. How we all have to choose minute by minute to do the right thing. How that slippery slope that I have mentioned before affects us all. How Satan can tempt us, but we can ALWAYS choose to do the right thing. How we must cover ourselves and our family in prayer daily. How our actions affect more people than we will ever realize. How we must guard our eyes, ears, and hearts. How our goal should be to stay as far away from the line as possible, not see how close we can get to it.
How we could easily be THAT person.
And then there is grace. Yes, I want my kids to remember grace. That through the tears and confusion and pain, God is still God and He extends grace. To everyone. Even, no, especially, sinners - just like us!
We are all just one step away from the line that divides right from wrong. Lord, may we fight hard to stay on the right side and to help those that have stepped over come back. May we learn to forgive and give grace as it has been given to us.
"For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is a gift from God..." (Eph. 2:8)
Blessings and prayers for you all, friends!
Linking up with Amy today at Raising Arrows!
Welcome! Follow our family of 6 on our military moving, God loving, homeschool adventure! We are honored you have joined us and look forward to hearing from you.
It is so hard to see sin like this in people we trusted. And I agree that it is so hard to talk to our kids about it. But you're right that we are all just one step away, and that it is only by God's grace that we resist sin.
ReplyDeleteAs our children get older, I realize just how hard some conversations can and will be. May God guide our tongues.
ReplyDelete-Olivia
Amen, Grace is something that is so hard to learn and extend. I'm praying for your families hearts right now because I have been there and it takes time to recover... XOXO
ReplyDeleteHow devastating. I'm so sorry that you have had this hit so close to home. Sexual sin is one of the most devastating and fearful sins. I'm so glad that your girls were not affected and my heart breaks for those families that it did. :(
ReplyDeleteThank you Michele for speaking up about a sinful topic that most people would like to just "sweep under the rug!" Pray for more parents like you! <3
ReplyDeleteWOW...just wow!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a week! I found out about Doug Phillips this weekend, and I had the same reaction! I'm sorry to hear about your youth pastor and the families this affects.
ReplyDeleteWhat a week, indeed! Praying for you and all affected by the tragedies you've mentioned. I think it's important to remember that, though we each are human and will fall in our walk from time to time, that if we are truly seeking God's face and putting Him first, that His Holy Spirit lends its protection in our lives so that we have right desires. Does that mean we won't ever sin? Of course not. But if we're purposefully striving for Kingdom things and seeking Christ's face, it's much easier to both recognize and resist temptation when the time comes. Peace to you all!
ReplyDeleteTHANKS everyone for your prayers and comments! They are appreciated! Amen, Dalynn, amen!
ReplyDeleteIt is a tough world that we live in and unfortunately stories like this are becoming more and more common. I think you have settled on a good approach. It is so important that we teach our children that it is very easy for a seemingly "good" person to make a choice that quickly leads them down a bad road. That is why each and every choice we make is SO important. As Christians we have to remember that Satan is out there prowling, like a lion, waiting for his opportunity to pounce, and none of us is above falling into his trap.
ReplyDeleteI too was pretty shocked with the Doug Phillips news. So sorry that your family is having to go through more on a personal level. Praying for a better week and month ahead.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Diane
I'm sorry for the upset in your family. That's a lot to handle in one week. Sometimes I wonder though if we are too eager to put people on pedestals. That's not to say we should always believe the worst of people, but at the same time, we can't forget they're only human. Prayers that they seek (and get) the grace and forgiveness they will need, and that those affected will be able to give it.
ReplyDelete"How we could easily be THAT person." After getting over the shock, it is humbling to remember that but for the grace of God, I too can easily fall into the same sin. And if not that one, I am no better. Thanks for sharing.
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