I always imagine that children who grow up to serve God come from polished Christian homes and not my holding-it-together-with-a-safety-pin home. Life has been pretty tough for us lately.  I frequently wonder how this is affecting my kids.  I want to be the mom that can really display God working in her life to them.  But many times I fall short.  My tone, my voice, my impatience are all reminders of where I am and where God wants me to be.

Then the little one shocks me.  His big brown eyes shining with joy.  Out of nowhere he asks me about making Jesus his forever friend. I am giddy with so much excitement that I can hardly contain myself.  Where did he get the inspiration? Clearly not from our life, I think to myself. He’s traveled on this rocky road with us and he still wants to make Jesus his forever friend?  I am in awe.

I was elated that he had come to this decision on his own but grateful for the dozen or so people that have touched our family in so many ways. I realized that it was through a myriad of friends with faith that my son came to his decision about Jesus.  God created a small group.  In that group my son learned lessons and saw who God was and is.

I may have felt like I carried this burden alone. However, there were others who lifted the weight without much attention.  Like the friend who faithfully makes meals when times are tough.  She showed my son that compassion and generosity are neighbors to faith.  Or the male Sunday school teacher who never complains about the group of 20 plus kids (who are mostly boys) that he leads. By his commitment, he shows my son that someone else has got his back. What about the friends who graciously steer him away from unflattering choices and show him that friends of faith encourage and support?  Or the Awana leaders that patiently listen and encourage as he recites those verses, showing him that the word can guide our life.  Lastly, the church that stands taller than the walls around it, and supports a family that shouldn’t be able to withstand so much thereby showing my son that there is community in our faith.

When I question how my son came to this decision and I look back at the short life he has lived, I see how it could come to this.  A little boy witnessed friends who watered down love and grew up faith.

Photograph property of the author and used with permission.