Someone asked me lately to do a blog on marriage and family . They observed the success of my children and thought I might have wisdom . As much as I'd love to take credit for my children's good choices and their paths of success , I know that I cannot .  In the same way, I learned early on in my marriage and child rearing days that I cannot take all the blame for my children's failures as well .  

But as I pondered this, I realized that there were things that I DID do right . There are things that every parent should do that will ensure success in any children who walk in obedience to their parents and ultimately to the word of God.  So, here are the things that I believe I did right...

I YIELDED MY LIFE TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND WAS BORN AGAIN. I believe that this is the only way that we can do anything with any kind of success . Unless our lives are yielded to our Maker who is the creator of life and  family , then we cannot know true wisdom . Jesus Christ has been made for us all wisdom.

I MARRIED A MAN WITH THE SAME YIELDED HEART FOR CHRIST.  The Word of God says that we are not to be unequally yoked . Because following Christ and being obedient to His word was considered to be of the utmost importance by both of us , our convictions were the same .

I DEVELOPED A PRAYER LIFE.  The Bible tells us that the "effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much". The greatest thing that I can ever do for my husband and my children is to pray for them . The Almighty God who holds all things in his hands promised that when I called on Him He would answer and show me great and mighty things that I didn't know . And there is so much to parenting and marriage that we just don't know how to do.

I FILLED MYSELF WITH THE WORD OF TRUTH.  Gods word is alive – it is the very thing and the ONLY thing that will change me and make me into the image of Christ . The Bible tells us that we are to be " transformed by the renewing of our minds" and the only thing that will renew our minds is reading, studying, meditating on, and memorizing God's word , the Bible... Coupled with obedience to follow it .

I WATCHED CLOSELY AND FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLES OF SEASONED MOTHERS.  I had many beautiful examples of godly mothers and wives that were an inspiration to me , teaching me by their beautiful example .  The greatest bonus in my life was having a mom who showing me a tremendous example of how to truly love my husband and children . 

I LEARNED AFTER MANY YEARS THAT I MUST RELINQUISH CONTROL OF MY HUSBAND AND CHILDREN TO THE ONE WHO IS SOVEREIGN, JESUS CHRIST.  He has plans and purposes for my husband , myself, my children, and my grandchildren . Those plans are for good to give us a hope and a future .

FINALLY, I LEARNED THAT I MUST NOT BEAT MYSELF UP FOR FAILURES.  Because when I do , it brings about discouragement, and I grow unproductive. Because of our human nature , marriage and childbearing are full times of trying and failing ... Or even NOT trying and failing . The word tells us that if we put our hands to the plow and look back, we are not fit for the kingdom.  In other words, we lose ground and our paths become crooked.  As Paul has encouraged us, "I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But this one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind, I press on toward the goal" (Philippians 3:13, 14).  I too, always need to remind myself never to focus on the things that I have done wrong but to keep my heart straining toward what is ahead . 

There will always be challenges in every season of family life, and I am convinced that the key to success is in living a life dependent on the Almighty God, His Son Jesus Christ  - being filled with His Spirit , and trusting the divine direction and guidance from His Word, the Bible.