This week was the memorial service for Jodie and I’s friend Summer Kempfer.
Summer was diagnosed with cancer over a year ago and this last Saturday she left this world to be with her Heavenly Father.
The memorial service was incredibly sad yet hopeful…knowing that we will see her again.
So after the music had been played and tears had been shed I was able to spend a few minutes with Summers husband, Jeremy.
And let me just say that Jeremy is an amazing man of God.
He is a tremendous father.
He is a strong spiritual and church leader.
Jeremy and I embraced for about 5 minutes as we both just sat there and cried. I looked Jeremy in the eyes and told him…
“God is with you. God has not forsaken you. You have what it takes to raise these 4 kids.”
Jeremy is now the single father of 4 kiddos.
Taylor 12
Savanna 9
Jaylen 5
Sarah Kate 1
And Jeremy looked me in the eyes and said…
“Chris, I DON’T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES to raise my kids…but my Heavenly Father does.”
How true is this?
We don’t have what it takes!
We don’t have what it takes to…
- Make sure they follow Jesus
- To protect them from pain
- Make them make smart choices
We just don’t have what it takes!
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
I believe more parents MUST step into the power of “I CAN’T” and see the God of “I CAN” step in and give us the strength to parent our kiddos.
Do you ever feel like Jeremy? Do you feel like an “I CAN’T” parent?
Would you like to receive Epicparent’s newest posts by email? If so, click HERE or to add it to your reader click HERE.
Parenting teen is really a tough job. Because most of the time the conversation is moved into arguments,As we know that they learn thing from their experience and observation. we still behave or show possessive nature toward them and didn’t allow them to move independent..
Thanks for commenting today James!
Absolutely, and I pray that his church family steps in to be extra supportive and helpful as he grieves his wife. Because he will need to surrender to the “I can’t” as much as he can to grieve well.
Thanks for checking in Leanne…he does have a great church family that jumps in and helps. A true Acts 2 thing!
I realized the other day that I(alone)was trying to get my 4 year old to stop misbehaving at school. I was telling my mother in law about it & she said, “Megan, you need to just pray for him. Pray Scripture over him.” I am embarrassed to say, that wasn’t my first thought; prayer. My first reaction was, “How can Matt & I change this behavior in him?” Huge fail.
Prayer.
(For the record & my son’s name, he isn’t a bad boy. He’s 4.) ha
Just saw this C.S Lewis quote: You may forget that you are at every moment totally dependent on God. #CSLewis
Very applicable here