Our pastor and his wife have three children, all under the age of four. “A typical day,” they say, “consists of a crying baby who wants to be held all the time, a toddler who also wants attention, and a preschooler who wants to talk 24/7.” Parenting can be overwhelming at times. Maybe you remember those days, or maybe you’re living them now and thinking, Tell me about it!


Raising children can often leave one or both parents discouraged and feeling drained by a sense of their own inadequacy for the task. My pastor’s wife agreed. “When I don’t have friends or family to talk to, I have Jesus. When I am yelling and angry and frustrated at my kids, Jesus gently reminds me that He is still with me and He will forgive me.”


The Gospel is not just for sinners. It is for all of us who try every day to do our best for Jesus, and fail time and time again. He always has more grace to give because Jesus is a Friend to families too. After all, it is the very structure in which He chose to work out the reality of His love to us.