Speaker Resources & Parenting Classes
Nothing is more stable or more changeable than a family
It is wonderful to be part of a family, to grow up in an environment that bubbles over with vitality, where relationships with others bring life—and sometimes, we must admit, great challenges. Family life can be extraordinary rich in communication and support, it can also be an arena of conflict and a place where challenges must be overcome.
One of those challenges may be becoming a single-parent family. This usually means, the primary or sole parent is left alone to support a family that has lost its bearings. It may also mean enduring financial hardship and experiencing emotional fragility. For many families, the entry into single parenthood results in a slide into poverty.
“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me . . . . Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. “ (Matthew 25:34-36, 40)
Widowed, separated and divorced ministry is a place where we never stop learning how to love other people—the people who are closest to us—above all else. In widowed, separated and divorced ministry we learn about giving, forgiving and looking beyond ourselves to be with others in the throws and pain of widowhood, separation and divorce. In the shared experience of widowhood, separation or divorce we are lead to be open to others, offer hospitality, and the creativity needed to reach out to the others who may find themselves in isolation and stuck in a silence that keep them from knowing and experiencing joy in their lives.
