The first few years of parenting can be the most challenging for marriages as they are discussing and making so many first time decisions. And the reality is that in the midst of figuring out marriage, many couples are also faced with a whole host of decisions in those early young years of parenting! Even if you were raised with all the wisdom and come from a strong Christian legacy, you will likely find yourself having to face decisions you were not necessarily prepared to make. Isaac and Angie share stories from their first few years of marriage and how hard it was to make some of the decisions that they did because even within their christian community, friends, and family they felt very alone and mostly unsupported.

They share how encouraging even having a few good friends making the same decisions was and how most of their parenting they felt like they were literally choosing to the opposite of society and culture of the day. The condemnation and persecution, loneliness, doubts of if you are doing the right thing, and exhaustive brain energy spent are legit realities for the parent who is trying to be biblical and seek God’s will. We all love our kids and want what is best for them, but parenting is sanctifying and not always cookie cutter.

It’s sometimes hard to discern what is the right decision in many cases and when a couple is not in alignment it makes it even harder. Our mission with this episode and entire podcast has NOT been to get people to do what we are doing in parenting. That would neglect the realization that God has a unique will for every family. Rather, we are hopeful to be able to exhort couples to talk about hard parenting issues, to remind them to prayerfully seek after God’s will, recognizing that they will have to fight their flesh at times to preserve their will, and they will also be battling the reality that others also have a will for their life and their children’s lives as well.

God calls us to discern, to have a biblical worldview, not to operate in fear of man or the fallen world, BUT to operate in wisdom with the rose-tinted glasses off rightly viewing the world. We must be willing to sacrifice, to be selfless, to lay down our lives over and over again at the cross in our parenting. That is the call. Remember the scripture in 1 Tim. 2:15? “Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” Parenting is sanctifying and when we submit to the reality that we are not perfect and cannot be– then and only then can we parent in freedom and experience the joy of the Lord, delighting in our children. 

Main Points in this episode: 

• Parenting isn’t cookie cutter and its not always easy
• God will for each family is unique
• Don’t allow parenting decisions to cause division in your marriage, allow them to make your marriage stronger
• Don’t let the decisions that weigh you down steal your joy. 
• Don’t let the opposition of others sway you or discourage you from doing what God calls you to. 
• Don’t be a people-pleaser.
• Take EVERY thought captive. 
• Operate in reality of the world we live in
• Be Courageous and don’t be afraid to go against the tide of nominal christianity or what is common in society. 
• Seek God in His Word before and after receiving any wisdom or advice from others.

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