I’ve been a parent for 13 years and a Christian single parent
for the last 3.
1 Corinthians 13:13 says, ‘Faith, hope, and love abide…the
greatest of these is love.’ This scripture will be the base of
this post…SINGLE PARENTING, SELF-CARE !
by Melanie Baker-Nash
LOVE: We love our children, but our first love must be Jesus. When He is number one we have
better, more selfless love for others…That being said, I think He can only become our first love
when we fall in love with Him. Connecting with His love daily helps us not look for love and
fulfilment from unhealthy sources; negatively impacting our precious children. Begin each day
with prayer – talk to Jesus, then read Scripture. Throughout the day think upon His love you’ve
read about. Being alone when the children sleep can be difficult. Try to make your bedroom
your own special place and focus on The Lord when you are going to sleep…Say goodnight to
Him. Remember love says – You are not alone I am with you for all eternity.
Love is patient – Try to be patient during this season of singleness and let The Lord bring about
any changes in your life. If we rush ahead of Him, we won’t be the only one to suffer, our
children will too. We must protect our children, being careful with who we let into our lives.
Remember; focus on your first LOVE! Due to grief we may choose to avoid Jesus, not wanting to
process things which hurt. But healing needs to be pursued, otherwise we can stagnate and
true healing involves learning to live as a single Christian. Don’t rebound or rush into new
relationships – The Lord cares for the other people and their hearts also. Focus on being a
friend to others. Time with The Lord can be in ways that you may not have thought about…Like
a bible study or even exploring a new ministry like hospital visiting. I began online writing
during my new found singleness. Get to know yourself…what hidden talent needs some
attention? Organise a baby-sitter and go make some new same-sex friends! Yes, you can love
yourself…God loves you, remember?
FAITH: Single people are of equal value to those married. Don’t believe one is better than the
other. All situations present challenges. If you forget married couples have troubles, go visit
one at their home and ask them how they’ve been…You may have to be a patient listening ear
for quite some time! Why not research some inspiring Christian Singles? Don’t think you’re
unequipped to lead your family as a single person – Okay, so single parenting is NOT God’s
design…But does this mean your situation is beyond help? No! God is MORE than able to lead
you and your family. DON’T LOSE FAITH IN HIM! Keep taking your problems to Him. He will lead
you in His wisdom and surround you with the right people. Is there a Christian parent group
you could be