HIMPower Magazine May 2015 | Page 7

ing about recent news of yet another tragic death of a young person and wondering what the child’s mother might have done to help save the child from this ill-fate. Immediately, the Holy Spirit placed in mine that in many instances, the child’s destiny lies, at least in part, in the hands of the woman who had the power to make a difference in their young lives. I am not judging them nor am I suggesting all the burden of child rearing is on women, fathers have a grave responsibility in parenting which we will focus on in our June issue. However, just because child-rearing is hard it doesn’t give us, as women, the right to abdicate our responsibilities to children—especially if we brought them into the world or see that they are in need of guidance and support. In God’s infinite wisdom, he gave women the ability and responsibility of birthing children—entrusting us with the giving and nurturing of life from unborn to adulthood. (Genesis 1:27-28, 3:20; Proverbs 31:10-21) If we fail to do our part, how can the children reach their greatest potential? Children need to be loved and treated as the gifts they are from God rather than as burdens or disposable items. Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. —Proverbs 31:10, 25 It has become common place to hear news about another child being murdered, maimed, sold or left to die a defenseless death. The acts that lead to these atrocities are so unconscionable they defy everything God placed in women when He made us to be givers of life and nurturers to our children who coincidentally did not ask to be here— and certainly do not expect to be abandoned, abused, misused or murdered by the one they have looked to for love and protection. And while these incidents may appear isolated, they are becoming so frequent that society has all but become numb to the heinousness of the act and crime. On the other hand, there are many children who suffer from a different type of abuses--emotional neglect, which includes a lack of love and guidance to navigate the obstacle course called life. Although emotional neglect may not seem as sinister as a stabbing, beating or other immediate form of death, the results can be devastating. And because many neglected youth have been bombarded with images of sex and sexuality as the ticket to loving relationships, they have a void of understanding about what real love is and is not. Since most of their interactions with others are via electronic devices and social media, their socialization is limited to images rather than context and healthy conversations with loving parents or other caring adults. When deprived of love and a lack of guidance, youth often seek what the world is offering to get the emotional connection they need. Feeling lonely, afraid or invincible, www.pneupathforliving.com  7