Family Sermon Series - Your Input

This Sunday begins a short series on the Family!  To get your input, we'd like to ask you to respond to the following.  Just "comment" to this blog without a name or email and your comment will be completely anonymous.  We'll check the comments each week and try to work as many of them into the sermon series as possible.

How would you respond to this:
"Here is something I wish my wife/husband/parent/child could hear..."

Specify who you are addressing, and encourage your kids to send in their thoughts, too.  I look forward to reading what you'd like them to know!  And maybe, just maybe, they'll have something they want you to know as well!

It's all for His Glory,
PJ

Posted on Tue, September 6, 2011 by Jonathan Goeke

19 comments (Add your own)

1. wrote:
I wish my husband would not let money worries interfere with our marriage.

Tue, September 6, 2011 @ 3:00 PM

2. wrote:
I wish my husband could hear the new things our son says everyday. He works 60 hours a week and we miss him at home alot.

Tue, September 6, 2011 @ 3:54 PM

3. wrote:
I already speak freely with my husband. As for kids you can say what you want they just don't hear you.

Tue, September 6, 2011 @ 5:43 PM

4. wrote:
These are not just things I'd like my children or my spouse to know. I'd like to know how to be more obedient myself. I would like to know how my family as a whole can be more glorifying to God.
The "assignment" seems to be condoning a self-righteous attitude and judgmental frame of mind. I don't think it is my job to sit in the pew and meditate on what *they* should hear. So I bring all of these topics to the table for the lot of us.

Encouraging children to make decisions that glorify God
Keeping the children's eyes on God even after high school (into college)
Godly discipline
Biblical responsibilities of Christian husband/wife/parents/children
Talking with children about decisions not specifically defined in the Bible

Tue, September 6, 2011 @ 9:22 PM

5. Eric wrote:
Here is something I wish my wife and children could hear...

I love my family more than I could express with word. Everything I do and the decisions I make are with you in mind.

Tue, September 6, 2011 @ 10:54 PM

6. wrote:
Can you speak on what mothers and children can do when their father does not come to church and is not acting responsible concerning his family. Prayer is the most important, I know that is the best thing to do. What else can working mom's do when their husband is not a good role model for the kids and is not responsible to take care of his home , works nights, and spends most of his free time off work entertaining himself rather than spending time with his kids or helping around the house and yard, cars. The house is in really bad shape. What can a family do in such circumstances? He will not go to family counseling. please pray for this situation =(

Wed, September 7, 2011 @ 7:57 AM

7. wrote:
Dear Husband,
I would like for you to remember to make love to me all day long, not just when we go to bed. Smile when you see me enter the room, be aware of little ways you can help our household run more smoothly and relieve some of my load, turn off the tv and really engage in our conversations, and demonstrate to our children that I am someone that you value and respect. I KNOW you love me; it would be nice to FEEL like you love me too.

Wed, September 7, 2011 @ 8:56 AM

8. wrote:
Divorced twice, I wish I could of been a better listener. The Lord gave you two ears and one mouth......to listen twice as much as you talk!

Wed, September 7, 2011 @ 9:04 AM

9. wrote:
I just hope my wife and kids realize, that through the love of Jesus,I give them most of my time so they know they are loved and cherished. They are told all the time but sometimes words are just words and our actions are what really counts.And it sure is nice when they show the love back by doing something for you out of love and not even being asked.That's when it feels so great to be Husband and Dad.

God is Good,Great.

Wed, September 7, 2011 @ 9:39 AM

10. PJ wrote:
This is in response to #4. Obviously, this is by no means intended to be a self-righteous exercise. As a follower of Christ, we ALWAYS (I repeat, ALWAYS) look internally and figure out what God wants to do or change in us. That's a given, it's understood. We always take the log/plank out of our own eye before seeking to remove the speck from our brother's eye. But there is a time to address the speck as well.

This is an opportunity to say something to your spouse, parent, child, or people in general, that you just wish they would know, understand and practice. In doing so, we will all hear how we can personally grow and change as well. Again, maybe, just maybe, people will say something that "I" (we) need to know, understand and practice, too!

Wed, September 7, 2011 @ 10:09 AM

11. Pat Dodson wrote:
I would like the entire family (church family) to hear from the pulpit (if you are sitting here thinking about who in your family should be hearing what Pastor is saying, YOU are completely missing the sermon)

We need to focus on ourselves and what we can do to improve what happens in the family. We need to be responsible for our actions and show GOD pleasing behavior for our family. YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE. This goes for anything in life or any endeavor or any relationship. iI don't remember ever smiling at someone and getting a frown back. (except when my kids were teenagers)

Wed, September 7, 2011 @ 10:36 AM

12. anonymous wrote:
I have tried over and over again to get my parents to pray as a family and study the Bible together, but it doesn't take long for them to find other reasons not to do this.

Setting (healthy mental) boundaries is very important.

Realize you cannot solve other's problems. You can be there for support, but it is their problem to solve. It is unhealthy to take on other's issues.

Understand that people are on different "planes". This is why we cannot always understand everyone. We are all at different levels of maturity and unless you are with someone on the same plane it wil be hard to relate to that person. Realize that you cannot change the situation or the person.

Wed, September 7, 2011 @ 11:24 AM

13. wrote:
I would like to have the role of fathers and mothers towards children to be addressed. Parents hold the family together through discipline, not indulgence, but also how to let teenage children spread their wings and become adults. Parents need to guide them and know when to let them make decisions themselves.

Also, can a parent be too overprotective? Yes! There is a point when you teach your children to be careful, but you also need to trust God to take care of them. Not letting a mother and her teenage children drive 8 hours to a family members home is overprotective and not realistic in today's society. The reason -- the husband doesn't trust people that they might come in contact with on the trip. Chill out and trust God!

Wed, September 7, 2011 @ 8:12 PM

14. wrote:
I would like to hear how a husband should treat their wives. And I don't think it is to make comments on their weight!

Wed, September 7, 2011 @ 8:13 PM

15. Heather Pontious wrote:
For the record I agree with Pat Dodson.
As Todd Friel (WretchedTV.com / Family Network) would point out, the Gospel is the center of everything.

Love and forgive your husband. I'm not saying it is always easy, but us ladies will need forgiveness too, although that is sometimes hard to admit as well.

When I sin against my husband or him against me, I am often reminded of how Jesus' life was sacrificed for sin in our lives. By letting the little things(considering even the littlest sin put Christ on the cross) lead us to sin against our husband in return, it only makes a mockery of the sacrifice God made. Again, I want to point out, I don't come close to being perfect. The beauty is my imperfection and the forgiveness I receive keeps me humble and able to forgive my husband (and people in general).

One thing I hope my family will learn as they grow in Christ (mine are all little munchkins) is to enter every Sunday, and enter every daily devotion with the intention of finding out how God wants you to change today.

I love my family and I pray that the more God enables me to model Christ's love in forgiveness, the more they will fall in love with Christ the way I have. I pray He enables me to do this more effortlessly, because while I know what is right, my sin of selfishness often gets in the way before I can get to the forgiveness giving. May He continue to change me for the better. I am thankful God blessed me with a husband that finds the Gospel to be his motivation in forgiving me as well.

In short (haha), marriage and motherhood is a lot of work, but keeping the Gospel in the center of it will ensure I never abandon them, because forgiveness is always called for.

Wed, September 7, 2011 @ 10:13 PM

16. Anonymous wrote:
As a newly wed, I would like to have a better idea of husbands' and wives' roles through the Christian light. What does God intend for me to do through him as a wife and what does God intend my husband to do in order for our relationship to glorify him?

Thu, September 8, 2011 @ 7:09 PM

17. wrote:
I would like this subject spoken about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVMZoZoKT-o
Please. It is exceptionally important, and my Sisters in Christ need to understand it.

Thu, September 8, 2011 @ 8:47 PM

18. wrote:
I would like my family to know that i do things for them because I love them and I feel it's my job as their Mom and wife to make dinner, clean clothes and be there for them after a long day of work. But it would be so nice if every once in a while they told me thank you - or if they did something nice for me without me asking them too.

I also need help in knowing when I get frustrated that they don't do this that I shouldn't resort to throwing a temper tantrum and acting like a mytr. I need to know it's okay to ask for help and to expect them all to help out.

I need to learn to enjoy the day because we never know if we will get another day - we need to live life with a passion and a joy that will make our homes a place that our families and others will want to be a part of.

I want to give my husband that same unconditional love that seems to come so easy to give to my children. I want to spend more time with my husband but don't understand why I feel so guilty then when I'm not spending the time with the kids and doing for them.

Most importantly, I want my family to know that they are important. Not because of what they look like, what they wear, how smart or athletic they are, but I want them to know that because God died on the cross and rose again for them that they are loved and to never let anyone make them feel otherwise. I want them to give that same love to others and not judge the way the world (and yes I do too) judges. I want them to know that every day as their mother and wife is a blessing to me and I wish I could remember every day to show them through not only my actions but through my words just how much I love them all.

Fri, September 9, 2011 @ 8:15 PM

19. wrote:
I would like you to comment on how a single Christian parent can deal with teenagers and young adult age children who have been hurt through divorce and have chosen to walk away from God, thinking they have been given a bad deal, and refuse to have a relationship with God, and refuse to go to church. In other words can/should a parent force an older child to attend church if they do not want to.

Sat, September 10, 2011 @ 4:10 PM

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