Am I enjoying my current season of life? Yeah right, you may be thinking. You never expected to be a single parent. Your life was supposed to be different. You were supposed to have the white picket fence, the two rosy-cheeked, beautiful, happy children and the adoring spouse who works hard and parents even better. For whatever reason, that is not your current reality.
Whether you lost a spouse in a tragic accident, were never married or fell victim to an ugly divorce, I know the journey looked different for each of you, yet you may find yourself on the same difficult journey as thousands of others.
Some of you may be struggling, because the children you always prayed God would give you have somehow turned into your toughest challenge. Maybe you have lost your spunk, your vigor, your joy or your energy.
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under the sun. —Ecclesiastes 3:1
Oh, that famous Scripture! Everything. Wow! That Scripture goes on to list different seasons, such as planting, harvesting, crying, laughing, speaking and silence. In order for you enjoy the season you are in, you must first realize what season it is!
Maybe you are sowing seeds in your parenting and you see little fruit. But if you can at least recognize that this is a time to just keep planting and sowing, it gives you the strength to persevere. Maybe you have mourned and mourned and mourned the loss of a failed relationship. You have cried yourself to sleep more often than not. You have hurt. You have ached. You have been restless, exhausted and weary.
But single parents, now is your season to rejoice, laugh, dance, reap, and harvest! Do not look to what has been. Today, right now, recognize what is to come. Recognize that the joy of the Lord truly is your strength. The hurt of yesterday is left there, at yesterday, just waiting for you to let it go. Do not live in its tragedy, for it most certainly will remain as long as you let it. Rather look to the joy of your tomorrow- the future starts right now!
Author/speaker, Jennifer Maggio, is one of the nation’s leading authorities on single parents and women’s issues. She is an award-winning author and founder of The Life of a Single Mom Ministries. She currently oversees one of the nation’s largest single moms support groups and has helped to launch more than 1500 others in churches around the globe. She is a regular on radio and television. For more information, visit http://www.thelifeofasinglemom.com.