The Gift and Calling of Parenthood

Sixty-eight years ago, a 17-year-old young woman named Kathleen was devastated when she discovered she was pregnant after her first time of unprotected sex. Not wanting to marry the young man she barely knew, she agreed to go to the unwed mothers' home her parents chose for her. Tearfully, she chose the path of adoption. She wanted her baby to have what she couldn’t give her at the time: two parents who were ready to love and raise her. Unknown to her, in a small town about an hour away, Joyce and Chuck had just applied to adopt a baby after many years of prayers, tears, and surgeries.

And the baby? That was me! Sparked and created by God, given up in love, adopted in love.

Mom and Dad - (Chuck and Joyce) just a few months after I was adopted.

Sovereign Designs: How God Builds Family

Do we really understand the miraculous gift and calling of parenthood and the mysterious ways of God? My mom and dad knew the miracle of the gift.

Though we live in a fallen world where things don't always go according to the original blueprint, God’s passion for family remains. Throughout Scripture, He sovereignly works through complex family structures, adoption, and non-biological parenting to fulfill His plans. I think about how the Patriarchs lived in knotty households shaped by surrogacy, and strained sibling dynamics—or how Moses and Esther were raised by non-parents who stepped in to shelter and guide them. But through the messiness of all those things, God valued and sustained the family bond.

Parenting is a Gift and a Divine Calling

How often do we stop to consider that becoming a parent isn't just a life milestone, but a divine assignment from God? Is it ever taught that way in pre-marital counseling? Do we teach and model that to our children as they’re growing up? Bilding a family in God is a delight to the Lord and His Word makes this crystal clear right from the beginning!

“Then God said, “Let Us make human beings in Our image, to be like Us..…. So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:26, 27 NLT

This next part is so miraculous and marvelous we may miss its implications!

‘Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.’ Gen. 1:28

Did you catch that??? Read it again!

God gave His first blessing to the couple He created and gave them a calling, a purpose, and a promise. His first call was to be fruitful and flourish, fill the earth, steward and oversee it all while walking with God.

Contrary to what culture says, Parenting is a high calling with a purpose and promise. Children are a blessing and reward.

Why has society relegated parenthood to something below standard employment? Culture treats raising children as an interruption to our "real work.” Those are lies! In heaven's eyes, there is no higher kingdom assignment. God's first and foundational call to humans was to partner with Him in bringing forth new life and raising children for His glory.

1- The First Blessing: The union of a man and woman would have the capacity to bring about a new life.

2- The First Calling: To build families that love God and raise generations that will flourish and fill the earth.

3- The First Promise: Partnering with God to steward and with His blessing, govern the world!

When God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe, shaped humanity with His hands and breathed His breath of life in us, He did something even more astonishing: He invited Adam and Eve (and all couples following them) into a sacred partnership.

Family is not only a biological coincidence; it is a divine creation. Through birth, adoption, fostering, or the family that results from a blended marriage or spiritual mentorship, God sovereignly forms each home and weaves eternal bonds through His love and faith.

Reawakening the Sacred Wonder

God offers us a sacred gift—an eternal soul entrusted into our care.

Familiarity can be a quiet thief. Over time, the routines and busyness of life can make us lax, comfortable, and blind to the miracles in front of us. Step back and look at the full breadth of life—our children aren't just part of our earthly journey; they are eternal souls and the only treasure we can take to heaven with us!

I know you know this, but let’s think about it and say it out loud.

My children are a GIFT from God. A reward. A blessing. An eternal treasure! With God’s help, I will teach them to know and love God, treasure them, hold them deeply valuable, nurture and protect them and show them they matter through my everyday actions and attention.

ALL children are a gift from God- a reward and treasure- entrusted to us from God.

The Wonder of God as a Co-Parent

God’s heart is not to give us children, step back and say “good luck”. The Father of All desires to co-parent, if we’ll let Him. He wants to help us love, instruct, and lead our children to walk in His ways.

I’m so relieved that co-parenting with my Heavenly Father isn’t about perfection! There’s only One Perfect Parent, and it’s not you or me. 😊I’ve made plenty of mistakes as a mother! Yet through every misstep and weakness, God so graciously steps in to teach and guide me. When I humble myself, ask for wisdom, and invite Him into my daily moments and frailties, His grace meets me right where I fall short.

And if I responded wrongly, had a bad attitude, didn’t listen well enough or didn’t follow through with a promise, I ask for forgiveness. There’s no point in pretending to be a perfect parent! I try to model genuine humility before our children because it’s one of the greatest lessons I can show them.

The thought I want to leave you with today, to mull over, and meditate on:

The Creator of the Everything, has offered us the gift and calling to build families in His kingdom that will shape generations throughout eternity. While God forms homes in many beautiful ways, the gift of procreation carries a distinct miracle; God Himself ignites an eternal soul into being and He unbelievably entrusts that precious life into our hands.

Our Father invites us to love, nurture, cherish and guide our children into the family of God. When we catch even a glimmer of what a family can become with His help, and rejoice in the gift and calling of being parents. It is then when HOME becomes a glorious place of grace, love, and eternal purpose!

I’d love to hear from you! What’s one thing you love about parenting? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

Connecting Hearts & Building Generations, Cindy

Part 2 coming up Spoiler Alert- You’ve heard it said- As a Parent- You’re working yourself out of a job- “NOT TRUE”- stay tuned.