ON CHRISTIANITY

DEAR REV. GRAHAM: I know I should pray and read the Bible like I used to, but I just can’t find the time now. I’m a single mom with four children, and there’s never enough time to get everything done, and at night I’m just too tired. God understands this, doesn’t He?

— B. H. J. DEAR B. H. J.: Yes, God certainly understands the pressures you face as a single parent; almost nothing, I know, is harder. Yet almost nothing can be more rewarding, as you see your children grow older and establish families of their own.

After all, God gave your children to you, and He entrusted you with the responsibility to care for them and raise them to become mature adults. In the middle of life’s pressures, it’s easy to lose sight of this, but I hope you won’t, because God has blessed you by giving you the privilege of being a parent. The good mother, the Bible says, “watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed” ( Proverbs 31: 27- 28).

In spite of your busyness, take time to be alone with God every day, and you will, once you realize its importance. You see, being a busy parent means you need God’s wisdom and strength more, not less. Even if it’s only a few minutes at first, set aside time to pray for your family ( and your other concerns) and to read the Bible.

Never forget: God loves you, and He wants to meet with you every day. He also wants to help you build a solid spiritual foundation for your family. Pray with your children, read the Bible to them, and find a church where they’ll learn about Jesus. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me” ( Matthew 19: 14).