Burning Burdens

Our Family Empowerment Program held its 5th Annual Parent Retreat last month in Vero Beach at the Life for Youth Camp. Dr. Terriel Byrd, Assistant Professor of Religion at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Pastor Chris Tress of Bow Down Church, and I spoke to the group of parents on hearing God’s voice and following where He leads.  The weekend’s theme came from the book of Esther – “You were made…For Such a Time as This.”  To live "for such a time as this”, parents learned that they had to burn (literally) the burdens of the past.  By letting go, they can step forward into the calling that God has on their life now.

This topic led to the surfacing of hurts that many of the women were holding on to from their past. One particular example stood out of a woman who had to grow up very quickly. Living in an abusive home, at 10-years old she had taken on the role of protector of her siblings. A life of rescuing people and emotional distress had held her back from receiving God’s affirmation. During the retreat, she was able to let go of the hurt and embrace God’s love for her.

With many of the other parents, we also went through the process of helping them let go of the past and helping them step forward in faith into the future God has for them.  A grandmother caring for her two “tween” granddaughters was constantly feeling inadequate in her role.  If she couldn’t raise her own daughter properly, how could she raise her grandkids?  Another attendee kept getting pulled into her former life-style – drugs and all.  She wanted to let go but the only influences around her were negative; she didn’t have strong, positive role models, and she wasn’t answering to anyone.

While the parents experienced rest, they also experienced restoration and relief as they rested in the truth that God’s forgiveness allows us to let go of the past and boldly move to the future.  “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…” (Philippians 3:13b).

God is truly at work in the Family Empowerment Program and lives are being changed.  Because of your partnership, we are able to share God’s message of hope to the families in our community. In order to fully love, equip and empower the children we serve we seek to break the cycle of despair with the parents and give them the everlasting hope that comes from Christ.