SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES CAN SUCCEED -Conclusion of A Lone Parent, but Not Alone

Success Stories

Are these principles effective? Yes, as can be seen from numerous success stories of single parents.  Gloria, a divorced  single  working mother in England, who was mentioned in the first article, raised two sons and a daughter.  All three of them grew up to become full-time Christian ministers, devoting their lives  to promoting  Bible education.  When asked how she managed, Gloria explained:  "The first challenge was to keep up a regular, interesting family Bible study.  I wanted the children to be happy, to have peace of mind, to be content, and to be protected from pitfalls. I found a job working nights. My aim was to have the children with me whenever I could. Before I went to work, we had a family prayer and I put them to bed.  My aunt stayed in the house while I was at work." 

How did Gloria help her children set the right priorities?  She continues:  "My greatest aim was to put spiritual things first. We didn't have much money, and I was very open about this with the children. Whatever I asked them to do, I do myself, and they were all cooperative."  Reminiscing about how she kept a close-knit family, Gloria says:  "The secret was  doing things together. Nobody went off to his or her own room.  We cooked, cleaned, decorated together.  We balanced our activities.  I always made sure there was recreation too."

Carolyn, a single  mother of a young boy named Joseph, is pleased with the way he is growing up.  What is her secret?  "We read the Bible together at bedtime," she says,  "and then I ask him questions about what he has learned.  Additionally, we consider selected paragraphs from Bible-based publications and apply them personally.  This helps Joseph when he faces problems, such as bullying at school."  Carolyn admits that her life is my no means easy, but she does not feel that she is alone. She observes:  "It is a constant struggle, but I feel that Jehovah has really helped me.  I also receive a lot of encouragement from the Christian congregation." 

The success stories of thousands of single parents, such as Gloria and Carolyn, proves that parents today can rely on the time-tested principles of the Bible to raise fine,spiritually strong  children.  (Proverbs 22:6)  Success is possible!  Single parenting provides many challenges that are opportunities for growth and sharing. Relying fully on God and being convinced that he will provide help  is the best way to cope with the demands of single parenthood. -Psalm 121:3. 

Next time: THE BIBLE'S VIEWPOINT-ARCHAEOLOGY NECESSARY FOR FAITH?

From the Awake! magazine