Successful Family Life

Successful Family Life

Humm… can we find a successful family in the bible? Abraham took his son to offer him as a sacrifice. Isaac favored one son and gave him a coat of many colors. Jacob’s mom helped him trick his father. From the beginning when God made man, we have seen strife and violence unrivaled in families specifically, Cain killing Abel. However, these biblical stories are for us to read, review, learn wisdom, laws, principles, life lessons, and what not to do. So, what should we reference to achieve a successful family life? Most definitely the Word of God! Although some of the characters seem dysfunctional as most families are the common thread is their belief in God.

Families are comprised of people from different walks of life and backgrounds. Historically, a nuclear family was what was deemed as the ideal family. A nuclear family is defined by oxford languages; as a couple and their dependent children, regarded as a basic social unit or a family group that consists only of parents and children Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Before the shift of norms, a nuclear family was described as mother, father and children who lived in the same home. Now the new normal for a family is anyone that coexists in the same household. As we scramble to make sense of it all, we must set values, norms, ground rules, boundaries etc. in place.

A successful family is the product of a household who pray, laugh, love, eat and fast (abstain from food and drink) regularly. Successful families incorporate habits which enhance their existence such as earnest communication. Communication is dialogue between two or more people, and we must hear each other and give voice to truth in love. What we communicate is what may or may not govern the success or failure of the family. Ideas of success may vary, one person may say success is having a lot of money, another may say it is having power while another will say it’s the ability to live a peaceful, free and healthy life. Proverbs 22: 6 reads:” train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

As women coming from a plethora of backgrounds, we navigate life balancing our various roles trying our best not to drop the plate we may be juggling. Finding the right life balance involves the ability to achieve a successful family collective. What I mean by this is that God is always glorified. In hard times God, good times God, mourning God and bad times God. Bible scripture states God sent his son Jesus and asked us to believe in our heart and confess with our mouth and we will be saved Roman 10:9. What makes a successful family is having a right relationship with God.

Successful family life requires resources; money, time, being present allowing time to sit down in each other's presence and observe and learn from each other and please do not neglect laughter. Make sure you do three things every day for you which involves your mind, body and soul. Use your resources, be accessible to pick someone up and teach your children life skills. Successful family life means not hoarding information but sharing information at the appropriate time, passing down recipes, wisdom, history and your legacy. Your family doesn’t end with you. You are just one link in the chain of life.