The Family: God's Blueprint for Flourishing

From the beginning, God created family as the foundation of human relationships. In Genesis, He declared, "It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him" (Genesis 2:18), bringing Adam and Eve together as the first family. Families are where we first encounter God's love and learn to extend it to others.

Yet, families are rarely picture-perfect. Maybe you recall sleepless nights as a young parent or the ache of being far from loved ones. Perhaps the most recent Christmas gathering reminded you how tough relationships can be or how much you miss a loved one.

God's design for family is not about being the picture-perfect family - He wants us to be real - it's about love and acceptance and grace. To ask for help when we need it. None of us are perfect. Families come in all different shapes and forms. We need love that bears with each other, listens more than it speaks. Love that reflects God's care by being fully present, even in the hardest moments. Love that sets healthy boundaries so relationships can remain safe and nurturing.

As we enter the new year, I want to offer you a challenge: What small step can you take to nurture love in your family? How can you encourage other families on their journey today? Maybe it's recapturing the habit of sitting face to face for dinner around a table and talking about your day, or carving out time for family walks, or learning something new together, or simply putting aside distractions to be fully present. Maybe it is extending hospitality to someone in your life who lives alone, or a single parent and their children?

Each small act of love - no matter how simple - strengthens the bonds God designed to help us flourish.

Grace and peace.

Andrew Ford, Chief Executive of Community and Mission