One Family's Testimony on Becoming a Gospel Family
Our journey towards being a gospel family began when God forgave me my sins and I received the Lord Jesus Christ's free gift of salvation when I was 14 years old back in 1986. It was and is in His plan for my life.
Today, my wife and I have a daughter who is 14, and two sons ages 12 and 16. We set aside a time each evening to come together and pray, worship, share stories, reprimand bad behavior, and generally have fellowship with the Lord. We realize that in order for us to make it through this life; its triumphs, trials and the long, monotonous, daily grind in between; we must spend time together each day with the Lord in our center. It has not always been so.
Many years ago when we were a young married Christian couple, we mostly prayed together each day, especially when we have a great need or when some great blessing happens. But not when we were fighting. When we had kids, we mostly prayed together and then prayed with the children to let them know who we are in God's eyes.
As the kids grew older I shared with them about their need for a Savior and prayed with them to accept Jesus' gift of salvation for each of them.This is the foundation that our family stands on. Without it, we will not be a gospel family.
I've always assumed that if every member of my family is a follower of Christ, then, whatever happens, everything will work out for the good. Which is true by the way, but it does not necessarily mean that we will all automatically have fellowship with the Lord each day. To know and experience God together is different from knowing and experiencing God individually. There is a special bond that God prepares for us when we fellowship with Him as a family. Apparently, this kind of fellowship does not happen on its own. It takes deliberate action and great effort on the part of both parents. And the responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of the father. It takes hard work and dedication, like anything worthwhile in life.
Being a Gospel family takes time. There are trials and disappointments along the way. There will be times when someone or no one feels like doing devotions together. Sometimes, because of our weakness and unconfessed sin, there will be days when we will deliberately ignore prayer and Bible study altogether. But God is indeed faithful. He finds a way to restore me through His Word when I am alone. He gives me the strength to get back up and lift up my family to devote time to the Lord together again.
In terms of blessings, what we get is so much more than what we put in. The fruit that we reap as a Gospel family is unlike any reward that we can receive as individuals. It is a love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that is shared with your own wife and kids. Together!
What an amazing God we serve!
Modesto Mendoza and his wife, Haydee, live in Houston, Texas with their three children. He is a teacher, engineer, and yokefellow who is, most of all, a child of the Living God.
