Parental Advisory
There are similar yet separate expectations we have for our children and it is not that we only see greatness in some and not others, but we know each has their own path. At the same time, that path will require foundational instructions as well as key facts for each journey. While I would love to say you can read a manual one time and you are good to go I am pretty sure anyone who has put together anything from Ikea, a doll house or a child’s play kitchen knows that is not so. Much like a child, those things need constant review from start to finish ensuring nothing is out of place. In addition, when we see something out of place it is our responsibility to correct it in a timely manner.
In my household, my husband is the fixer and builder, not by choice but more or less by demand. He likes to know all screws are used and nothing will fall apart so he chooses to build alone. Many of times, I have had projects delivered and I can literally feel his excitement (total sarcasm) as he stares and wonders why! At the end of the day, he always does an amazing job, which reaffirms my mindset that he can do anything.
The joy of completing a dollhouse that has 1,000 pieces is something only parents of late hours and much patience would understand. The beginning and middle of the building process are not only unappealing but also very bothersome especially when that anxious child is continuously running back and forth asking if you are finished. Seeing something and not being able to enjoy it just yet is the worse ever, or so they say (insert eye roll).
We are made in the image of Christ as well as the fleshly images of our parents. If you come from a strong family lineage then you might have grown up with a higher expectation to honor the family name. There may have been an expectation to keep a certain kind of circle of friends or attend a special kind of school. Your career choices may have been limited by the expectations placed upon you because of the family name. To achieve those expectations there is also a period of learning. There has been time spent teaching and pouring into the next generation so that they have an understanding of whom they are and where they come from. The sacrifices made to protect that name alongside the hard work that was put forth generations ago to make that name what it is today, have been deeply embedded into the very core of you. Much like in the natural, our spirit man also has to go through a grooming process. There is a season where your spirit has to grow to a level of maturity so that you are able to withstand certain challenges and to know your why. Why are you striving to move forward? Why are some battles harder than others? Why do I have the same struggles as my parents and grandparents? Knowing your family history is critical for your success in this Christian walk.
Proverbs 22:6 KJV says “Train up a child in the way they should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Once that child has grown up to an age of maturation the expectation is not only for them to walk upright but to take their rightful place in life. As a parent, we look for them to do right and not wrong. We expect the late-night talks of transparency, the discipline along the way and the examples laid out, good or bad, before them are all going to pay off. When you know better you do better and the word of God says in Luke 12:48 KJV “…unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required…” When that child becomes of age, it is rewarding to see them live life with a sense of responsibility and yet actually enjoying life along the way.
Just like when a family member has a friend or acquaintance they can call on behalf of their (child or grandchild) for a foot in or connecting contacts, we have that same ability. We have an intercessor who is available 24/7 to take our calls. God’s word says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16 KJV so when we get down on our knees in prayer, we have the green light to immediately enter in and make our requests known before God like it talks about in Philippians 4:6. We can pray Abba father and ask God for covering over our children and for wisdom on their behalf. We have the ability to call things out that are not like God and speak things into existence according to the Word. The beautiful thing about having a spiritual inheritance and carrying His name is we have an intercessor who will go to bat for us because we are already chosen. We are the called according to Romans 8:28. He knows us by name so no introduction is needed. There is no winning God over and trying to prove that we are better than the next. The ultimate sacrifice has already been made and it is now up to us, our children, and their children to walk in that light. “Our footsteps have been ordered by the Lord” as in Psalm 37:23 KJV.
When the potential catches up with the promise, there is an immediate release of overwhelming joy that bubbles up from the inside out. Even though the child put in the work, there is a great sense of accomplishment. The parent has been blessed with the ability to not only know what could be but also see the manifestation come to life.
Rochelle is a native to Las Vegas, Nevada and has been married to her high school sweetheart, Bryan for 20 years. They have three children Daviontae-21, Jordan-19 and Saria-4 years old.
Rochelle’s passion for writing started as a young girl when she used journaling as a way to voice her emotions. Over the years, God has taken something that was solely therapeutic, gave it a voice and is now using it to encourage and uplift women and people from state to state.
Rochelle has worked in healthcare for over 15 years. In her “free” time, she enjoys writing, cooking/baking, creating new recipes and spending time with her family. Having a strong inner circle as well as nurturing the lives of others is very important to her. Rochelle has a passion for encouraging women and helping them to see the value in knowing their self-worth.