Let the (Families of) Little Children Come to Me

LYDIA PINONTOAN | GUEST We sat in the back corner of a hotel ballroom with our 11-month-old daughter, armed with toys and snacks and books. We had travelled as a family from our home in the Middle East to Istanbul, Türkiye to witness some of our favorite authors and preachers mine the theological depths of the Nicene Creed. Some might call us crazy to attempt a theological conference with a baby. They may be right. But it’s rare that this lineup of speakers comes to our part of the world, so we thought we’d give it a shot. The conference started, Dr. Albert Mohler took the podium, and our daughter started to fuss. Quickly I tried all I knew to make her happy, to no avail. I gathered our things, scooped her up, and made for the closest door. For the next 30 minutes or so I played the how-much-can-I-hear-from-the-hallway game and tried my hardest to not feel disappointed that I was missing out on what we had travelled so far to experience. I hopped in and out of the ballroom, trying to entertain my daughter and catch snippets of the opening sermon when suddenly I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. As I turned, my gaze met that of a woman with a smile as warm as her touch. “Please come into the main room,” she said. “Your baby’s noises aren’t bothering anyone, and we want you to hear the sermon. You’re doing a great job and we’re so glad you and your baby are here.”...

Let the (Families of) Little Children Come to Me2026-01-16T19:37:10+00:00

Passing on an Eternal Legacy

RACHEL CRADDOCK|CONTRIBUTOR I love traditions. I can be persnickety when it comes to the execution of my precious practices and rituals. One Thanksgiving, my brother, who is a very talented chef, fancied up the cranberries. His adding to the traditional recipe sent me into a frenzy—and I cried. However, my love of traditions has mostly had a positive impact in my family life. There are several ways I created traditions for my four children: back-to-school photos on the front porch; family-themed Halloween costumes; March Madness bracket challenges; listening to a state-line songs on road trips, and pizza on paper plates in pajamas when my husband has a late meeting—just to name a few. The natural cadence of life in our home is bolstered by such traditions. As much as I cherish my traditions—which I assume as women we all love to create lasting memories with our children—traditions like that back-to-school photo on the front porch this fall will (perhaps) leave a lasting legacy; however, the traditions which we tend to fuss over while our children are in our homes will not extend into eternity. Reader, I am going to be honest with you here: I am human, both wretched and redeemed. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, my heart is prone to wander, and I am distracted by light and momentary afflictions. But God is faithful to keep me on the course. When it comes to being a parent, my love of earthly traditions can hinder me from being intentional to pass on the most integral and eternal tradition I have the privilege of passing on to my children— passing on the truth of who God is to His covenant people...

Passing on an Eternal Legacy2023-08-15T13:17:49+00:00
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