Friday, August 2, 2019

Deployed

In Psalm 78, there is encouragement for parents to speak the truth of the Scriptures, to plant seeds
intended to bear fruit through righteous lives. We can read:
5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children;
6 That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children,
7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments...

God's Word is powerful, and the seeds of His Word that we plant can have a profound effect on those with whom we share it - including our family members.  In our homes, we can be careful to live out the principles of Scripture and to talk regularly about its implications and its principles.  That living and active Word, as it's described in Hebrews 4, has incredible power to transform lives and to provide direction.

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We recognize the power of the family in fulfilling the purposes of God.  The 127th Psalm contains
these words:
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.

Through her numerous appearances in movies on the Hallmark Channel, Candace Cameron Bure has developed quite a positive reputation in the family-friendly entertainment space.  And, she is known to be a voice of Christianity and Biblical truth.  Now, members of her family are walking on a similar path.  According to a piece at The Christian Post:
Bure raised her three children alongside her husband, retired professional hockey player Valeri Bure. They’ve instilled their Christian values into their children and now Lev is spreading that message with others.
Lev would be her 19-year-old son, who is currently studying at a Bible college in California.  The Post article reports that he recently "preached a message at Shepherd Church in Los Angeles" recently. The story says:
Lev is currently enrolled in Sheperd Church’s Bible college and was selected to share God’s Word with a group of some of his peers on May 5.
“What a blessing @levvbure you are to me and the thousands of people you shared with today at church and online!!” Bure, the proud mom wrote on Instagram along with a photo of her 19-year-old son preaching.
Also,
She later shared a video clip of his message along with with the scripture 1 Timothy 4:12, which says “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
This is the same Lev who expressed appreciation to his mom on his 18th birthday last year.  Another Christian Post story reported:
After publicly wishing her son a happy birthday in her own dedication, the "Fuller House" star took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a gallery of photos including the letter Lev gave her on his special day, thanking her for making him who he is today.
"Mom! I first just need to say thank you. You have literally put your life down for me. You helped, encouraged, cared for, loved, worked, and really done everything for me. I would be nowhere near close to where I am today if it wasn't for you," Lev wrote to his mom.
The article also noted that the Bures have two other children: Natasha, who was 19 at the time of the article, and Maksim, then 16.  The article contained a quote from Candace:
"My daughter is in the industry so those are conversations that we have, really, I've been having with all of my children since they were young. That is what parenting is about — helping them be secure with who they are and having moral boundaries and knowing what's right and what's wrong and what's appropriate of people to ask of you and not. Not to be afraid to speak out — and sometimes that can be very difficult," the California native told E! in an interview. "As a mom, the only other thing you can do is pray."
The Christian Post devoted an article to Natasha earlier this year.  She is quoted as saying:
I've always had a huge passion for entertaining, whether if it's through music and song, or through acting and theater. I love it all so I'm just trying to put myself out there and work as hard as I can. Its a really great way for me to express my creativity and emotions, and I think that's why I connect to it so much.
Regarding her faith, Natasha says, "I try to be the person that God made me to be. It's not always simple and easy. It takes a lot of work, but its something I do strive to achieve every day, especially now more than ever, as I now have a bunch of eyeballs on me."

There are several principles that come to mind in considering these stories related to the Bure family.  First of all, we continue to recognize that children are a gift.  Parents have the responsibility to set an example, and to continue to live out our Christian faith and plant seeds.

These young people can give us hope for the next generation, recognizing that we certainly need more young people deployed to be bold witnesses for Christ. There is no lack of information out there that does not reflect kindly on the generation or generations to come, so whenever there is opportunity, there is certainly room for encouraging stories.

Finally, don't forget to pray.  Candace mentions areas of security and morality, and says that the "other thing" you can do is pray.  It is a tough and sometimes scary world out there for parents, especially those of us who have released their children from the home - prayer can be a source of confidence and comfort - a lifeline we can offer, with a sense of anticipation of what God can do.

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