77 Ways Your Family Can Make a Difference by Penny A. Zeller

Author:Penny A. Zeller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nazarene Publishing House
Published: 2013-09-02T16:00:00+00:00

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

—1 Thess. 5:16-18

40. Help a Single Mom

In the United States there are 10 million single mothers with children aged 18 and under living with them. This figure is up from 3 million in 1970.16 This is a large number of single mothers—who should not go unnoticed. Being a single mom presents multiple challenges, and encouragement is always welcome.

Encourage your family to do something nice for a single mom. One idea is to simply present her with a gift, such as a women’s devotional book. Here are some great suggestions:

• The Busy Mom’s Devotional: Ten Minutes a Week to a Life of Devotion, by Lisa T. Bergren

• Single Moms Raising Sons: Preparing Boys to Be Men When There’s No Man Around, by Dana S. Chisholm

• Quiet Moments for a Busy Mom’s Soul, by Emilie Barnes

• Mom to Mom: Committing Our Children to God, by Cheryl Gochnauer

• Hugs for Single Moms, by Melanie Hemry

Another way to help out is to deliver a box of food at the mother’s workplace. When deciding what to include, think of items that will be helpful for her children’s lunches or snack times. Some ideas:

• Cereal

• Fruit snacks

• Granola bars

• Fruit cups

• Graham crackers

Many single moms are unable to attend their children’s extracurricular activities. Offer to film or photograph that basketball game or band performance. The difference it will make to her will be huge.

Up for Discussion

What did your family choose to do to help a single mom? Are you from a single-parent family? If so, what insight do you have that could be helpful in assisting children and their parents in other single-parent homes? Are you close friends with someone who is in a single-parent home? What other nice things could your family do for the family? How could you apply this activity to a family with a single dad?

Deut. 10:18 states, “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” Discuss how this verse is applicable to this activity.

Read 1 John 4:11-12. How is God’s love in us if we love one another? Who would benefit from seeing that God lives in us?

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