So many of us who are raising kids without our child’s other parent present have gotten used to calling ourselves “single parents.” But I had to step back and ask myself… Am I really “single”?Or have I just accepted a label God never gave me? Because let’s be real...sometimes the word single can feel like: • less than• rejected• unseen• unappreciated• left to do life alone But God NEVER called you “less than.” He calls you: Set apart.Chosen.Beloved child.Redeemed.Forgiven.A friend of God.His workmanship. So today I’m being honest… I’ve called myself a “single mom” FAR too much.And it stops today. Because I am not abandoned.I am not forgotten.I am not unloved. ✨ I am a CHOSEN mother.✨ I am a REDEEMED mother. And you.... yes YOU...YOU ARE 🧡 a chosen father🧡 a chosen mother🧡 a redeemed father🧡 a redeemed mother🧡 a SET APART parent Be careful what you label yourself.....because words carry weight. So watch your mouth when you talk about God’s chosen…and guess what? YOU are chosen. You are not raising those babies alone.God IS your help.And He is sending you help... in His time, in His way. Help is on the way.Wait patiently… not as someone abandoned…but as someone FULLY LOVED, FULLY COVERED, and FULLY CHOSEN. With your beautiful / handsome self. 🧡

Imagine you go to work every day… And your boss says: “I’ll pay you at the end of the day.” So Monday comes… no check.Tuesday comes… no check.Wednesday… you get HALF of Monday’s pay.Thursday… nothing.Friday… still nothing. Then they tell you: “Don’t worry, it’s coming next week.” At some point… You’re either: 1. Staying, hoping they get it together OR 2. Leaving because you no longer trust them Why? Because their words don’t match their actions. Now let’s bring it home. This is what we do to our children. We say: “Do that again and I’m taking the tablet.” They do it again… -nothing happens. “We’re going to spend time together.” We get tired… -and don’t. “We’re a praying family.” We pray Monday… -but not Tuesday. We tell them: “Believe in yourself.” But when we’re upset… -we talk down to them. So now your child is learning “They don’t really mean what they say.” And then we wonder why • they don’t listen the first time • they test everything • they don’t take us seriously You’re not just dealing with disobedience…you’re dealing with broken trust. Because authority is not built on what you say… it’s built on what you consistently DO. So let’s make it make sense If your words don’t hold weight…why would your child move when you speak?

We’re going to talk about consequences for disrespect . Real consequences. Age-appropriate. Consistent. I want to make sure I cover every stage of parenting, not just one group. So help me out. How old is your child? I want to make sure no age group gets skipped.

Father God, We come before You in humility this morning. Forgive us for the moments we did not hold the line You gave us as parents. The times we let things slide because we were tired. The times we chose peace in the moment over discipline that was needed. The times we saw behavior and didn’t address it because it felt easier to ignore. Forgive us for being passive in places You called us to be firm. You didn’t call us to raise our children based on convenience. You called us to lead. Strengthen us where we feel weak. Give us endurance where we feel tired. Give us boldness where we’ve been avoiding correction. Remind us that we are not just parents… We are cycle breakers. What we allow, our children will continue. What we correct, we change for generations. Today we declare: We will hold the line. We will lead our homes with wisdom and consistency. We will not shrink back from the responsibility You’ve given us. Give us the strength to parent with both love and structure. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this prayer is for you today, comment: “I will hold the line.”

When God sent Moses to lead His people, Moses asked a question many of us have asked in our own way: “Who should I say sent me?” And God answered with something powerful. He said: “Tell them I AM sent you.” Not “I was.”Not “I will be.” I AM. Meaning whatever you’re facing… God already is the answer. When you feel like you’re not enough as a parent…God says I AM your strength. When you’re a single parent wondering who’s going to help carry this weight…God says I AM your help. When old temptations show up and you feel yourself slipping back into patterns you prayed to break…God says I AM your self-control and your way out. When the bills are sitting on the table and you don’t know how they’re getting paid…God says I AM your provider. When you’re exhausted from doing everything by yourself…God says I AM your rest. When the refrigerator looks empty and the stress starts creeping in…God says I AM your provision. When you feel lonely in the middle of the night wondering who’s really there for you…God says I AM with you. When you’re trying to raise children in a world that feels upside down…God says I AM your wisdom. When you feel like you’ve messed up too many times to get it right…God says I AM your mercy. Whatever the gap is in your life… God didn’t say go figure it out. He said: I AM.