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Karengayle

Karengayle's Thoughts on Gentle Mothering

Gentle mothering means striving to treat my children with the love, tenderness and guidance that God shows me on a daily basis. It is placing others' needs ahead of my own and making family the top priority, beneath only my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is nurturing my children naturally, through breastfeeding, babywearing and cloth diapering. It is responding to their needs as the Lord responds to mine, yet teaching that other people have needs as well. Above all, it is to instill in my boys a love for Jesus that will lead them to eternal life.

Gentle mothering is important because mothers are the very first teachers of their children. They are the first example of God's love and care that their children see. If we do not show our children the same patience, love and forgiveness that Christ shows us, we cannot teach about the cross. In our world of extremes, where overpermissiveness and abuse abound, we must find a middle ground upon which to build the future church.

God has called me to parent this way because he wants me to show His grace and gentleness to the new generation of believers. I show a gentleness to my children and to others' children which I find rare even in the church community. It is unusual to find anyone else who parents this way, but I know in my heart that it is the way God intends me to bring up my children.

Karengayle's Testimony

I accepted Christ in my heart as a little girl of six. I attended private school and church and grew up in a Christian family. However, I didn't realize what it meant to be completely in love with God until the past few years, when parenting illuminated that love and taught me about the character of God. I know that I am saved because I asked Jesus into my heart and understand that there is nothing I can do on my own to achieve eternal life. The reason I am committed to the Lord is because I love Him and want to please Him with my every action and thought.