Train Up a Child
By Chastity Ogburn
Avery County
Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
God has a plan and purpose for every life He creates. He even knew us before we were in our mama’s belly. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “ Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you;” and Jeremiah 29:11 says, “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Today more than ever we need to stand up for life and be a voice for the unborn, their mothers, and their families.
I was reflecting on our recent March for Life that was held on May 4th. It was our 4th Annual March for Life in Avery County hosted by Anne Ministries. We come together to silently march to raise awareness that abortion ends a life created by God and we also come together to pray for the unborn and their families. It is a time to remember the over 64,000,000 lives lost to abortion since 1973 and to pray for the healing of families that have been hurt and affected by abortion.
As I reflected on that day I was thankful for each person that came out to show their support for life. I enjoyed seeing the families come out with their babies and children, it touched my heart to see these families participating taking their child’s hand and with their babies in strollers joining in on the march. God impressed on my heart and reminded me of the importance of teaching the children while they are young that life is a sacred gift from God. That all life is to be valued and protected.
One of the most touching moments from that day was when the mother of a 5-year-old little girl told me her daughter said to her during the silent march, “Mom, this is really special, isn’t it?”
Wow, from the mouth of babes comes truth and wisdom. Standing up for life and for babies from conception to natural death is really special!
God used this little girl to remind me of the importance that children need to be taught at a very young age how precious life is. Let’s teach our children how small they were when God created them in their mother’s womb. I love it when we go to festivals and have a resource table set up for the ministry and the children come by. They are drawn to hold and pick up the tiny 10- 12-week baby models that we have. It is a perfect opportunity to share with them how God created us and to show them the different stages of life. Friends, the responsibility is ours to teach and train up our children and grandchildren to value life. We will then be building a culture of life that will carry on into the next generations.
Deuteronomy 30:19
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”
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In 2018, the Lord put on my heart the calling to reach out to those hurting from loss. Anne Ministries began in September of 2018. Anne means “grace” and that is what this ministry is about, extending God’s grace and allowing Him to heal your deepest hurt. This ministry reaches out to those hurting from abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss. The ministry expanded in 2021 offering pregnancy support services to those facing an unplanned pregnancy. Chastity and her family attend Emmanuel Baptist Church in Newland, NC. You can purchase her book, His Grace Covers All, on Amazon HERE.
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