As I watch the leaves literally blow off the trees in my yard, I am reminded that we are entering a time when the trees need to be deeply rooted to survive the winter months ahead. The theme for this program year at Kindred Life ties so sweetly into that same scenario. How important it is to stay deeply rooted in Christ and to continue to grow in that precious relationship in order to help us through difficult seasons that may lie ahead. How precious and life giving that message is to our young families, some of whom are not even familiar with what is involved in a relationship with Jesus.
My name is Kim Stevenson and I sit on the Board of Kindred Life Ministries as board chair. I am married to my husband, Jeff, and we have three amazing grown sons (two of them are married and one is in college). I have a Master’s Degree in counseling and worked for a pregnancy counseling center for many years. It has been a blessing to be on the Board and watch this ministry grow. Whereas being on the Board does not involve working directly with these young parents, it is rewarding to know the work we do helps to direct, support, and make decisions that enable Kindred Life to provide the best services possible to our young families.
From the beginning, I was and continue to be drawn to Kindred Life Ministries and the way they unapologetically serve families from a faith foundation. Building a spiritual foundation is a key component of the program. I was also particularly drawn to Kindred Life because they reach out to the young moms, young dads and grandparents as well. Supporting the entire family unit is so important to raising healthy families. The knowledge and skills our young parents learn through their time at Kindred life is truly changing the trajectory of these families going forward.
The theme “Rooted Deeply”is such an important concept for the clients in our program to understand! For me, having my daily morning quiet time to read, pray, journal and spend time just listening to God has been foundational to growing in my relationship with the Lord. Parenting is not easy and I am so glad Kindred Life is teaching and imparting God’s word through weekly devotionals to introduce Jesus and grow in their knowledge of him. I have been involved in my church over the years through attending services, serving in various ministries, and being involved in small groups. All of these things have helped me to grow “in the knowledge of Jesus” and helped me to be a better version of me as a result. My prayer is that all of our young families would experience this same growth and support through their time at Kindred Life.
If you have a passion to see teen parents and their families thrive, I would encourage you to get involved. You won’t regret that you did!