Who's your Krissi?
I believe God intentionally places people in our lives.
God knows my situation, my heart, my future, and my needs. He knows my human limitations and my inabilities. So when I became a mom, God made sure my person was close by. Right across the street, actually. Just a few steps from my front door. Her name was Krissi, and she embodied all that I could ever dream of as far as the type of mother I wanted to be. She gently held my hand and walked me out of the fog of new parenthood. She modeled Christian parenting. She was humble and full of gratitude. She knew what I needed before I needed it and she made sure I had it. On those days when I didn’t think I could get out of bed, you could find Krissi on my front porch, ringing my doorbell, gently nudging me to take the next step and then the next. Her front porch was the place we would sit together during naptime with our monitors in tow. Sometimes we talked, sometimes we sat in silence, but it always felt like the highest form of fellowship.
As my children grew, God continued to place more much-needed people in my life to get me through each challenge, struggle, and stage.
In Philippians 3:17, Paul writes:
Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.
Paul is telling the people of Philippi he walked with Jesus, so he is willing to be an example for others. And those who walked with Paul, are also available to be a good example. Their faith journeys provide a blueprint or pattern of how to be Christ-followers.
These are such words of encouragement. I don’t know about you, but this gives me enormous relief. There are people here on earth, placed in our lives, who are good examples of Christ-followers. These people are serving as “a how-to guide” in skin.
We are all aware of the many people who are not good examples or who may show us dysfunctional patterns. As you continue reading in Philippians, Paul addresses the people who are misleading, destructive, and who are too focused on earthly things. But in Philippians 3:17, he tells the people of Philippi who they should turn to, who is available to them, and who they can trust.
I think as humans, one of our problems with this concept is that we are looking for a modern-day perfect person to be our example. And with today’s cancel culture, if you let us down or show your imperfections, then we are done with you. We might even be done with God because we blame him for putting that less-than-perfect person in our lives.
Jesus is the only perfect human to walk this earth. There is not one of us living and breathing on this earth today who is perfect, but God most certainly perfectly selects and places people in our lives to walk our journey with us.
So let’s not be so quick to disregard or dismiss the people God places in our lives. Let’s instead lean in and take a harder look at how they are examples and patterns of how to be Christ-followers, mothers, fathers, friends, spouses…humans.
Today, I am feeling particularly grateful for my Krissi. She tells me she isn’t perfect, but all I know, she was perfect for me. I’m also grateful for Theresa, Pauli, Michelle, Ellen, Susan, Amy, Kelly, Laurie, Anna, and all the lovely women God has placed in my life to be examples, to show me patterns, and to point me back to Christ while I travel on this journey, called life.
As you continue on your parenting journey, I encourage you to look around your circle and see the beautiful, yet imperfect, people God has placed in your life to guide you, support you, see you, speak truth into you, and be an example for you. He loves you that much! God placed Krissi perfectly in my early parenting journey, and I know he is intentionally surrounding you with the people you need to fulfill your calling.
God, thank you for showing up through your word, the people you have placed along our journey, the gentle whispers of the Holy Spirit, and through the ultimate gift of your son, Jesus Christ. We thank you for continually maintaining your presence in our lives and we ask that you help us keep our eyes on you, who is always standing directly in front of us. As we continue along this journey of life, we thank you for all the people like Krissi who are supporting and loving on us. Just as Paul writes, you have provided us with examples and patterns through the people in our lives, and for that, we are so grateful.