Written by: Renee Buckner
Life for a single parent can be difficult. It’s hard enough trying to keep food on the table and bills paid throughout the year. The added demands of the holidays bring even more of a financial burden to families. As a single mother, I personally experienced these struggles in the past. I felt the need to work extra hours or even accept assistance in making the holidays a memorable experience for my kids.
As my situation changed for the better, I couldn’t help but think of the mothers who still struggled around the holidays. Memories of the secret fears, working long hours and frustration that comes from doing it all by yourself came back to my mind. At that moment, the Lord gave me a vision that would be able to bless other single parents. There is nothing more powerful than a vision birthed from your own painful experiences.
The vision was for us to host a brunch for single parents. This would be a time set aside where they could step away from the stress of the holidays and be pampered and blessed with a word from the Lord, food and fellowship. At first, it seemed so elaborate that I feared it would be impossible to pull off. However, the Lord reassured me that if I remained obedient and followed his instructions, this brunch would happen and be a success. He reminded me that it’s not what I can do, but what He will do through me. It won’t be by power, nor my might but by His spirit.
I told the vision to my pastor and once he gave his blessing to move forward, the Lord did the rest. He directed me to different businesses within the community that was willing to help bring this vision to life. He sent people with a heart to serve and didn’t hesitate to help.
This wasn’t your ordinary brunch. We used this time of fellowship to discuss mental health issues, drug/substance abuse and our faith in God. We dealt with the heart issues of the single parents, and encouraged them to continue to seek God in spite of life’s complexities. Furthermore, we were blessed to have a local massage therapist, a makeup artist, and photographers donate their time and services. Restaurants donated food, and volunteers from our church came together to make this event possible. This year on Saturday, December 7th, we will host our second annual brunch and I know it will be even a bigger blessing to single parents then the first one.
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