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by Connie Hippensteel
01/07/19
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Dear Parents of an unbelieving child,

This is a letter I felt I needed to write, now I'm not an unbeliever I do still believe in God in Jesus my lord and saviour. Just not in the way my parents want me too, I felt that God wants me to share my story with you and how it feels to be a child whose parents turn away from you because your beliefs don't coincide with theirs. Now through out my childhood I was raised around the teachings of Jehovah witnesses, we didn't always attend or follow/live by the teachings when i was younger but it was the only I was taught to believe in. It wasn't until I was 16 that I started studying their bible and books and started to get my parents to attend their kingdom halls. At that time I thought this is what God wanted for me and got baptized at the age of 19 with my mom. There were some things that just didn't feel right to me but for a little bit I stuck with it then I left with my now husband and meant his family. They are christians and despite knowing that I believed in the teachings of Jehovah's witnesses they still accepted and loved me. Surrounded by their love God opened my eyes and my faith changed entirely. Now to Jehovah's Witnesses this is not okay you either believe in their teachings or you don't and being baptized this is unacceptable. For an ex Jehovah's witness that means your family who are Jehovah's witnesses no longer can associate with you. For me that meant my parents, to them I lost my faith and they have to be cautious around me because I could influence them to no longer believe their teachings. That is what they believe, but as their child all I want is my parents to be in my life, to love me unconditionally and to just be there when I need them. But I no longer have that and because I'm a believer I don't resent God for this but a unbeliever might. Yes they don't or say they don't believe but a part of them may be angry or hurt by these actions and will say its God's fault that this is happening. I know its not because of free will my parents can choose for themselves and this is the decision they have made so far. Some say this is loving to turn away or no longer be apart of your child’s life but it does more damage then it does good. I have prayed a lot about this and one thing God pointed me to was about Jesus's brothers being unbelievers even thought Jesus was not in his right mind, but Jesus still associated with them, ate with them. played and of course loved them and even died for them. Because of his love after he died and ascended they finally believed in him and became his followers. Jesus never turned any one away and even ate with sinners not to be influenced by them but to love them and teach them in the way they should go. He loves us all and died for us even for your child. Now I know its hard that your child left and chose to not believe but right now they need you the most something caused them to leave or if not a believer to begin with to not believe at all. If your not their to help them or choose to avoid them this may push them farther from God. Yes they will do things you don't agree with but they still are your child and they still deserved to be loved. God will never give up on them even if they choose to never believe in him, so does he want you to give up to walk away? Yes they may never believe which will be hard but if you choose to not leave at least you could say that you tried. Right now your child is surrounded by darkness and Jesus's light can't shine through you if your not their. Without love they will never come to know his love for us. Also remember to that we are all sinful and make mistakes. Yet because of him we are forgiven. Now I don't hate my parents and I have forgiven them for making this choice but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt because it does a lot. I may go the rest of my life without my parents in it not because I am allowing it but because they believe their doing right by not being near me. Even my son might grow up without them in his life because of this choice. God knows how much I hurt and miss my parents, and yes I have tried to reach out to them with little results. I haven't given up hope that some day they may include me in their lives again. But from a child whose parents distance themselves, I ask you to please pray about this and no matter how hard it is let your child know you love them not just through words but through your actions as well. Just be there for them and never turn them away no matter what because Love is powerful and God uses it to change peoples hearts.

Love a believing(but considered unbelieving) Child.

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Roland Crim

07 Jan 2019

Thanks very much for sharing your letter. I can certainly feel for you. My children were raised in a Christian environment but have fallen away from the Lord in their adult lives. I continue to pray for hem that hey be touched by the love of God and will return to Him. Thanks for your share. God bless you!

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