Transforming Relationships (1)

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil” (Ecclesiastes 4:9).

Solomon spoke a lot about relationships and the Songs of Solomon is a book of poems about love. Interpretations surmise that the book relates to God’s love letters or covenants with Isreal or Christ’s letter to the church. Either way, we are born with the desire and need for love and relationships. “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him”” (Genesis 2:18). God created us for relationships and He understood that Adam would not be his best on his own. Despite the presence of animals and other creatures, Adam needed someone like himself that he could relate to.

God created a helper for Adam from his flesh and presented her to him. “Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man”” (Genesis 2:23). The next verse described a man leaving his mother and father, to be with his wife, and the two would become one flesh. The man and woman were both naked and they were not shamed. Earlier in Genesis 1, we learnt how God created male and female and his instruction was for multiplication. “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth”” (Genesis 1:28).

One of the main reasons why God created males and females and placed them together, was for the purpose of procreation. The other important reason why I believe that men and women were placed together was for companionship. We can see how God designed the family structure, for the establishment and maintenance of society. Within the family unit, children are born, raised and taught how to function in society. Families instil values, norms and teach children about religion and culture for example. Families should provide emotional warmth, stability, nurture and meet the needs of children.

When children grow up in stable family environments, they become well adjusted adults who are able to function and contribute to the maintenance of society. Over the next few days, we will look a bit more into what happens, when God’s original design for the family structure is not maintained. We will try to explore some of the consequences of abuse, neglect, divorce, separation or dysfunctional family patterns, and look at how these patterns, affect people’s ability to form and maintain healthy relationships. We will also explore what can be done when children have not grown up in ideal family settings and what interventions can help to repair difficult socialisation patterns.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”(Psalm 147:3).

A.P.-Y.

Published by Anneta Pinto-Young

I am a trained Social Worker who currently provides professional leadership on a programme to support Social Work students and Newly Qualified Social Workers entering the Social Work Profession.

Born and raised in Jamaica in a Christian family where my father is an ordained Pastor and Deacon who has served for over 50 years in the ministry. My father is also a trained musician and our family can be described as a musical family. I grew up in a small farming community in St. Peter’s, St. Andrew and my parents also have a small farm.

I credit my gift of writing to my father who I watched and listened to over the years as he wrote sermons, poems and other recitals in his capacity in ministry. English has always been an easy subject for me and over the years I have developed an increased interest in writing.

I am a Trainer, I sing and have a passion for worship, the spoken word and the free flow of the prophetic anointing. I am married to my best friend Andrew Christopher Young who is an advanced Musician and whose music you can find on YouTube and Facebook. I am a trained Coach and Mentor and I love experimenting with food so I love cooking. I enjoy trying cultural dishes from across the world and I view food as an entry into cultures and languages.
View all posts by Anneta Pinto-Young

Published
November 24, 2022

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