At some point in a conversation between someone you meet, the question often asked is this: "Where are you from?" This often leads to another question: "Where is your family from?" In some cases, the question is: "What is your country of origin?"
Inquiring minds want to know about family origin. Chapter one of my third book, Never Alone, is about the design of families and where they come from.
The premise of Never Alone starts with some questions as well:
When God created humanity, what unit did he choose to organize them?
Does that same unit have usefulness today?
Did the organizational unit have an origin, a beginning?
Can we point to a prototype for the human family?
Where did the family begin?
Chapter one starts with pondering the question of a design for humanity and chapter two looks for the origin. What was the design for the first family and where do we look to find its origin? Since Adam and Eve formed the first family, where did they get the idea of forming a family? Was it their idea? Does this idea of family matter in the 21st century?
Families in the global village face these fundamental questions:
Do families still matter?
Can we have fruitful and flourishing societies without families?
What about your family? How would you describe its structure today? Do you think of family in terms a nuclear family, or do you think of extended family? How far back in history can you trace your family lineage and ancestry? Do you have siblings, cousins, uncles, and aunts? Do you stay in touch with them? What does a family reunion look like to you?
I treat and answer most of these questions in Never Alone. I started out with what the future would look like without a family. I let my imagine run away with this question to consider what families are good for these days. Then I moved into what the Bible says about the family. Next, I landed on the question of design and origin. These topics seemed to flow naturally as I logically explored the question of the usefulness of families today.
It seems like a movement has been underway for many decades to devalue and depreciate the existence of families and their role in successful societies. I explore these questions in my new book to lead us on a journey to rediscover family. This is especially important to me because of the work we do at Buckner International to protect children and strengthen families. I invite you to consider joining me on this journey to your family and the notion that you are Never Alone with a family that inspires hope.