Thriving Families

“For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being…” –Ephesians 3:14-16

“There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created, strengthened and maintained.” These are the words of the great Winston Churchill, spoken following the birth of Prince Charles in 1948. And although spoken nearly 70 years ago, these words remain true today. In short, family matters!

When families thrive, communities thrive! And when communities thrive, states and nations thrive. At NM FAM, we believe that God’s timeless design for the family is the strongest foundation for any free and successful society. The family, as God designed it, is the best environment for creating children and nurturing them while protecting and providing for them. As a family grows together, they then gain the value of honoring and caring for their elderly. Family offers the fulfillment of all human needs. As such, thriving families have the power to lessen the need for government intervention and should serve as an important check on the scope of our government. 

For too long, New Mexico families have been mired by the paralyzing effect of government dependency and an entitlement system that disincentivizes the traditional family unit. Our current welfare system not only discourages marriage, but also actively penalizes those who do get married – particularly low-income parents. For example, a single mother in New Mexico with two children, earning $20,000 per year, is eligible to receive almost $3,600 per year in food stamp benefits. However, if she were to marry the father, who earns the same as she does, that family would no longer qualify for any assistance.

New Mexico families deserve better and that is why we should be in the business of encouraging and empowering families. So how do we do this? By supporting state policies and programs that encourage parents to stay together and raise their children; empowering parents to assume control of their children’s education rather than have the parent voice threatened and silenced; highlighting the uniquely beneficial roles that men and women, fathers and mothers, bring to the family; and offering appropriate support to our single parents, guardians, relatives raising children, foster parents, and those wishing to adopt. 

Some say, “It takes a village.” At NM FAM, we say, “It takes a family.” 

Our vision is a New Mexico where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, and families thrive. Thriving families are the key to a successful New Mexico. It’s time for families to unleash their biblical citizenship; it’s time to thrive.