An eight-year-old girl had a panic attack
'Cause the father she loved left and never looked back
No longer the hero she counted on
He told her he loved her and then he was gone
She tried to look happy in front of her friends
But knew that she'd never feel normal again
She fought back the tears as they filled her eyes
And wanted him back just to tell him goodbye
When the rain falls down
When it all turns around
When the light goes out
This isn't the end
(Excerpt from, “This Isn’t The End,” by Adam Young, 2015)
This song communicates the pain a little girl felt when her dad left the family and ended his life. While it centers on a father who showed no care for his family, a mother who leaves is just as devastating. God designed the family with a father and mother, each holding a distinct foundational position for each other and their children. The harm felt through the lyrics of this song brings God’s wisdom to the mind. He taught that husbands and wives ought to remain together (cf. Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:6), and that both should be active in raising their children (cf. Eph. 6:1-4; Titus 2:4). Parents, your children need you, and they need you to be godly. The impact of a few years of your interaction with them will help to shape them for the rest of their life. Lead them to God together, while you have the opportunity.